Hodges' model: Context in a Structure [Constructivism & Constructivists]

"First, we know that human memory for isolated facts is very limited. Knowledge is retained only when embedded in some organising structure. Thus, students who learn many separate facts are unlikely to retain their knowledge beyond the current period of test-taking - a much noticed, worrisome feature of the current educational system. Second, we now recognise that skills and knowledge are not independent of the contexts - mental, physical, and social - in which they are used. Instead, they are attuned to, even part of, the environments in which they are practised. A new challenge for instruction is to develop ways organising learning that permit skills to be practised in the environments in which they will be used (i.e. outside the classroom). Such contextualised practice is needed both to tune skills and knowledge to their environments of use and to provide motivation for practising abilities that in isolation might seem pointless or meaningless." p.22

Resnick, L. (ed.) (1989). Knowing, Learning and Instruction. Pittsburgh: Laurence Erlbaum Associates. p.3.

From: Abbott, J. and Ryan, T. (2000) The Unfinished Revolution: Learning, Human Behaviour, Community and Political Paradox. Stafford: Network. p.22.