Socio-Cultural Dimensions of Learning

SOCIO-CULTURAL
DIMENSIONS OF LEARNING
P R E PA R E D B Y G R O U P 3
INTRODUCTION
• Learning is influenced by social interactions,

interpersonal relations, and communication with others.
• Learning can be enhanced when the learner has an
opportunity to interact and to collaborate with others on
instructional tasks.
• Learning settings that allow social interactions, and
respect for diversity encourage flexible thinking and
social competence.
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCE ON
LEARNING
• In interactive and collaborative instructional contexts,
individuals have an opportunity for perspective taking
and reflective thinking that may lead to higher levels of
cognitive, social and moral development, as well as
self-esteem.
• Quality personal relationships that provide stability,
trust, and caring can increase the learner’s sense of
belonging, self-respect and self-acceptance, and
provide a positive climate for learning.
• Family influences, positive interpersonal support and
instruction in self-motivation strategies can offset factors
that interfere with optimal learning such as negative
beliefs about competence in a particular subject, high
levels of test anxiety, negative sex role expectations, and
undue pressure to perform well
• Positive learning climates can also help to establish the
context for healthier levels of thinking, feeling, and
behaving. Such contexts help learners feel safe to share
ideas, actively participate in the learning process, and
create a learning community.
• Culture is a broad and encompassing concept.
Often, we equate culture with race or ethnic
identity but that is not always the case.
• Culture refers to characteristics of the
individual/society or of some subgroups with
the society…(it) includes values, beliefs, notions
about acceptable and unacceptable behavior and
other socially constructed ideas that members of
the culture are taught are “true”
• It is also defined as the shared products of a
human group of society. Although culture is
shared, it must be learned by each new
generation, through the process of social
instruction.
• The sociology of culture shows that our way of
thinking and categorizing, our hopes and fears,
our likes and dislikes and our beliefs and habits
are social creations, strongly influenced by the
time and place in which we live. Even so,
culture does not dictate thoughts and behavior-
it leaves room for action.
• Each culture is different because it is adapted to
meet a specific set of conditions both physical
and social factors help shape a particular
culture…In short, culture governs how we think
and feel. It shapes our beliefs about what it
important in life and our interpretations of what
events mean.
• As our world continues to change, students
interact with others with quite different
backgrounds from their own, especially in the
classroom.
• The manner in which they respond to others
who seem different can have an impact on their
success in school, work and harmonious
relationship with others. If they take time and
make the effort to understand these differences,
they may develop better relationships and
succeed academically.
VYGOTSKY`S SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
THEORY
Lev Vygotsky
- was born in Russia in 1896.

- His work began when he was
studying learning and
development to improve his own
teaching.
- he was a Russian psychologist
who lived during Russian
revolution
Vygotsky’s work was largely unkown to the
West until it was published in 1962. In his
lifetime, he wrote on language, thought,
psychology of art, learning and development,
and educating students with special needs.
Vygotsky’s ideas about language, culture, and

cognitive development have become major
influences in psychology and education today.
Social Development Theory argues that social
interaction precedes development, consciousness
and cognition are the end product of socialization
and social behaviour
THREE MAJOR THEMES OF SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT THEORY
 Social Interaction
 More Knowledgeable other (MKO)
 The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
1. Social interaction plays a fundamental role in the
process of cognitive development. In contrast to Jean
Peaget’s understanding of child development. (in which
development necessarily precede learning) Vygotsky
felt social learning precede development.
He states “ Every function in the child cultural

development appears twice: first ---- On the social level
and later, on the individual level, first between people
(interpsychological) And then inside the child
( intrapsychological)
2. The More Knowledgeable Other (MKO)
Refers to anyone who has a better understanding or a

higher ability than the learner, with respect to a particular
task, process, or concept. The MKO normally thought of as
being teacher, coach or older adult, but the MKO could
also be peers, a younger, or even a computers.
3. The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
is the distance between a student’s ability to perform a task

under adult guidance and or/peer collaboration and the
students ability solving the problem independently.
According to Vygotsky, learning occurred in this zone
Scaffolding
should involve the judicious assistance given by
the adult or peer so that the child can move from
the zone of actual to the zone of proximal
development.
As a learner become more proficient, able to

complete tasks on their own that they could not
initially do without assistance. The guidance can
be withdrawn this is called scaffold and fade-
away technique.
Scaffolding
when done appropriately can make a learner
confident an eventually he can accomplish the
task without any need for assistance
Language
Opens the door for learners to acquire
knowledge that others already have. Learners
can use language to know and understand the
world and solve problems.
INDIVIDUAL FUNCTION
• It helps the learner regulate and reflect on his

own thinking.
• Children talk to themselves.
• For Vygotsky, this “talking-to-onself” is an

indication of the thinking that goes on the
mind of the child. This will eventually lead to
private speech.
Private Speech
A form of self –talk that guides the child’s thinking

and action.
Vygotsky believed in the essential role of activities

in learning. Children learn best through hands-on
activities than when listening passively. Learning
by doing is even made more fruitful when children
interact with knowledgeable adults and peers.
APPLICATION OF VIGOTSKY`S SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT THEORY
Many schools have traditionally held a transmissionist or
instructionist model, in which a teacher or lecturer “
transmits” information to students. In contrast Vygotsky’s
theory promotes learning context in which students play
an active role in learning. Meaning role of teacher and
students are therefore shifted, as a teacher should
collaborate with his or her students in order to facilitate
meaning construction in students. Learning therefore
become a reciprocal experience for the students and
teacher.

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SOCIO-CULTURAL

• Learning is influenced by social interactions,

- was born in Russia in 1896.

Vygotsky’s ideas about language, culture, and

He states “ Every function in the child cultural

Refers to anyone who has a better understanding or a

is the distance between a student’s ability to perform a task

As a learner become more proficient, able to

• It helps the learner regulate and reflect on his

• Children talk to themselves.

• For Vygotsky, this “talking-to-onself” is an

A form of self –talk that guides the child’s thinking

Vygotsky believed in the essential role of activities

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