Anchored Instruction

April 4, 2010

Yesterday’s News

First Reports…. Revised reports….

Today’s Readings

Bransford et al Kumar (2010)

Definition

• Anchored Instruction-– A technique of situating instruction in a variety

of real-life settings (often simulated) to aid reflection, transfer, and higher level problem solving.

A “Brief” History

• Anchored Instruction was developed by the Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt (CTGV) under the leadership of John Bransford.

• CTGV authored many articles from 1990-present.

Related Words and Concepts

• Cognitive Apprenticeship- enculturating students into authentic practice through activity and social interaction- similar to craft apprenticeship

• Collaborative Learning- Collective problem solving

Principles of Anchored Instruction

• Learning and Teaching activities should be designed around an “anchor” which should be some sort of case-study or problem situation.

• Curriculum materials should allow exploration by the learner (e.g., random access, CD-ROM, DVD, etc…)

Major Goal of Anchored Instruction

• To overcome the problem of inert knowledge. To create environments that permit sustained exploration by students and teachers, enable them to understand the kinds of problems and opportunities that experts in various areas encounter and the knowledge that these experts use as tolls.

Stages of Anchored Instruction

• Phase 1- Introduce the anchor• Phase II- Develop shared experience around the

anchor• Phase III- Expand the anchor• Phase IV- Use knowledge as tools for problem-

solving• Phase V- Work on Projects related to Anchor• Phase VI- Share what is learned

Advantages of Anchored Instruction

• Everyone involved with a common background around the subject matter

• Visual hands-on aspects allow poor readers to participate in class discussion and problem solving

• Facilitates communication between students• Students are free to discover new issues

about the subject

Challenges of Anchored Instruction

• Teacher must change roles from “provider of information” to “conductor” or fellow learner.

• Lesson plans are not fully scripted.• How to help students w/o being totally directive• How to fit Anchored Instruction into existing

curriculum and make sure it meets needs regarding mandated testing.

Anchored Instruction and UTeach

• Used in Project Based Instruction

• http://www.edb.utexas.edu:16080/anchorvideo/theory.php

• http://www.edb.utexas.edu/anchorvideo/howto.php