Activity 7.1 (Social Cognitive Theory, Motivation, and Self-Beliefs)

For the sake of specificity I will discuss the model of triadic reciprocality with collegiate academia in mind. Much like an organizational consultant or public speaker it is important to be aware of one’s audience, and I believe just as equally for teachers to understand their students. Although the items listed below are discussed categorically they rely upon and influence each other, they are interdependent.

Personal Factors (The Who & What)

A.      Biological - The brain and nervous system, how it all works together to communicate various messages from listening, to speaking, watching, and movement (note taking, moving pages, highlighting, etc…). Perception and Memory begin to have a conversation of sorts with our cognitions, pitching information back and forth similar to that of a game of catch.

B.      Cognitive – Perception and Memory take on a more active role in our cognitions within this domain along with associations, assimilation, and accommodation. Another layer of thought processes to insert are that of the self; self-regulation, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-reflection.These can affect a students learning experience in various ways, both positively and negatively.

C.      Affective – Emotions and feelings, being the most human element of us in my opinion, allowing us to experience and express a plethora of different states, both in the mind and the body. The emotional highs, lows, and mediocrities that a student inhabits throughout a day, week, and semester.

Behavior (The How)

A.      Habits – Acquired behaviors from previous education contexts that the student may or may not be aware of. For example, coming to class on time, raising one’s hand, and study habits. The habits students use in and out of the classroom are essential to their academic success.

B.      Will – The effort, be it minimal or great, in attending to the coursework. Self-regulation and procrastination, passive and voluntary attention, along with self-awareness about their academic goals. Reactivity is a useful tool that assists students with recognizing their study habits and efforts made towards completing the assigned coursework.

Environmental (The When & Where)

A.      Context – The place in which the student learns information related to a specific subject, the classroom being one and a personal space the other. The classroom should reflect an environment that ignites and enriches the learning process, but just as equally should be so in the student’s personal space. Often times our personal space can be a detriment to the learning process.

B.      Social – Our social network which consists of family, friends, and work, among other examples. It is important that the social network be supportive in the pursuit of a student’s educational goals. I find that this one domain can significantly affect other areas such as self-esteem and self-efficacy.

C.      Culture – Various domains make up a person’s culture, be it race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, and sexual orientation; all of which can influence personal and behavior factors. For example, where a person grows up or their socioeconomic status could also be connected with their personal and behavioral factors.

D.      Technology – The evolution, progression, and ever changing world of technology not only influences the way in which we learn but how we learn. Technology can be an effective tool for the learner but can also be a detriment if not properly managed. 

*All of these factors and the components within them makeup each individual student. No two people are alike. From a learning perspective however, it is possible to view these factors, this triadic reciprocality, as ‘the learner’.