what is authentic learning

Patterns of engagement in authentic online learning environments
Jan Herrington Ron Oliver Thomas Reeves that
Authentic activities promote engagement
Some argue ( Petraglia 1998) learners need to be persuaded that they are participating in an authentic learning environment . But others argue that we need to be able to suspend disbelief as in a wonderful movie. Students themselves may find that such authentic tasks may seem not “academic’
10 characteristics have been listed
• Tasks must have real world relevance
• They are ill defined requiring students to define the tasks and sub tasks needed
• They require complex tasks to be investigated over a sustained perioe of time
• Authentic tasks provided students with complexity so that they must investigate from different perspectives
• Collaboration is encouraged
• They are integrated seamlessly into assessment
• They create polished product in their own right
• Authentic activities allow competing solutions and diversity of outcome