Article 2014

Situated learning in practice: teaching assistants engaged with a work-based Foundation Degree in England

Journal of Vocational Education and Training
Journal · Vol. 66 · Issue 4 · pp. 506-517
Abstract

A qualitative case study was carried out in order to understand the enacted reality for three primary school teaching assistants of the notion of situated learning in relation to Lave and Wenger’s concept of communities of practice and their description of legitimate peripheral participation. The case study subjects were studying for a work-based Foundation Degree in Educational Studies at a UK higher education institution and took part in a longitudinal study that lasted the duration of their 2-year course. By viewing their experiences through the lens of Lave and Wenger’s work, new understandings have been developed of how useful and realistic their notion of situated learning and concepts of communities of practice and legitimate peripheral participation are in relation to learning on a work-based Foundation Degree. © 2014, The Vocational Aspect of Education Ltd.

Keywords

Author Keywords

communities of practice work-based learning Situated learning teaching assistants foundation degree

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
St Mary’s University, Twickenham, Twickenham, Greater London, United Kingdom
Funding & Acknowledgements
No funding information
References 10 References
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5 Making Foundation Degrees Work, (2004)
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7 Research Methods in Education, (2000)
8 Forward the Foundation Degree Forward Journal, (2005)
9 Academy of Human Resource Development Ahrd Conference Proceedings, (2002)
10 Forward the Foundation Degree Forward Journal, (2006)
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