The practical work by our first year apprentices is on display and we are proud of the standard achieved.
This work is carried out within a social constructivist environment, suggesting that students work on projects better in teams with close scaffolding of the instructor. Student tasks are slightly more difficult than students can manage independently, requiring the aid of their peers and instructor to succeed.
Cognitive apprenticeships reflect situated cognitive theory in that problem solving activities should not be 'neat' and pre-defined, but rather, complex with students required to discover relevant procedures.
Perhaps the most critical component of situated learning is communication among peers. This component may be best elicited by designing technology-free discussions and other face-to-face activities. This is how we work in partnership with our students and strive to find ways to better engage with them on a continuing basis.
Great work guys !!