Authentic Learning

We discussed the 9 elements of 'Authentic Learning' in our lecture the other day. I feel that these points are very important for teachers to know about, as too often in class I have said to myself 'when am I ever going to use this in real life?' Or 'what does this actually have to do with our topic?' And I'm sure half my class was thinking the same thing along with me.

Authentic learning has 9 properties:

1. Authentic Context
   The physical or virtual environment that students are learning in should reflect the environment in which they would use the skills they are practicing.
   
2. Authentic Activity
   The tasks set for students should have real world relevance - goals should be clear and the students should be involved in the production of knowledge, rather than just reproducing facts they have memorised. Tasks should be complex and completed over a longer period instead of short and strictly defined by one particular technique or learning style.
   
3. Expert Performances
   Students should have access to a professional's advice and ideas such as those of a teacher or an older student, or a professional in their area of study. This allows them to see the different levels of learning, and share their own experience in the subject.
   
4. Multiple Perspectives
   This refers to both the materials the student has access to and the varying points of view on a topic. Students should research a topic through a variety of mediums such as textbooks, online searching and discussions with experts. Just as they should not limit their study to any one medium, they should also consider several different points of view on each topic to give them a broader understanding.
   
5. Collaboration
   Students should work together in problem solving, discussing various solutions with their peers instead of just being told the answers by a teacher and then going home to memorise them.
   
6. Articulation
   In speaking to the rest of the class or to a small group of students in a presentation, students can explain their ideas and illustrate how they came to their conclusion. Presentations are an important part of learning, as often it is easy to breeze over a topic without much thought, but if you have to present it to others so they can understand, you want to become an expert in the topic in order to explain it well.
   
7. Reflection
   Organised classroom learning can often have strict rules and guidelines. It is important for a student to reflect on their learning independently and organise their ideas in a non-linear fashion in order to express their knowledge in a way that makes sense to them.
   
8. Scaffolding and Coaching
   It is important for those who are more experienced in the topic, such as teachers and parents, to assist the student in their learning by tracking their progress and helping them with areas they struggle in and encouraging them to continue their studies.
   
9. Authentic Assessment
   Just as point 2 stated the importance of relevant classroom tasks, authentic assessment is just as important. The final examination should reflect the work done in class throughout the year and should involve all the same skills. If the end of year assessment does not relate to the assignments done during the year, students are more likely to forget the skills they learned as they consider them to be irrelevant. 

Though these points may seem all too obvious when you read them listed out like this, they are easy to forget when designing tasks and assessments - especially if you are somewhat of an expert in the topic you are teaching. Year 2 spelling may seem obvious to someone who has graduated university and it is all too easy to brush over various rules (and exceptions to the rules) as they are second nature now. To someone new to learning the rules of spelling, however, repetition and knowledge of the importance of the subject for real life are essential to the retention of knowledge.