In an authentic learning setting, students often start with an ill-structured problem to explore and seek one of many possible solutions. But real-world problems rarely have obvious solutions and students don't start out with all of the relevant information to solve them. While they work on the problem, its definition might change and any decisions will be based on the best information available. A final step may be presenting the results to an audience of those who will actually use the information. Just as in the world outside of school, technology serves as a tool, helping people solve problems.
Technology is used to gather, organize, and analyze information.
A zoo's staff might walk around with portable computers to record data on the status of the animals under their charge. Students, too, can gather information outside the classroom to bring in for analysis. A professional making a presentation to colleagues or customers may use multimedia to make her points. So, too, a student reporting on the Depression of the 1930's in history class will bring in visual images and data to accompany his presentation to the class. At the same time, the power of multimedia computers in the classroom allows educators to provide authentic microworlds for problem solving within the confines of the school.