When discussing social learning theory in reference to my school community and society, I absolutely agree with the statement that people construct meaning primarily through their interactions with others and their environment. As Pitler states “Technology can play a unique and vital role in cooperative learning by facilitating group collaboration, providing structure for group tasks, and allowing members of groups to communicate even if they are not working face to face” (Pitler, 2007).
I currently teach at a school where children are not as exposed to technology as some of their more “privileged” peers. One of the greatest struggles when working with students that are not proficient with technology is getting them prepared for the work force. Working collaboratively is essential in today’s work force. Many companies are switching to a computer based “work from home” type of working community. As society develops it is going to become more important for our students to be able to use technology proficiently in addition to working cooperatively with their peers. In order to overcome these struggles, implementing a cooperative learning that facilitates social learning theories is imperative. I use cooperative learning groups to develop our class wiki and to create presentations using Keynotes and PowerPoint. Although my students are a little young for social networking sites, I have encouraged my peers to allow students to use social networking sites to blog about learning in the classroom. When given the opportunity, students would be more actively engaged if they were using those mediums rather than a pencil and paper.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.