What?
Social cognitive theory focuses on the influence of watching others and implementing their actions. It theorizes that behavior is influenced by observing others in the context of social interactions, experiences, and outside media influences, and the learner’s expectations. Reinforcement and punishment affect the learners' motivation, rather than causing a behavior. Also, in the heart of social cognitive theory lays modeling. Modeling can be direct (from live models), symbolic (from books, movies, and television), or synthesized (combining the acts of different models). It can influence new behaviors, help existing behaviors, change inhibitions, and arouse emotions. Learners become self-regulated when they set learning goals on their own, monitor their progress toward the goals, and assess the effectiveness of their efforts.
So What?
The social cognitive theory revolves around learning directly correlated to the observation of models and a self-regulated learning process. The self-regulated process presented involves a dynamic and reciprocal theory among personal, behavioral, and environmental influences. This theoretical account also posits a central role for the construct of academic self-efficacy beliefs and three self-regulatory processes: self-observation, self-judgment, and self-reactions. Research support for this social cognitive formulation is discussed, as is its usefulness for improving student learning and academic achievement.
Now What?
Self-efficacy is a person's belief that he or she is capable of executing certain behaviors or reaching certain goals. Social cognitive theorists propose that one's own prior successes, messages from others, and others' successes (especially the successes of peers) can all enhance self-efficacy. Therefore, in a well organized classroom setting students can observe other students and the environment, combine that with their own thoughts and behaviors and alter their own self-regulatory functions accordingly. In addition, teachers being the model in this situation it is important for the teacher to help build the students self-efficacy levels by recognizing the accomplishments made by the students.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Behaviorist Views of Learning
What?
This has lead to a better understanding of how human behavior and learning are affected with stimulus-response and principles. The environment (Antecedent stimuli) that is present evokes different kinds of responses, some of which are voluntary or involuntary. These responses are found in both classical conditioning (involuntary) and operant conditioning (voluntary). The learner’s responses can change based upon the environment they are in. Teachers have found there are many ways to stimulate the learners mind. Some examples of these are punishment or reinforcement.
So What?
All students have their own personalities and learning behaviors. This causes teachers to use different strategies when trying to reach each individual student. This task can be overwhelming to the teacher while they are learning the correct mode to use for each of their students. Students react differently when using behavior shaping activities; some students need step by step help while others need visual help. The behaviorist’s theory has been interesting to learn about and if studied more will help me become better prepared to deal with all the students in my classrooms.
Now What?
I truly believe in reinforcement. I feel it is going to be my number one way to motivate students. I like the positive reinforcement the best (concrete, social, or activity). Although, I can see myself using negative reinforcement as long as it increases the behavior of the target objective. While using positive reinforcements we need to remember to be careful about what kinds we are using. One student may need a compliment about their work to continue working, while another student may not. At the same time the student who doesn’t need the compliment to stay on task might need the compliment to not feel left out. I feel that by learning this behavior mode, I will need to have a watchful eye to be able to help my students get the most out of their educational experience.
This has lead to a better understanding of how human behavior and learning are affected with stimulus-response and principles. The environment (Antecedent stimuli) that is present evokes different kinds of responses, some of which are voluntary or involuntary. These responses are found in both classical conditioning (involuntary) and operant conditioning (voluntary). The learner’s responses can change based upon the environment they are in. Teachers have found there are many ways to stimulate the learners mind. Some examples of these are punishment or reinforcement.
So What?
All students have their own personalities and learning behaviors. This causes teachers to use different strategies when trying to reach each individual student. This task can be overwhelming to the teacher while they are learning the correct mode to use for each of their students. Students react differently when using behavior shaping activities; some students need step by step help while others need visual help. The behaviorist’s theory has been interesting to learn about and if studied more will help me become better prepared to deal with all the students in my classrooms.
Now What?
I truly believe in reinforcement. I feel it is going to be my number one way to motivate students. I like the positive reinforcement the best (concrete, social, or activity). Although, I can see myself using negative reinforcement as long as it increases the behavior of the target objective. While using positive reinforcements we need to remember to be careful about what kinds we are using. One student may need a compliment about their work to continue working, while another student may not. At the same time the student who doesn’t need the compliment to stay on task might need the compliment to not feel left out. I feel that by learning this behavior mode, I will need to have a watchful eye to be able to help my students get the most out of their educational experience.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Knowledge Construction
What?
Most people try to fill in the concepts of what they are trying to learn with ideas they have from prior knowledge. This knowledge comes from previous learning ideas, social settings, and things they observe around them. For example, a person may hold a belief that balls are round, inflatable and are made to bounce. However, this person may encounter a football (an ellipsoid) that is kicked or thrown, or ball bearings that are solid, or a bowling ball that is solid and has holes drilled into it for the purpose of rolling rather than bouncing. Because we tend to do this sometimes, what we fill in the blanks with is not always correct. This can cause us to have misunderstandings with others. Others can also make errors because of their prior understanding. By letting students work in groups sometimes they can work these errors out for themselves.
So What?
This week’s information can help teachers learn that all people come with their own conceptions or misconceptions. The teacher will need to observe and see where the students are in their thinking to be able to correct and change the ideas to correct ones and then re-teach those things. You will need to know what the students know right or wrong, what questions they have about the subject, what they need to learn and after learning what they might still need to know.
Now What?
All people construct knowledge from the stimuli available, filling in the blanks with assumption from their past knowledge. Teachers need to assess whether students have the appropriate schemas and scripts to understand new subject matter being taught. If they do not, teachers need to backtrack and help them develop that understanding. Some of the ways a teacher can do this is through group study. By using group study some of the ideas the students will come up with can change other student’s misconceptions. Teachers can have the students use Schemes or Scripts to help in this activity. After students have constructed, experimented, and discussed their ideas the teacher can now look and identify the new concepts that have been formed. Some of these theories will still have some misconceptions about how the world works. Not only must teachers help students continue to construct correct concepts, but must also help them discard incorrect beliefs.
Most people try to fill in the concepts of what they are trying to learn with ideas they have from prior knowledge. This knowledge comes from previous learning ideas, social settings, and things they observe around them. For example, a person may hold a belief that balls are round, inflatable and are made to bounce. However, this person may encounter a football (an ellipsoid) that is kicked or thrown, or ball bearings that are solid, or a bowling ball that is solid and has holes drilled into it for the purpose of rolling rather than bouncing. Because we tend to do this sometimes, what we fill in the blanks with is not always correct. This can cause us to have misunderstandings with others. Others can also make errors because of their prior understanding. By letting students work in groups sometimes they can work these errors out for themselves.
So What?
This week’s information can help teachers learn that all people come with their own conceptions or misconceptions. The teacher will need to observe and see where the students are in their thinking to be able to correct and change the ideas to correct ones and then re-teach those things. You will need to know what the students know right or wrong, what questions they have about the subject, what they need to learn and after learning what they might still need to know.
Now What?
All people construct knowledge from the stimuli available, filling in the blanks with assumption from their past knowledge. Teachers need to assess whether students have the appropriate schemas and scripts to understand new subject matter being taught. If they do not, teachers need to backtrack and help them develop that understanding. Some of the ways a teacher can do this is through group study. By using group study some of the ideas the students will come up with can change other student’s misconceptions. Teachers can have the students use Schemes or Scripts to help in this activity. After students have constructed, experimented, and discussed their ideas the teacher can now look and identify the new concepts that have been formed. Some of these theories will still have some misconceptions about how the world works. Not only must teachers help students continue to construct correct concepts, but must also help them discard incorrect beliefs.
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