Content

What is the activity?

What kinds of knowledge are being developed? What kinds of materials are being used?

Does the knowledge and materials support the way the activity is actually done in a real setting or does it mimic the way the activity might be done in a K–12 school setting?

Context

What is in the physical setting (décor, furnishings, posters, books, equipment, etc.) and what messages are being sent?

Whose messages are they (the instructor's, the program's, the student's)?

Who or what sets the overall tone, schedule, procedures, etc.?

Do these mimic school, work, home, or community settings?

What do students value?

Whose values are considered to be of importance?

Where did these values come from?

Is there an opportunity to examine different values and reconcile possible conflicts?

Community of Practice

Is the focus on teaching the activity or learning the activity? In other words, are students learning about how to do something or are they doing?

What is the purpose of the activity and does it mimic a school or work/community/home practice?

Does everyone know why they are doing the activity and how it is directly connected to the overall learning purpose?

Participation

Are students engaged in an activity that is meaningful and contributes to the overall purpose? How are people involved in the activity?

Are they supporting, blocking, dictating, or not contributing to learning?

Is there feedback?

Are errors used as part of the learning?

Do more experienced students have a chance to pass on knowledge to new students?