In this week's learning resources, Dr. Michael Orey highlighted upon the importance of social learning theories in education today.We are seeing these theories becoming more and more prominent in education as we move through the 21st Century as students are engulfed in technology. Social constructivism states that students learn best when they are actively engaged in constructing artifacts while conversing with others (Laureate Education, Inc, 2011). By communicating with their peers, students are able to make concepts more concrete and participate in higher level thinking.
The instructional strategy that was discussed this week that correlates with the social learning theories is cooperative learning. Students are building knowledge together and are each responsible for learning information and teaching it to each other. One thing Dr. Orey mentioned that really stuck with me is that we learn better wen we are able to teach the material. I think back to myself in grade school and how difficult it was to master certain concepts and then when I turned into a teacher, those concepts became so much more clearer as I taught them. In order for students to be "prepared for the fast-paced, virtual workplace that they will inherit, today's students need to be able to learn and produce cooperatively" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p.139). Having students use multimedia and web resources, students are able to create videos, power points and hands-on projects which can take their learning to a higher level. No longer are students limited to their own classroom to work with their peers, they can use Skype to connect to friends in other schools and children around the globe to learn about new cultures and concepts.
Social learning theories were definitely not a thing of the past, but we will be seeing them become the predominant learning theory in the classroom as we go through the 21st Century. With new technologies that continue to evolve, students are getting so many opportunities to participate in engaging lessons and teach other!
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program three: Social Learning Theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved fromhttp://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
VoiceThread: http://walden.voicethread.com/share/4099284/
I agree with the thought that we understand more when we teach a subject. I know that in my strings class in college, the teacher had each student take a turn being the teacher. I learned more doing this then actually practicing the instruments on my own.
ReplyDeleteKristine-
DeleteThis is true and we can now have students all become the teacher and become experts on a certain part of a group activity and teach each other. Conducting think-pair-share activities allows students to do just that and share their ideas and put learning into their own words. Using the new technologies that are available to us, students can become the teacher in a variety of ways instead of just presenting in front of the class like I remember doing. That part of being a teacher when I was a student was not my favorite! I find that I learn a lot more about my students when I give them many opportunities to express their knowledge instead of just regurgitating the information back to me.
Kori
Kori,
ReplyDeleteI agree that social learning is becoming more prominent today and with technology it is being taken to the next level. I think the opportunities that students are presented today, with the technology we have is really neat and helps engage the students so much more. Technology has presented so many more opportunities for teachers to present the information to the students and help to get them engaged, it helps teachers to more easily reach more students. I can only begin to imagine the opportunities teacher and students will have in the future! I also agree that when you are able to teach the information to someone else it creates more meaning and a greater understanding of the subject.
Kelsey