Authentic Learning Contexts

An authentic context for learning provides a setting where the student can explore an idea and see its impact and relevance in the real world. Authentic learning opportunities are typically constructivist in nature, and actively engage the student in exploration, enquiry, discourse, reflection and collaboration while working on relevant, real-world tasks. Students work on complex, interdisciplinary projects and tasks involving higher-order thinking skills, and the assessments of such projects are also rooted in authentic contexts. Typically, learning undertaken in an authentic context would result in students producing a product that has value on its own and can be shared with a critical audience outside the classroom.