E-Spaces

Is social learning possible in this digital world?

With AI digital tools flooding schools, social learning is becoming harder to implement. It is possible to use the same tools for social learning, but how?

Social learning theory suggests that behaviours can be learned through observation, modelling, and imitation, which are used in education.

Social learning theory can promote and instruct positive behaviour. It offers the chance for learning to take place at various levels and in different contexts, where motivation is crucial. Tools for social learning can improve learning and increase educational effectiveness. Based on the mutual interaction between cognition, the environment, and behaviour, which all contribute to enhancing the learning process, social learning theories imply a wide range of educational experiences.

Social learning tools make teamwork and communication possible, improving connections between academic and real-world settings. Due to their emphasis on collaboration and communication, social learning tools have proven to be a successful means of enhancing connections between academic and real-world settings. Social modelling and appropriate behaviour are potent teaching strategies, according to social learning theory.

Teachers serve as mentors and coaches, encouraging students to learn. This exemplifies social learning theory because students can see how other students behave and act during lessons and activities. This includes when they receive praise and learn from adults as they develop their teaching methods.

There are numerous digital resources available to teachers that can help them integrate social learning into the classroom. These resources can help students develop positive behaviours and succeed. The use of social learning tools and the incorporation of social software is beneficial to pedagogy and andragogy. Social learning can be integrated into the classroom. Peer coaching and peer teaching are two ways to do it. Learners must remember what they saw to model behaviour. Another strategy is to eliminate lectures in favour of small-group discussions or information huddles. If students are grouped into teams, they may attend lessons centered on the subjects, or they may even receive follow-up online learning. Making the role play into a “real play” is a crucial adjustment to properly implement social learning. What digital methods can be used to accomplish this online?

Social learning through technology

Online education can incorporate social learning in many ways. Hosting live webinars where participants can communicate with the instructor and one another is one method. Another way to encourage observation and learning is to use online discussion boards, social media accounts, and other social learning tools. Through discussion forums, instructors can also give students the chance to interact and express themselves.

Gamification can boost engagement and motivation. Online learning environments and social learning environments work well together. Students interact in social learning environments, which promotes better socialisation and student satisfaction. Students can be urged to produce user-generated content for sharing with their peers, such as videos. Four excellent suggestions for incorporating social learning components into online classes can be used by instructors to build a meaningful learning community using technological affords. These tactics include focusing on various interactions that arise in the social learning environment, such as cooperative, tutoring, and interpersonal interactions. In an online learning environment, tagging, keywording, and even mashups can support natural interaction patterns.

Through technological affords educators can incorporate social learning components into online classes to build a strong learning community. Using social media handles and online discussion forums to encourage interaction between students is one way to achieve this. Another approach is to develop a social learning environment (SLE) that encourages problem-solving, collaboration, and the sharing of additional learning resources as well as learning activities from the institutional e-learning system. This environment is used for ongoing interaction with students.

In conclusion, there are many ways to integrate social learning into online education. These include hosting live webinars, using online discussion forums, and combining social learning environments with online learning. These techniques enable students to interact with one another and the instructor, express themselves, and build a supportive learning community.

Related Articles