As the last day of the school year is upon us, the learning continues. My students are cleaning out their desks and I am looking for a way to try out a program new to me before they leave. I did some experimenting this week with an online resource called Voice Threads, a way for students to communicate their ideas on a certain topic. I went looking for advice from my students on Voicethread.com to pass on to future fifth graders and found a program that has potential to take on many topics. I would like to produce some voice threads for next school year over the summer and get a better taste of the program over the summer.
My voice thread: http://voicethread.com/share/527452/
The voice thread's communication and interactive nature brings us to looking at the social learning theory and how it is used in today's classroom. Social learning theory is learning from and with others (Orey, 2001). I think we use this type of learning more often than we think we do. For example, my cookies are coming out of the oven flat and very chewy and 2 dozen ready for treats in the lounge tomorrow. What do I do? I call Mom. If that strategy fails, I move to another family member to help, or I move to the internet where I can get a Yahoo Answer from all over the country on how to fix my cookies. Socially, we seek the communication of others to enhance our own knowledge.
In the classroom, this translates into all areas of the curriculum. Teachers need to keep in mind that students will always be communicating with others, technologically or not. The skills needed to be successful in that communication are taught and practiced daily in schools. Students working in groups and safe social situations allow them to experiment with, practice, and hone the skills that they will need for life. As a teacher, I feel that I need to set-up those safe situations and monitor to ensure that they are working and supporting the students with curriculum and social skills.
Well, now that I have an answer to those cookies, I should probably get them out of the oven before they burn!
-Mel.
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved <6-4-09>, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Your example about the cookies made me laugh. It also made me think about how much we use social learning theory in our daily lives more than I have ever thought. Everytime I call my mom to ask her something which is almost everyday, still trying to get this whole living on my own thing, I am using social learning theory because I am communicating with my mom to come up with a solution. As a P.E. teachers the students in my class are always having to work together, whether it be a volleyball game or a cooperative game. Students love to talk and any chance or activity that we can give to them to help them learn in a comfortable way for them is something that should be incorporated into daily teaching. Good post!
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think we take the social learning theory for granted. It seems to be the primary way to learn to me. And thank goodness for Moms!
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