[Page 709]Situated learning, as defined by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger, is a model of learning rooted within a community of practice. It is a process of interaction and relationship around a specific domain and which occurs within a social, cultural, and historical context, resulting in spontaneous learning. This entry first discusses the backgrounds of Lave and Wenger and the development of the situated learning model. It then discusses the precursors of situated learning and impact of situated learning. Finally, it discusses the implications of situated learning for instructional design.