Week5 Discussion - Social Learning incorporated into My Classroom

by Scott Tinney

          Learning is accomplished by finding a way or perspective that the student comprehends and is comfortable with, that engages the student, and that leads the student to true understanding and then retention.  Social Learning, specifically using Cooperative Learning, can utilize social interaction with the students’ peers in the classroom to create a positive student learning environment.  I try to present and teach using many different presentation styles, that I pair with my students’ best learning styles.  I know that I have always learned more through experience, and then lecturing and teacher-centered presentations fail to keep my interest.  So to take the focus off of me, I try to use student interaction, peer discussions, and active student participation directly with their peers to increase learning and engage the class.   Instead of keeping everybody quiet and expecting my students to learn from one source only, me, I try to increase the participation level by organizing students in groups to take advantage of the benefits they get from  working together and also having direct involvement and input in the process.. They are able to bounce ideas off of each other and collaborate together to solve problems.  Vygotski’s Zone of Proximal Development is defined by Dr. Orey as “What information a student is capable of learning at this time” (Orey, 2011). The key to taking this student who is ready to learn to the point of actual learning is to use other students as their Knowledgeable Other.   By using Cooperative Learning, we can create groups to maximize understanding and use the students themselves as the Knowledgeable Others. This Social Learning Strategy promotes student driven activities that benefit all of the students through peer interaction, group and class collaboration, and allowing socializing.

                          Cooperative Learning is a strategy that exemplifies social learning.  When properly structured and understood, I believe this strategy can provide some very positive results to my students and everyone in the class.  When properly implemented and taught, the group dynamic will assist and work to effectively increase everyone’s comprehension and understanding.  In addition, it employs every group members’ different abilities and strengths, and does so a non-threatening atmosphere for learning.  In order to use this learning strategy, the students have to understand their roles and responsibilities within the group and in the lesson.  I have a friend who teaches middle school Health and Sexual Education, and her students epitomize the proper student role playing and understanding of the Cooperative Learning strategy.  When she is teaching a lesson and asks the students to get into groups, every student knows where the Group Materials are kept, what each of the “role” cards for each group mean, what is expected of them in the activity and the group, and can fulfill every role regardless of the role they are playing that day.  In her class, a lesson using Cooperative Learning maximizes learning and comprehension throughout the class.  Due to the positive peer involvement, mutual cooperation, and the universal understanding of expectations, all of the students increase their learning.  I think that by properly instituting the Cooperative Learning strategy, we can create an atmosphere and expectation that every student is actively participating, assuming a role, and interacting.  Finally, with Cooperative Learning the focus can shift from me being the Knowledgeable Other and the only resource, to instead the students assuming those roles.