Learning Theory

BANDURA’S SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

Bandura’s social learning theory is an overview that articulates that people learn within a social context. It has become the most influential theory of learning and development. Social learning theory echo’s that people learn through observation. And the environment plays an important role in learning in this theory, through influencial models which could vary depending on the environment. Social learning theory states that learning occurs through environmental factors and cognical skills. And the consequences will shape your behavior on what you have learned.
And also, it states that models are important source for learning new behavior and achieving behavioral change in institutionalized settings. Bandura exposes that observational learning occurs in relation to three models which can be classified as the live model, the verbal instruction and the symbolic. The live model, It is where an actual person is demonstrating the desired behavior. The verbal instruction, it is in which an individual describes the desired behavior in detail, and instructs the participant in how to perform the behavior. The symbolic way is which modeling occurs by means of media including movies and television. This type of modeling involves a real or fictional character demonstrating the behavior.

The social learning theory exposes the process abstract modeling. Bandura says through the process of abstract modeling observers derive the principles underlying specific performers for generating behavior that goes beyond what they already heard or seen. It would be helpful in the context of classroom because they will be able to go beyond what model demonstrates for them. For example in a music classroom, when the teacher is demonstrating how to make rhythmic beats using your feet. The learner as the observer will learn the steps but in application to abstract modeling, the learner will learn and create an entirely new kind of beat of their own...