This perhaps, adequately describes the youth of today: risky yet resilient. Risky since at this stage of their development (passage from childhood to adolescent) they are prone to experiment in responding to the changes (physical, physiological and psychological) that they are experiencing; resilient since even at this most delicate period of their development they are capable of evaluating various facets that might affect them as they decide on what perspective to accept or to repudiate, hence:They are now able to analyze situations logically in terms of cause and effect and to entertain hypothetical situations and use symbols, such as in metaphors, imaginatively (Piaget, 1950). This higher-level thinking allows them to think about the future, evaluate alternatives, and set personal goals (Keating, 1990). Although there are marked individual differences in cognitive development among youth, these new capacities allow adolescents to engage in the kind of introspection and mature decision making that was previously beyond their cognitive capacity.
cited in “A Reference for Professionals” 2002, 11). Among the issues concerning the adolescents of our age, health concerns have received little attention, as revealed in a study conducted by Park, et al (2006). “The[se] critical health issues…include[e] reproductive health, injury, substance use, mental health, violence, obesity and access to health care” (Ibid).In this research, Park and the rest echo Arnett’s argument “that significant identity exploration takes place during this period of greater freedom and fewer constraints” (cited in Park, Ibid), that in the process of experimentation and exploration some adolescents go beyond their limits, hence resulting to prevailing risky behaviors exhibited by Social Learning Theory 3 some adolescents.For this reason, “Researchers have begun to examine the influence of transition to adult responsibilities on behavior” (Ibid).
Such approach towards an understanding of personality has, in fact, been introduced by behaviorists or social learning theorists who posit that personality is a result of the interaction between the individual and his environment. Behavioral theorists study observable and measurable behaviors rather than internal thought processes.Albert Bandura’s (one of the social learning theorists) studies show the interaction of environment and our views of self-efficacy or “beliefs in (their) capabilities to exercise control over [our] own functioning and over events that affect [our] lives” (Bandura 2004, par 75) could facilitate in the formation of one’s personality, including our behavior. Since most of us would consider the educational system as an effective means of deconstructing prior knowledge (received from significant others), and if we would consider Bandura’s perspective that:Beliefs in personal efficacy affect life choices, level of motivation, quality of functioning, resilience to adversity and vulnerability to stress and depression.
People's beliefs in their efficacy are developed by four main sources of influence. They include mastery experiences, seeing people similar to oneself manage task demands successfully, social persuasion that one has the capabilities to succeed in given activities, and inferences from somatic and emotional states indicative of personal strengths and vulnerabilities (Ibid), t would follow then that educators, more particularly those focusing on health education who would like to address the predicaments facing the “risky yet resilient” generation should consider looking into a modified approach to learning. Other than the usual blackboard teaching, “role-playing, Socratic instruction (or teaching by questioning), and small group work [may likewise be considered as] effective teaching strategies for curriculum infusion” (“Effective Teaching Social Learning Theory 4Strategies” 2004). The efficiency of these teaching methodologies perhaps lies in the fact that the participants (I’d rather use this term instead of students since this is more encompassing) are actively involved in the learning process and it has been established that we remember 90% of what we do (Pastore 2003) (or what we see what other’s do as in role-playing as instigated in Badura’s modeling approach).
Problems facing the youth may be intolerable yet surmountable.As Dewey (1933) stress: The introduction of active occupations, of nature-study, of elementary science, of art, of history; the relegation of the merely symbolic and formal to a secondary position; the change in the moral school atmosphere, in the relation of pupils and teachers - of discipline; the introduction of more active, expressive, and self-directing factors - all these are not mere accidents, they are necessities of the larger social evolution. emphasis mine) It remains to but to organize all these factors, to appreciate them in their fullness of meaning, and to put the ideas and ideals involved into complete, uncompromising possession of our school system. To do this means to make each one of our schools an embryonic community life, active with types of occupations that reflect the life of the larger society and permeated throughout with the spirit of art, history, and science.When the school introduces and trains each child of society into membership within such a little community, saturating him with the spirit of service, and providing him with the instruments of effective self-direction, we shall have the deepest and best guaranty of a larger society which is worthy, lovely, and harmonious (in Smith 1999).
