Social and Situated Cognition Theories

As much as we would like to think our learning and beliefs are static - that they do not change based on our social setting or situation - evidence points to the contrary. The theory of Social and Situated Cognition states that our social-cognitive processes change based on context, and when people enter new situations with different goals and perspectives, their learning and understanding change also.

Here is a link to a paper written on the topic:
http://dare.ubvu.vu.nl/bitstream/1871/17296/2/Smith_Advances%20in%20Experimental%20Social%20Psychology_26(3)_2004_u.pdf

So what does that mean for our education?
Students are not perfect vessels that can be filled with information despite context. We must understand that learning can be altered (for better or worse) based on the environment and social climate of the "classroom." If a group of young teenagers can't stop trying to impress one another, they probably aren't absorbing what you'd like them to. By the same token, you can use this altered social process to your advantage by making it impressive to have learned and adapted your material.