The goal of cognitive apprenticeship is to make processes that are normally invisible visible. In schooling, the process of thinking is usually invisible to both students and teachers. For example, the practices of problem solving, reading comprehension, and computation are not visible processes (Collins et al., 199 1). Brown, Collins, and Duguid (1989) point out that the term cognitive apprenticeship emphasizes that apprenticeship techniques can reach beyond observable physical skills to the kinds of cognitive skills associated with learning in schools. In a cognitive apprenticeship environment, the teacher attempts to make visible the thinking processes involved in performing a cognitive task. The teacher first models how to perform a cognitive task by thinking aloud. Then the teacher watches, coaches, and provides scaffolding as the students practice portions of the task. Finally, he or she turns over more and more responsibility to students and fades coaching and scaffolding until they can perform the task alone. "Cognitive apprenticeship supports learning in a domain by enabling students to acquire, develop, and use cognitive tools in authentic domain activity" (Brown et al., 1989, p. 39).