Situated Learning and Engagement in Distance Education

Student motivation is correlated with engagement. Increased engagement results in increased time on task which is expected to result in learning gains. Brewster and Fager (Increasing student engagement and motivation: From time on task to homework [online]. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved from http://www.nwrel.org/request/oct00/textonly.html, 2000, p. 7) presented a list of suggestions on how educators can design more engaging in-class activities expected to increase time on task including the following: Ensure course materials relate to students’ lives and highlight ways learning can be applied in real-life situations, Allow students to have some degree of control over learning, Assign challenging but achievable tasks for all students, including at-risk, remedial, and learning disabled students, Arouse students’ curiosity about the topic being studied, and Design projects that allow students to share new knowledge with others. Educational research has explored the potential role virtual environments can play in creating engaging learning experiences. Additionally, these virtual environments allow for situational learning which model real-world experiences. This experiential learning experience is the basis of epistemic games.