Situated Learning Theory in Health Professions Education Research: A Scoping Review

• In Event: 41.032 - Implications of Learning Theory for Instruction

Abstract

In this scoping review, the authors describe the ways in which key concepts from situated learning theory are employed in the health professions education literature between 2006 and 2014. Among 333 articles identified during level 1 screening, the authors identified 153 that addressed situated learning concepts in a substantive way. Most articles discussed communities of practice (91%) and nearly half (44%) focused on clinical settings. The articles used situated learning concepts to guide the design, implementation, and evaluation of educational programs and activities; to frame research studies, questions, and methods; to explain findings; and to define assumptions about learning. The findings provide insights and examples to illuminate how scholars in health professions education employ these concepts.

Authors

• Bridget Colleen O'Brien, University of California - San Francisco

• Alexis Battista, Uniformed Services University