Authentic Learning Environments in Higher Education

Citation

du Preez, M. (2006), "Authentic Learning Environments in Higher Education", The Electronic Library, Vol. 24 No. 4, pp. 575-576. https://doi.org/10.1108/02640470610689287

Authentic Learning Environments in Higher Education is a collected volume of peer reviewed chapters that reflect on practice and real world experience learning from a variety of diverse disciplines such as adult education, architecture, biology, business, economics, health, information and communication technologies and literacy education. Editors Anthony and Jan Herrington hope the variety of authentic learning environment examples found in this book will inspire readers to teach their own subjects and courses in authentic ways.

The book is divided into three sections. Section I provides guidelines for the design of quality authentic learning environments for higher education that could be applied across a range of disciplines and a variety of modes. It provides a practical framework for teachers wishing to break away from teacher‐centered approaches in higher education to create learning environments where students are motivated to learn in relevant and real‐world contexts (p. 1). Section II discusses authentic learning environments across the disciplines. The chapters included in this section focus on the practical designs of different learning environments to both discipline‐based theories and situated learning theories. In conclusion, Section III attempts at enhancing the adoption of authentic learning environments by showing how authentic learning environments can be implemented and sustained across a tertiary institution.

Three chapters in Section II could be of interest to information science teachers since they report on online authentic learning projects:

1. 1.

   Chapter 9: Applying adult education principles to an undergraduate subject. The chapter is a presentation of an adult educator's experience in teaching computer mediated communication to undergraduate students. It discusses the application of adult education principles to the reshaping and new delivery and assessment of the subject (p. 107).

2. 2.

   Chapter 11: Online classroom simulation. The purpose of this chapter is threefold. In it the authors describe the development of an online classroom simulation and how they think this can add value to the practicum experience; the specific design features of the prototype version of the software; and their research into their initial trial of this software with pre‐service teachers (p. 136).

3. 3.

   Chapter 16: Using online discussions to provide and authentic learning experience for professional recordkeepers. This chapter provides an example of a performative assessment strategy for students in archives and records management studies, requiring them to find on the internet, analyse and evaluate examples of policy documents and standards, just as they would in the workplace (p. 214).

Authentic Learning Environments in Higher Education is of great interest to educators, especially university lecturers, who are interested in developing authentic learning environments to enhance their teaching. It offers rich descriptions of principles that guide the development of an authentic learning environment. It is not a book that would interest the information scientist. It includes a user‐friendly index and bibliographies at the end of each chapter.