Deaton, S. (2015). Social learning theory in the age of social media: Implications for educational practitioners. Journal of Educational Technology, 12(1), 1-6.
The advent of social media in its many forms has changed the way that the world communicates and collaborates with one another. The author of this article examines how Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory relates to social interactions on social media. The author suggests that the two are inherently intertwined although there is little research to connect them. She also proposes that there is a need to explore the ways in which Bandura’s theory might provide new perspectives on the framework of social learning.
The strength of the article is founded upon its use of a tested theory that holds inherent truths about humans. We are social creatures, and we do not learn things “in a vacuum.” We learn through interactions, collaborations, and observations just to name a few methods. Bandura’s theory in the context of a classroom using social media as a mode of instruction would indeed need to focus on these critical ideas.
As a future education researcher, I believe that making connections to tested theories and new technologies is essential. In order to be able to develop a means of testing the validity and the usefulness of these technologies in an educational setting, we must always take the time to examine things carefully. I would like to know what the impact of such study would be like in a global sense. In gaining these insights, we can possibly create more effective classroom tools.
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