Jean Lave
Encyclopedia
Jean Lave, PhD, is a social anthropologist and social learning theorist
.
She completed her doctorate in Social Anthropology
at Harvard University
in 1968. She is currently a Professor
of Education and Geography at the University of California, Berkeley
.
Her studies of apprenticeships are recognized as significant contributions to educational psychology
.
She, along with Etienne Wenger
, pioneered the theories of Situated learning
and Community of practice
.
In 1988, Lave showed that Nuns in Irvine, California
who could successfully do the mathematics
needed for comparison shopping were unable to do the same mathematics when they were placed in a classroom environment.
Wikibooks includes an introduction to Lave's ideas.
Learning theory (education)
In psychology and education, learning is commonly defined as a process that brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making changes in one's knowledge, skills, values, and world views . Learning as a process focuses on what...
.
She completed her doctorate in Social Anthropology
Social anthropology
Social Anthropology is one of the four or five branches of anthropology that studies how contemporary human beings behave in social groups. Practitioners of social anthropology investigate, often through long-term, intensive field studies , the social organization of a particular person: customs,...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1968. She is currently a Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Education and Geography at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
Her studies of apprenticeships are recognized as significant contributions to educational psychology
Educational psychology
Educational psychology is the study of how humans learn in educational settings, the effectiveness of educational interventions, the psychology of teaching, and the social psychology of schools as organizations. Educational psychology is concerned with how students learn and develop, often focusing...
.
She, along with Etienne Wenger
Etienne Wenger
Etienne C. Wenger is an educational theorist and practitioner, best known for his formulation of the theory of situated cognition and his more recent work in the field of communities of practice....
, pioneered the theories of Situated learning
Situated learning
Situated learning was first proposed by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger as a model of learning in a Community of practice. At its simplest, situated learning is learning that takes place in the same context in which it is applied...
and Community of practice
Community of practice
A community of practice is, according to cognitive anthropologists Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger, a group of people who share an interest, a craft, and/or a profession. The group can evolve naturally because of the members' common interest in a particular domain or area, or it can be created...
.
In 1988, Lave showed that Nuns in Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
who could successfully do the mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
needed for comparison shopping were unable to do the same mathematics when they were placed in a classroom environment.
Publications
She has published three books:- Understanding Practice (co-authored with Seth Chaiklin, 1993)
- Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation (co-authored with Etienne WengerEtienne WengerEtienne C. Wenger is an educational theorist and practitioner, best known for his formulation of the theory of situated cognition and his more recent work in the field of communities of practice....
, 1991) - Cognition in Practice (1988)
Wikibooks includes an introduction to Lave's ideas.
See also
- Communities of Practice
- Legitimate peripheral participationLegitimate peripheral participationLegitimate peripheral participation describes how newcomers become experienced members and eventually old timers of a community of practice or collaborative project . According to LPP, newcomers become members of a community initially by participating in simple and low-risk tasks that are...
- Situated learningSituated learningSituated learning was first proposed by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger as a model of learning in a Community of practice. At its simplest, situated learning is learning that takes place in the same context in which it is applied...
- Sex and intelligenceSex and intelligenceResearch on sex and psychology investigates cognitive and behavioral differences between men and women. This research employs experimental tests of cognition, which take a variety of forms. Tests focus on possible differences in areas such as IQ, spatial reasoning, and emotion.Most IQ tests are...
- Situated cognitionSituated cognitionSituated cognition poses that knowing is inseparable from doing by arguing that all knowledge is situated in activity bound to social, cultural and physical contexts....