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Chapter 5 |
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Theory into Practice |
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Ch. 5, p. 160
Observational Learning
Have you ever tried to teach someone to tie his or her shoes? Imagine explaining this task to someone without the use of a model or imitation! Such a simple task, and one that many of us take for granted, can be quite a milestone for a kindergartner. Learning to tie our shoes is certainly a prime example of how observational learning works.
Acquiring new skills by observing the behaviors of others is a common part of everyday life. In many situations children watch others talking and acting, and they witness the consequences of those activities as well. Such observations provide models that teach children strategies to use at other times and places.
Although the major focus of research on observational learning has been on specific behaviors, studies have also shown that attitudes, too, may be acquired through observation (Miller, 1993). Teachers and parents alike are concerned with the models emulated by children. The value of these models goes beyond the specific abilities they possess and includes the attitudes they represent. In the classroom the teacher must be certain to exemplify a standard of behavior consistent with the expectations he or she has for the students. For instance, if promptness and politeness are characteristics the teacher wants to foster in the students, then the teacher must be certain to demonstrate those traits.
In cooperative learning groups, the success of the group may depend on the models present in that group. Peers have a strong influence on the behaviors of the individual. For example, when teachers place students in math groups, it may be just as important to include students who possess a high motivation for learning in a group as it is to include students with strong math skills. The attitudes and behaviors that accompany high motivation will be imitated by fellow students.
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