Yesterday in class we started talking about Social Learning Theory. After talking about Developmental Learning Theory I feel that this one is an easier theory to grasp. Also I believe it is going to be easier to find was to use the theory as an influence when writing lessons. The "most knowledgeable peer" I find very interesting. When talking in groups I can easily tell who seems more knowledgeable about a specific subject. I find it also helpful because if one student does not understand the questioned raised by the teacher, his peer might. The students then learn to feed off of each others intelligence.
SLT I have found throughout school. Teachers have always asked us to talk with our neighbors or work with a partner on this problem. This becomes very helpful in the classroom. The students now have a partner that they can count on to help them with problems they may not completely understand. This could also have a down side. If the teacher allows the students to work in groups or partners for too long, the students may end up relying on each other. Once the student starts relying on the other student to do the problems he does not understand, he feels that he does not need to learn that specific question because he has a partner to do it for him.
I really enjoy SLT. I find the it is very important for students to learn to work together and feed off of others ideas. Even in class discussion, when a classmate comments on a question raised, I sometimes think, "oh yeah, that is what I was thinking too," and sometimes it is even, "whoa they looked at that completely different than I did." I find that important for students. They can understand the concept one way and another student can interpret the information another way, yet both can be correct. If each student hears both interpretations, then the concept becomes clearer and easier to grasp.
I think it is interesting that you said SLT could influence a better way to do writing exercises because I am an English major and I found it difficult to thing of ways to use DLT to plan a lesson. I agree that I could use SLT to get students to come with ideas for writing stories. I also agree with what you said about students relying too much on one another. I remember in school I had this one class where we did everything in the groups we were in. Of course there were a couple students that dominated to conversation. Eventually I just thought, "I don't need to think because they will come up with something." This might have hindered me a bit, so I think it should be mixed up a bit.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the point you make about SLT seeming to be an easier concept to grasp than the DLT. I think this is due to the fact that, as you said before, we have done this all throughout school. In a sense, we have had a concrete representation which we directly experienced to reference. The DLT is a newer idea to most people which is also a building process, quite complex.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that for me, SLT is a much easier theory to grasp, especially when Professor Kruse began to speak about the more knowledgeable peer. I think many times teachers don't use enough of SLT in their classrooms and some students get lost in the mix. Perhaps if they are allowed to have more communication with their peers they may be able to get a better grasp on the concept being taught. At the same time it would free the teacher of having to use time to explain many times over.
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