Learning+Theory+Group+5

**Graduate School Group Page- Learning Theory **

=Social Learning Theory= The main idea of Social Learning Theory is that we learn from our environment and from our interactions with our peers and society. Lev Vygotsky, an early 20th Century Russian psychologist, is one of the main theorists involved in developing Social Learning Theory for educational use.

Socio-cultural theory
Vygotsky believed that the way we perceive the world is determined by our culture. For example, the way we categorize things is determined by our what our society values. While our society may group things according to similarity, others may group things according to their use. Understanding these differences may explain why people from other cultures may have difficulty adjusting to understanding each other.

Vygotsky also believed that each society provides people with psychological tools that allow people to do tasks that the society feels are important with greater ease. Writing, language, mathematics and symbols are all examples of such tools that make society function more efficiently.

Scaffolding
Scaffolding is the process by which students learn according to Social Learning theorists. At first, a task is difficult for a student and requires much assistance from the teacher or a peer. As the student gets more and more practice, they are able to do the task with less and less assistance until they are able to do the task on their own. This way the student receives assistance with learning but is still able to internalize the concepts.

Zone of Proximal Development
The zone of proximal development (ZPD) is the optimal zone for learning according to Social Learning Theorists and is the area where a student is able to accomplish a task with assistance. If the task is too easy, then the child is able to do it without assistance and is not learning. If the task is too hard, then the student will have trouble understanding it even with assistance. For Social Learning theorists, it is important for teachers to know their students’ zones of proximal development and give them tasks that fit within the zone to ensure that students are learning.

Benefits of Social Learning Theory

 * Encourages students to learn concepts by working together.
 * Scaffolding allows students to take a more and more active role in their learning as they get stronger with a concept.
 * Provides a middle ground between the very student-centered approach of constructivism and complete teacher-oriented approach of behaviorism.

Criticisms of Social Learning Theory

 * The emphasis on one-on-one learning may make social learning more practical for tutoring and needs some adjustment for a school setting.
 * Determining the zone of proximal development can be inaccurate or difficult.
 * Vygotsky tended to much more on the development of language than other skills.

=Site Navigation:= Lev Vygotsky Ties with Constructivism Classroom Use and Technology Integration

=Sources= Slavin, Robert E//. Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice//, pp 46-48 (1997) Snowman, McCown, Bichler//, Psychology Applied to Teaching//, pp 46 – 51 (2009)