I think social learning is a great theory because it allows students to not only work together, but really get the hands on experience. Peer interaction is crucial because it puts kids at ease when they do not understand something and they can ask someone their own age for help (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). I feel that the more questions a student asks, the more likely he or she is to succeed.
There are many technological tools that help support this theory. Some I am familir with and some I am not. The couple that I am familiar with include blogs and wiki's. These tools support social learning because they are completely created by the student. Already created wiki's also give the students the opportunity to correct someone else's work or add to it. Engaging in these types of activities helps the students remember so much more and much more easily. One tool that I am not familiar with at all but found interesting was keypals. This tool allows students to become actively involoved with other students from different parts of the world. Not only are they using technology, but they are working in groups with students who may be from a different culture or background in which they may never have the chance to work with without the keypal (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).
Resources:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Huhn, M., and Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology iwht classroom insruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
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Tiffany-
ReplyDeleteI agree that those student who ask questions are the ones that are more likely to understand the content. I think that those students are engaged and curious about the subject. They are making those vital connections that will allow them to re-access that information later and connect to what they already know.
-Mel.
Tiffany,
ReplyDeleteI also believe that peer interaction is crucial to student learning. There are so many times in my own classroom that a student was able to help their peer when I simple could not get through to them. I think it really does have to do with that level of comfort and ease the students can have with one another. I also have not had any experience with keypals but they sound so interesting. It would make an amazing project to have the students interact with other kids from another country that they were learning about!
Emily
I'm studying social presence and social learning theory, this blog focused on children, but adults do the same things.
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