Educational Psychology Module 4
Reflection and Summary on Chapters 9-11
Chapter 9: Social Cognitive and Constructivist Views of Learning
Throughout this chapter, we as readers were introduced to various social learning and social cognitive theories. Some of these theories include; social learning theory, social cognitive theory, observational learning, self-efficacy, and ripple effect. Social learning theory is a "theory that emphasizes learning through the observation of others." Social cognitive theory is "the theory that adds concern with cognitive factors such as beliefs, self-perceptions, and expectations to social learning theory." These two theories alone can be seen in classrooms daily.
Reflecting back on this chapter, I think back to the table on page 342 of the ninth edition of the Woolfolk textbook where it breaks down the four views of learning. This table breaks down cognitive and constructivist views as well as four theorists. I also learned through this chapter different applications of different perspectives. In order for students to learn best, hypotheses must be formed and reflected on.
Chapter 10: Motivation in Learning and Teaching
When looking at this chapter, I knew it was going to be about motivation. This chapter talks about intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and locus of causality. Intrinsic motivation is defined as "motivation associated with activities that are their own reward" extrinsic motivation is defined as "motivation created by external factors such as rewards and punishments" and lastly, locus of causality is defined as "the location- internal or external- of the cause of the behavior." There are also different approaches to motivation, four in total. These are behavioral, humanistic, cognitive, and sociocultural.
Reflecting on this chapter, I believe that goals and motivation go hand in hand. If a teacher were to give clear approaches for enhancing motivation, the student can make achievable goals. However, interests are a key factor as well. An example is; that if I'm not interested in math, I won't have the motivation to complete the assignment.
Chapter 11: Creating Learning Environments
This chapter talks about the organization and creating a positive learning environment. Classroom management is defined as "techniques used to maintain a healthy learning environment, relatively free of behavior problems." In today's day and age, however, there are going to be behavior problems. In order to shift from bad classroom behavior, there needs to be organization. The organization is made up of time management and structure.
Reflecting back on this chapter, I remember learning about the best classroom management tools in class. The two that stick out the most to me are understanding your students and engaging your students. I came across a lesson plan not too long ago that uses brain breaks throughout the day so that students can relax and let loose before they go back to learning. I think this is a great idea because, depending on the grade, students can become sluggish during instruction time and forget things and brain breaks are a great tool to let loose.
Hi Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post. I like how you mentioned brain breaks for students. I believe that this is important as I think about my experience working with students myself. I am a I-on-1 paraprofessional and I periodically instruct my student to take a break. I can tell when he's overwhelmed and just need to relax. I don't see this a lot in the high school i'm in but I personally suggest this all the time for my student and other students.
Hello Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteI also feel that goals and motivation go hand in hand. I get motivated to achieve my goals throughout my life. When I was in high school, I was motivated to get good grades so that I could go to a great college. Kids can stay motivated, like you said, by keeping them engaged with their interests. I also love using brain breaks in the classrooms I have subbed in. It is a great management tool.