Talon+and+Denise

Responses to Questions 9/17/08

What is authentic activity? How is it different (or not) from school activity? How can school activity be connected to real world activity (either JPF activity or disciplinary activity)?

Authenic activity is simply defined as the ordinary practices of the culture (BCD pg34). School activity is what happens in the classroom such as passing tests. School activites is almost a mimic of authentic activity. It only give a glimpse of authentic activity.

Authentic activity is different than school activity. For example, a biologist already has the knowledge and ability to expand the research. Students are limited by their own knowledge.

The process by which someone in a scientific culture and what a student goes through is similar in that they are working towards an unknown even though the unknown is different for each situation. Student are trying to learn the subject matter so that they can pass the class, so this knowledge is already known in the scientific/school culture but not by the student. Whereas the scientist is looking for the unknown.

An example of school activity that is authentic activity - inquiry activity - open inquiry - pose a question and go about way to solve the problem but limitaiton include resources and time. In school you are limited to a base level of knowledge. Example, you have science and school. These two overlap, but as you get more focused this overlap gets smaller.

An example of an authentic activity may be oberving results - Example of 3 trees. School activity is authentic generally not specifically.

Should school activity be more authentic? Time and knowledge limitations are an issue. In school you are able to only do examples or demonstrations of authentic activity. You are gaining experience in authentic activity through represntations of authentic activity.

School activity should consist basic authentic activities so that the student can build upon these activity from K-12 and finally be able to apply them as JPF or disciplinary activites.