Neither of these perspectives completely explains observable behavior. Toward the latter half of the 20th century, Albert Bandura described another idea, social learning (Kretchmar, 2008). Social learning fills in gaps within the behaviorist models and provides a better interpretation of early learning than simple motivational schemes do.Combining the more relevant parts of each of these models allows an instructor to adapt to the different learning styles of a multi-faceted student body. Social learning as described by Albert Bandura has four principle components.
These components are “attention, retention, motor reproduction and motivation” (Kretchmar, 2008, p. 1). In Bandura’s theory of social learning, people learn by modeling others through observation. They retain this knowledge and then reproduce it.
This is the opposite of the behavioral models, which predict that learning takes place over a period and through a process of rewards and punishments while learning takes place (Kretchmar, 2008), instead Bandura describes learning as a more fluid process possibly taking place in a relatively short span. Bandura further goes on to say that “unless people believe that they can produce desired results by their actions, they have little incentive to act or to persevere in the face of difficulties” (Bandura, 2004, p. 1).This notion that motivation relates to achievable benefits goes to the heart of observable behavior in the business world and should be equally demonstratable in an educational context.
Bandura proffers the idea that behavior reinforcement relates to observed benefits. When someone takes action and receives a reward or a punishment, then the observer will intuitively anticipate the same result (Kretchmar, 2008). A readily observed example of a police officer stopping a speeder and issuing a speeding ticket reinforces the idea that speeding results in financial loss.Others observing this action will expect punishment for committing the same offense. In point of fact, a person does not need fining by the police to learn this particular lesson. When a teacher fails to correct a student for negative behavior, the teacher can expect other students to imitate the original offender.
Conversely, when the teacher rewards a student for high performance other students will choose to emulate this student (Reitman, et. al. , 2003). The principal application for Bandura’s theory is with behavioral modification.Through introducing class activities that allow positive modeling, an instructor can reinforce expectations in the classroom and through trial and error develop systems to redirect students’ natural energy into new learning processes.
Another application best suited for social learning is in a multicultural classroom environment. Each culture has its own moral standard that children learn from their parents through observation (Kretchmar, 2008), this leads to confusion among children from different cultures. A successful teacher develops a learning culture for the classroom that supersedes the students’ normal cultural responses.Ordinarily, one might consider business management to be an unlikely training ground for aspiring teachers. However, there are various training activities, along with the constant need to balance the organizational requirements as well as the customers’ requirements. Over-time, one develops specific techniques that achieve desired results.
With that being the case, my personal training regimen was a mixture of “sink and swim” and “observe and learn. ” Beginning teachers face nothing more frightening than a room full of eight year-olds staring expectantly at one with both trepidation and expectancy to motivate one to high performance.Over the past three years, I have blended my business training skills with my on-the-job training to develop a successful teaching style. One of many challenges when teaching university level students is their need to express their individuality. Bandura’s theory of modeling works best in team learning activities with consistent interaction between the instructor and the students. Reinforcement occurs as each team progresses through achievable benchmarks (Michaelsen & Sweet, 2008).
Offering praise for successful performance of individual team members or between multiple teams creates a natural competition among students to demonstrate students’ individual talents. Students reinforce one another’s behavior allowing the instructor to take on the role of coach or mentor instead of a traditional authority figure. Each of my classes uses a team project with performance benchmarks and online activities (Michaelsen & Sweet, 2008). The online activities are observable by all members of the class and invariably students begin to compare their performance to their classmates.
Bandura’s theory is not a panacea, but when used together with the principles of Vroom and Erikson, social learning becomes a viable basis to develop appropriate pedagogical strategies. Vroom’s theory predicts that by increasing the level of expectation in an objective way, students will improve their performance to meet these expectations (Joiner, 2001). At my university, I have instituted progressively more difficult essay assignments throughout all courses, both within the syllabus and each new level of difficulty, encouraging my fellow instructors to do the same.Erikson predicts that students motivated by their friendship with classmates, build upon this common need to bond (Dunkel & Sefcek, 2009), enabling the team to perform as a unit, mutually supporting weaker members to the benefit of all.
Group dynamics are critical to the success of team-based activities. In a cultural environment like the United States, stressing individualism is a primary component of early childhood. Beginning at birth, American children are taught to be independent through common child rearing practices such as sleeping habits, food selection, and choices in clothing and activities (Stewart & Bennett, 1991).Vietnamese students live an extraordinarily different childhood from their American counterparts.
Children normally sleep with their parents up until the age of 12, and for daughters even beyond this. American children frequently eat in front of a television choosing his or her individual preferences for repast. Vietnamese sit on a reed mat on the floor and eat communal style using their chopsticks to select morsels from communal plates. This difference in cultural perspective results in group dependency that naturally manifests itself when doing team-based activities.Students develop friendships based on their common backgrounds, interests, and skill levels. Team-based activities revolve around these mini-social groups.
While students are willing to aid one another, students prefer to help their friends more than others (Stewart & Bennett, 1991). Assessment through benchmarking and establishing achievable expectations, allows me to monitor student performance and group dynamics. At each stage of completion, comparing team results allows all the students to monitor the progress of each team and learn from others efforts (Stewart & Bennett, 1991).Identifying high performance and rejecting poor performance leads to modeling by students while preparing presentations and team essays. This semester, the university instituted open source software known as Moodle for online learning.
This system, while typically used by online training centers, works ideally for team-based activities in the classroom (Beatty & Ulasewicz, 2006). Posting samples of other students work sets a minimum standard for other students to follow. Ordinarily, this might result in generic projects mirroring the posted sample; however, requiring originality as part of the rubric results in each project being unique.Vroom suggests increasing the level of expectation each time to motivate the students toward greater performance (Joiner, 2001). Updating the recommended standard each semester creates opportunities for further motivation as students strive to do better than their fellow classmates.
Generally, each class begins with a quiz. The theory behind the quizzes is that it reinforces the need for students to come to class on time and provides incentive to prepare for each lecture. This is a behaviorist response to common problems at universities.The behaviorist presumes that students will modify their behavior according to the degree of reward and punishment. Maintaining high performance on quizzes has a limited value to the student because most students commute resulting in traffic delays. In point of fact, the student cannot control traffic delays, punishing the student creates a fairness issue, resulting in de-motivation of the student.
Further, the student has a quiz for each class reducing the perceived value of any individual quiz.Despite studies showing benefits for frequent testing (Kling, et. al. , 2005), by the third or fourth-class quiz, quiz fatigue sets in and many students reduce their effort to prepare for classes.
An additional function of the Moodle software is the opportunity to initiate discussions. Instead of using the behaviorist approach of quizzes, an online discussion component avoids the traffic issue. Structuring these discussion questions to necessitate some preparation encourages students to do a minimum of studying.Students also read other students’ ideas and thoughts exposing everyone to ideas they may not have considered. After the conclusion of each class, students respond to a discussion question.
Each student after the end of class must respond to two of the previous responses in a discussion format. These exercises enhance critical thinking and force the student to develop arguments demonstrating knowledge of the subject. This type of exercise is better for retaining information in long-term memory than the common practice of Vietnamese students, rote learning (Ormrod, 2003).At first blush, most educational practitioners might not consider modeling as an effective strategy. If they are comfortable with a token-based system, or traditional reward punishment mechanism, it might seem like more work to implement modeling in the classroom. In fact, Bandura’s model of social learning moves standard motivation systems from two-dimensional to three-dimensional and mirrors the observed behavior of toddlers and young children.
Harnessing these ingrained learning models simplifies the task of transmitting knowledge.Coupling these modeling techniques with increasing expectations and employing peer pressure to achieve higher results provides greater results in a group-oriented society. During my next semester, I will be teaching a History class along with another teacher. Assuming requirements are similar for each class, one class uses the new discussion team model while the other is taught in the traditional lecture model. Both classes will have the same team requirements, but the control class will not have the sample material posted on their Moodle accounts.While this exercise does not rise to the level of an action research project it will provide sufficient feedback to determine if there is sufficient justification for implanting a more aggressive team-based learning strategy in my classrooms.
Despite the benefits of modeling, it is not the only method of learning. Many students are accustomed to traditional learning methods and may find the team-based approach difficult at first (Stewart & Bennett, 1991). Any new pedagogy must consider this issue as well as proven strategies before implementation. Good communication between instructor and students is essential to success.Increasing the performance requirements at each level is a secondary objective and like all geometric progressions reaches its natural limit of sustainability. In the end, a student’s relationship with his or her peers, defines his or her world-view, any team-oriented program that ignores this reality with achieve unsatisfactory results.
The students at are university are studying business, in today’s marketplace, critical thinking and team success are critical skills necessary for organizational success. The proposed teaching model specifically builds on those requirements within the context of social learning.
