In anchored learning situations, students develop component skills and objectives in the context of meaningful, realistic problems and problem-solving activities. These complex contexts are called 'macrocontexts' (Williams and Dodge, 1992, p. 373). Addressing a key characteristic of constructivism - indexed knowledge acquisition - the primary goal of anchored instruction (and REALs) is to overcome the problem of inert knowledge. For example, students in an instructional design and development class work in teams with actual clients to develop instruction that will be delivered to another group of students. They must define the problem, identify resources, set priorities, and explore alternative solutions with the same skills and abilities that are required during realistic, outside-theclassroom problem-solving and decision-making activities. This is in direct contrast to the way students develop component skills and objectives in a more conventional classroom environment by working simplified, compartmentalized, and decontextualized problems. Simply stated, it is the difference between providing meaningful, authentic learning activities and 'I'm never going to use this' activities.