Contextual Learning & Teaching

Standards-based Lessons & Instructional Materials for
Middle School & High School Students

Contextual learning and teaching (or CLT) is a progressive form of facilitation that assumes: (a) learners will more actively use information they have learned in a similar context, (b) learning is strongly supported in social settings, and (c) reflection strategies are key t amplification of meaning making by the learner.

Context

How many times do your students ask “When will I use this?” Providing a context often provides a meaningful answer and often motivates students to learn more. Now information has relevance and meaning. Can we take Middle School & High School students to the sea everyday? No? too bad! That would be a great way to teach almost any subject and it relevance to real life. We encourage you to take students into the world. But when you can’t, we have used interactive video and audio to situate students closer to reality. This can be very effective.

Social Learning

Recent research strongly suggests that many learners are natural members of a community. We encourage the development of learning communities to take advantage of this phenomenon. In reality, much of what we need to be productive in the world comes from how we are socialized into groups or communities. Bottom line: Learning is a social event.

Reflection

Reflection activities are important to assist the learner in “meaning making”. Ourhuman brains seem to need to make sense of what we have learned. Guide your students into a time where they can: (a) explore the importance of what they have learned, (b) place a value on it, and (c) consider future actions.

More Information:

http://jschell.myweb.uga.edu/discovery/theoretical_framework.html