Tuesday, 8/9/2011: Week 4 Social Learning Theories

1. CI 512: Teaching and Learning Tuesday, 8/9/2011: Week 4 Social Learning Theories

2. Class Outline: Social Learning Theories Note Taker: Michael DeBenedetti Observer: Sean Koedout • Logistics (9:00-9:05) • Social Learning Theory (9:05-9:20) • Small Group Discussion (9:20-10:00) • Whole Class (10:00-10:30) • Break (10:30-10:40) • Project Work Time • Small Group (10:40-11:30) • Share Out (11:30-11:40) • Observer Observations (11:40-11:45) • Conclusions and Exit Cards (11:45-11:50)

3. Exit Card Reflections • More depth in the reading/more original sources • Need clarity on the connection between Constructivism and Progressivism • Some are starting to feel the pressure of 3 classes: more group work time • Please be sure to post the class notes within 24 hours of class.

4. Group Member Participation Evaluation Guidelines

5. Overview of Learning Theories Prezi http://prezi.com/j2zexxzp3kte/learning-theories/

6. Social Learning Theories • Steps away from the learner as “sole investigator” and views learning as a social process • Emphasis on importance of language as a social mediator • Some theorist (Lave & Wagner) do not recognize individual learning: others (Dewey, Brooks & Brooks) maintain that individual learning is enhanced through social settings

7. Dewey/ Brooks & Brooks • Individual learning is aided by a social context • Collaboration enhances learning experience • Focus on development of the classroom community • Importance of authentic activity

8. Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) • Born a Russian Jew • Privately tutored via Socratic Dialogue • Won the lottery for Moscow University • Writings translated first in 1962 Thought and Language (1962) Mind and Society (1978) • Died at the age of 38 of tuberculosis

9. Vygotsky Key Principles • Children construct knowledge • Learning can lead development • The Zone of Proximal Development • Development cannot be separated from the social context • Language plays a central role in mental development.

10. Vygotsky • Zone of Proximal Development “The zone of proximal development of a child is the distance between [a child's] actual development level as determined by independent problem solving and her level of potential development as determined through problem solving under the guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers (Vygotsky, 1978, pg. 86)."

11. Vygotsky • Children learn through assistance and imitation • Assistance can take the form ofscaffolding techniques or leading questions (Norton & D’Ambrosio, 2008) • Imitation is not the result of “persistent training” that results in meaningless mechanical actions or “habits” “To imitate, it is necessary to possess the means of stepping from something one knows to something new” (Vygotsky, 1986, p. 188) • Imitation can be generalized or transferred to new situations

12. Example of Kenji’s ZPD: How to find the surface area of a cylinder? Kenji: I’m not sure. Ana: Well, first you find the area of the base and the top, pi r squared. Kenji: Right, pi r squared. Times 2 because there are two of them. Ana: And then you unroll the cylinder to make a rectangle. Kenji: And the area of the rectangle is length times height. Ana: Yeah, and the height is h, and the length is 2 pi r. Kenji: So the area is 2πr2 + 2πrh.

13. Lave & Wenger (2009) Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation • Learning is the act of participation in a community • All learning is situated: even conceptual understanding must be contextualized to be understood • “Legitimate” describes a sense of belonging: there can be no “illegitimate participation” • “Peripheral” indicates a diversity of participation levels • “Participation” indicates the social aspect of involvement • Experience and learning are mutually constructive and in constant interaction: the distinction between internal and external is artificial

14. Lave & Wenger: Examples of LPP Yucatecmidwives pass their trade on through family lines: daughters of midwives are not formally trained, but accompany their mothers as the mothers carry out their practice.  Once a daughter has had a child of her own, she takes on more responsibilities, ranging from running errands, collecting materials, and being present for births and exams. 

15. Lave & Wenger: Examples of LPP Golatailors have a formal apprenticeship relationship with the master tailor.  Apprentices start with maintenance tasks, such as preparing a sewing machine.  Their training typically takes the reverse form of the garment: they begin with finishing tasks such as ironing the garment and sewing on buttons, and the final task they learn is cutting the fabric, which has the most potential loss. 

16. Yackel & Cobb (1996) • Emergent Perspective

17. Questions • What are some of the differences between individual learning theories and social learning theories? • How important do you think language is for learning? What are some of the benefits and drawbacks of language? How can those obstacles be navigated? What special implications are there for language learners? • Give an example of a ZPD. How can you see the enactment of this theory in a classroom? • How does legitimate peripheral participation relate to a classroom setting?

18. Observations

19. Exit Card Reflections • Rate your level of participation today (0-3) • Name one thing that you learned today/ positive comment • Name one thing you are struggling with or would like to know more about/less positive comment