Situated learning is the underpinning theory of this learning setting.

The multimedia program was designed by operationalising the critical characteristics of a situated learning environment derived from an extensive literature base on the subject, namely:

1. Provide authentic contexts that reflect the way the knowledge will be used in real life.
2. Provide authentic activities.
3. Provide access to expert performances and the modelling of processes.
4. Provide multiple roles and perspectives.
5. Support collaborative construction of knowledge.
6. Promote reflection to enable abstractions to be formed.
7. Promote articulation to enable tacit knowledge to be made explicit.
8. Provide coaching and scaffolding by the teacher at critical times.
9. Provide for authentic assessment of learning within the tasks.

Table 2 in Herrington & Oliver (2000) provides a comprehensive explanation of how each of these characteristics has been manifested in the CD-ROM multimedia program.Situated learning is the underpinning theory of this learning setting.

Reference:

Herrington, J., & Oliver, R. (2000). An instructional design framework for authentic learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(3), 23-48.

ORIGIN OF THE LEARNING DESIGN
The project was funded by a CAUT Grant so the idea for the learning design, which came from the first author, was developed with the preparation of the grant application. The first author was familiar with the work of Debra Ball in the US, and her use of hypermedia in the teaching of mathematics. There were also a few instances of whole-classroom lessons which were being used in video form for thematic investigations by preservice teachers. The combination of these ideas and our own work on situated learning were the main factors influencing the design of the learning environment.

MODIFICATIONS SINCE FIRST USE
This learning design has been used several times. No major modifications have been made to the original implementation.

RESEARCH CONDUCTED ON THE DESIGN
The research of this learning design has been the basis of a doctoral study. The research study was conducted to investigate the nature a purposely-designed learning environment based on situated learning, and to explore students’ perceptions of a learning environment in depth. (This is documented in Herrington and Oliver (2000)).

Research Methodology: Qualitative methodology was considered most suitable for this purpose because of its compatibility with the theoretical framework and the nature of the research aims.
Participants: Eight second-year preservice secondary teachers studying mathematics method.

Process: The study was conducted within a normal program of instruction at the University. The lecturer introduced the subject of assessment, and the multimedia program and its capabilities to the class. All students in the class used the CD-Rom to complete one of the activities over a period of 5 hours (2 weeks lecture time). The activity required the pairs of students to assume the identity of new teachers in a school given responsibility to prepare a report to staff on assessment strategies.

Summary of findings:

• Authentic context is valued by students as an element of a multimedia learning environment. Learning within a realistic classroom situation provides a useful real-life context for the students and compares favourably to their views of the alternative pedagogical methods they frequently encounter at university.
• One of the most interesting findings of the situated learning study was the important role collaboration plays in the situated-learning model, not only in its own right but as a vehicle for the operationalisation of many other elements of the model.
• Another interesting finding was the importance that students placed upon the authentic context provided by the program on assessment.

THOUGHTS ABOUT EFFECTIVENESS
The learning design appeared to assist students achieve intended learning outcomes. Generally, students find the learning environment motivating and they appear to appreciate several aspects of the learning design such as working with a partner, working at their own pace, and the authentic assessment of the task. Students respond positively to the interface design (although it is now a little dated) and the fact that they are able to freely navigate the resource to access the media elements. They have very little trouble acquainting themselves with the referential navigation system and use it effectively to investigate the resource. In using the program, students spend little time on typing or clicking, but large amounts of time are spent reflecting and discussing issues with their groups. The ease of access of the notebook helps to facilitate students’ ability to reflect on their learning.

UNEXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
The most unexpected outcome has been the importance of the collaborative groups in assisting learning.

HOW LEARNER ENGAGEMENT IS SUPPORTED
The learning design does appear to support learner engagement. It engages them because they have a purpose for using the program. They frequently take quite a long time to work out what they are required to do and how they are going to start. They tend to become immersed in the task, and seem to enjoy doing their presentations—some of them really hamming it up, or going over the top with their ‘characters’.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF LEARNING CONTEXT
The learning context for the program is very much an Australian one, but this was deliberate, and it was hoped that the program would fill a gap in the maths education market. As one student said, it was refreshing to find a multimedia program that had Australian accents and wasn’t full of examples with nickels and dimes. The design itself, however is flexible enough for any cultural group to insert their own videos, accents, currencies or whatever to make it work for them, by replacing the resources.

Comment from the Project Team...

The generic software tool developed for this project, titled Investigate eShell, allows you to use a web-based shell in which you can insert your own content resources.

HOW THE LEARNING DESIGN CHALLENGES LEARNERS
The learning design challenges learners by adopting a more constructivist approach. It does not break up the tasks into tasks and sub-tasks presented in logical order. It presents one single complex task that students must analyse before they start. It is then their decision as to how they go about it, and they need to think and reflect on this in some depth.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRACTICE
The learning design allows practice in the least trivial sense of the word. It does not allow them to practice a skill or sub-skill over and over again, as the word suggests, until they get it right! It allows students to practice as professionals, engaging in the types of meaningful tasks that professionals are required to practice.

Comment from the Evaluation Team...

The designers' reflection about how the learning design provides opportunities for practice is reiterated by the project evaluators that reviewed this exemplar:

"While the package [referring to the CD-ROM program] provides resources that support superficial solutions to authentic investigations we would question whether it actually constitutes practice. It certainly does not provide reflective practice, there is no loop to check the results and outcomes.

"Potentially, one of the most powerful aspects of this package is the modelling provided by experts (both theoretical and practising)..."