is that it moves away from the environment being the teacher and shaper of the identity, to acknowledge that the environment plus behaviour shapes the personality and surrounding influences. Show
Humans impact their world as much as the world impacts humans. As educators, you can construct the environment that will help shape your students. You will be able to reinforce certain behaviours by monitoring responses and finding resources that will help model and shape the environment and behaviour. Bridging the Gap between Behavioural and Cognitive LearningSocial learning creates resilient learners who become students with a strong sense of self efficacy. Behavioural theory suggests that people learn from their environment. Cognitive learning theory looks at the processes used to learn. The theory was first developed by psychologist Albert Bandura in the 70’s, however, people have been learning from each other and their environments for centuries. We all intrinsically know what it is and how to enact it. Bandura’s theory provides us with four ideologies to show how to create the ideal conditions for positive social learning to take place—attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. If all four conditions are enabled, students can act as both educators and learners. The concept also encourages positive reinforcement and negates unfavourable behaviour through the responses of others. This holistic approach means that students are continuously learning in all environments. So, what do the four conditions look like in the classroom? Condition 1: AttentionStudents enjoy novel or different concepts and scenarios. This newness captures the imagination. Social contexts support the idea of engaging with the new. Examples
Often seen at the beginning of a lesson, teachers use a quick starter activity to grab the students’ interests. At the start of a unit, hooks are used to excite the students into the larger concept being explored. Incorporating an online learning environment within the classroom via an LMS or School Portal can drive student inquiry and encourage self-guided exploration. Condition 2: RetentionRetention is seen when the behaviour modelled is recalled. Normally this takes place when students are placed in similar situations to when the behaviour was first learnt. This is because the scenario and the reactions align to the moment it was first witnessed. Examples
Often seen as habits and rituals reinforced by social interactions. Condition 3: ReproductionReproduction refers to behaviour that is repeated. Although it can often be done easily, mental and physical rehearsal will improve the responses. Examples
Using a planning sheet that is recorded and stored within your online learning platform can be a simple way to achieve this condition. A role play of a job interview for instance is a great example. Feedback from the teacher and peers can be collated into the same system and provided to the student in a streamlined manner. Condition 4: MotivationStudents are motivated by the outcome of the behaviour. A good response from others will motivate them to learn, repeat and reproduce. Similarly, they will avoid behaviour if the outcome is unfavourable. Examples
Positive reinforcement from the teacher is an impactful way of using motivation in social learning. This can also have positive ripple effects on students other than the one being provided feedback. Why Social Learning for 21st Century Pedagogy?Social learning has substantial links with building resilient learners and creating strong self efficacy in students. With social learning, students gain the belief they can manage and enact the behaviour needed to succeed in a variety of situations. Self efficacy and motivation are linked and together work to create processes that impact upon how students set and pursue their goals. Strong self efficacy in students creates individuals who view setbacks and problems as challenges. As we step further into the 21st century, creating resilient learners is a value of social learning that should not be underestimated. How relevant is social cognitive theory in teaching and learning?Cognitive social learning theory takes into account the mutual influences of the individual, the physical and psychosocial environment and the task or behavior to be learned. All these factors are important in learning.
How does social learning theory help the teacher in classroom teaching?Social learning theory allows educators to take this knowledge of children's thought processes and apply them to the classroom in ways that engage students. Moreover, it uses knowledge about their behavior to give teachers the tools to overcome their barriers to learning.
How can cognitive learning theory helps the teachers in understanding their students?Teachers can use cognitive learning strategies to create a great learning environment for their students. You can create behavioral systems that rely on cognitive learning to encourage improved behavior. You can create a peaceful and informative classroom environment that helps make students feel confident in learning.
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