Making Calvin's Learning Authentic

Ideally, schools should help students develop the skills and knowledge needed to participate in important real-world activities. Unfortunately, Calvin’s learning is largely disconnected from the real-world. It is just abstract, decontextualized information or procedures. For instance, on one test Calvin wrote, “I don’t have a shred of context for any of this. It’s hopeless Miss Wormwood. Hopeless.” 

We believe that Calvin’s learning would improve if it were more authentic. Further we have been informed that the Cognitive Apprenticeship is an effective model for fostering complex, real-world skills and making learning authentic. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to design a cognitive apprenticeship that will help Calvin internalize the knowledge and skills needed to effectively participate in a real-world activity.

Choose one real-world activity, and then do the following three steps:

  1. Identify the mental tool(s) needed to engage in this activity.
  2. Describe how the following components of a cognitive apprenticeship could be applied.
    1. Modeling. Modeling in demonstrating appropriate used of the mental tools (which typically are invisible).
    2. Scaffolding. Scaffolding is providing support so that someone can engage in a task they couldn’t do alone.
    3. Fading. Fading is removing the support as students gain more competence.
  3. Describe an authentic activity that would give context to the learning of this mental tool.

Details on this assignment will be sent from SUSIE to your Blackboard interface. If you have any questions, contact Agent Pugh.

Links to your mission reports:

Calvin Project Homepage