Social Learning and The Jumping Side Kick

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Social Learning and The Jumping Side Kick
Welcome to Tang Soo Do of Central New York.
This martial arts dojang (school) is a member of
the World Tang Soo Do Association. www.worldtangso
odo.com This organization strives to keep
traditional Korean martial arts techniques and
values alive. Today the gups (color belt
students) are learning a kicking technique called
the jumping side kick. Lets look in!
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Choosing The Appropriate Learning Theory
Sah Bum Nim (the instructor) knows many
learning theories and strategies, but wants to
use the most appropriate one for this particular
group. He lines them up and points to the
Association flag (shown below). He asks the
class, would you like to learn this kick? The
gups joyously shout out yes, yes, yes!
Sah Bum Nim asks them why they are so eager to
learn this kick. One of the gups, Billy,
explains that his karate hero Chuck Norris does
this kick on TV all of the time.
Sah Bum Nim quickly realizes that the Social
Learning Theory (at least for Billy)will be the
most appropriate theory for the teaching and
learning of this kick.
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What Is Social Learning
Social Learning is learning by observation
and modeling. This theory originally evolved
from behaviorism, but now includes many of the
ideas of cognitivists, and as a result is
sometimes called the social cognitive theory.
Social Learning focuses on learning within a
social context, considering how people learn from
one another. Sah Bum Nim realizes that
modeling will be a big part of his instruction
(and student learning) because one of the effects
of modeling is that it teaches new behaviors.
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Modeling
Before Sah Bum Nim starts his verbal
instruction (slide 18) he thinks about modeling
in terms of what he (the model) does (i.e.,
demonstrating the kick), and what Billy (the
observer) does (i.e., copying the kick).
Billy has already mentioned his observance of the
symbolic model (slide 18), but what about Sah
Bum Nim himself. Would he make a good live model
(slide 18)? Lets look at the characteristics
of effective models

• The model is competent.
• The model has prestige and power.
• The model behaves in stereotypical
  gender-appropriate ways.
• The models behavior is relevant to the
  observers situation.

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Sah Bum Nim As A Model to Billy
Billy sees Sah Bum Nims competence through
the Masters belt Sah Bum Nim wears. Sah Bum
Nims status in the Association (other Masters
calling him at the dojang, and recognizing him at
events) shows Billy Sah Bum Nims prestige and
power. Billy has also seen Sa Bum Nim in
dae ryun (free sparring) in the dojang, and sees
him as a pretty tough guy. Billy sees sparring
as a very guy (gender-appropriate) type of
behavior, and connects with this since he is male
as well. Sah Bum Nim performing this kick
is very relevant to Billys situation (wanting to
be like Chuck Norris). Billy, upon entering the
dojang, bows to a picture Grand Master Shin.
Grand Master Shin is not only the head of the
World Tang Soo Do Association, but was also
Norriss martial arts teacher. Today Grand
Master Shin teaches Sah Bum Nim on a regular
basis, making Sah Bum Nim extremely relevant to
Billy.
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Environment - Person - Behavior
Sah Bum Nim begins his verbal instruction by
asking Billy why he wants to be like Chuck
Norris. He finds that Billy has certain
expectations (slide 18) about how this kick will
make him like his hero. Billy wants to beat-up
bad guys, and thinks that learning how to do
this kick will enable him to do so. Sah Bum Nim
knows that that this line of thinking is a bit
misguided, but it is Billys incentive (slide
18) none the less.
Sah Bum Nim does not discourage Billys
ideas because of reciprocal causation (slide
18). Billy (the person) with this kick (the
behavior) is attempting to influence his
environment (of good and bad), which in turn
influences his behavior (the kick). The
next slide shows this process.
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Reciprocal Causation Diagram
PERSON
BEHAVIOR
ENVIRONMENT
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Principles Of Social Learning
Consequences of behavior play a role in learning.
Norriss besting of evil on TV portrays (to
Billy) a desirable consequence i.e., good kicks
beat bad guys.

Cognition plays a role in learning. Sah Bum Nim
tells Billy that if he practices this kick
diligently over time, he can kick as good as
Norris but if he uses this kick like a bully, he
will not be allowed in the dojang. Billys
expectations and awareness of (response)
reinforcement and (response) punishment are an
essential part of his learning process. Billy
pays strict attention and retains (in memory) Sah
Bum Nims words.

Learning can occur without a change in behavior.
Even though Billy has not yet performed this
kick, he recognizes it (and can distinguish it
from others) from the picture on the flag, and
from seeing his hero perform it. People can
learn by observing the behaviors of others and
the outcomes of those behaviors. Billy has a
good idea of what this kick is about (without
trying it). He has not learned this through
trial and error, rather through watching his hero
(and other senior students) perform it.
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Self - Efficacy
Sah Bum Nim delivers verbal instruction about the
jumping side kick, mainly consisting of jumping
(knees up), turn hips over, and kick with the
heel. He then demonstrates (models) the kick
(behavior). Billy imitates this behavior,
displaying (what was originally called)
observational learning. Sah Bum Nim notices that
Billy seems to have a real knack for this kick.
The fact that he does this kick better than
other kicks shows a high self efficacy (slide
19) in terms of this kick. This is similar to
self esteem, but more situation specific. Since
Billys teacher learned from Norriss teacher,
Billy really believes he can do this kick well.
Also, Billy knows that he has learned other kicks
in the past, so he feels confident that he can
succeed with this kick as well. He has also seen
others gups (like himself) perform this kick. As
Billy practices, he notices other gups watching
him, implying that he looks better than average.
All of this has helped Billy develop resilient
self-efficacy (slide 19). Even when Billy falls
down (occasionally) while doing this kick, he
continues (as if nothing has happened) and
continues his jumping side kick mission.
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Factors In Self-Efficacy Development.
Observing Billys actions (described in the
previous slide), Sah Bum Nim thinks about what
contributed to Billys high resilient
self-efficacy.

• Previous successes (and failures) with other
  kicks.
• Messages (in this case implied) by others.
• Successes (and failures) of others (e.g., gups
  like himself).

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What Is Learned By Modeling
Sah Bum Nim decides to ask Billy why (Billy
thinks) he does this kick so well. Billy says,
I watched Chuck Norris, you, and the other gups
do this kick. Recognizing this display of
delayed imitation (slide 19) Sah Bum Nim decides
to let Billy free-spar (controlled fighting).
First Sah Bum Nim chooses two other students.
They spar, often using well controlled jumping
side kicks. Sah Bum Nim compliments (rewards)
their control. As Sah Bum Nim starts the next
sparring match with two more gups, he gets
distracted. He watches the match but his mind is
elsewhere. The two gups deliver several painful
(out of control) kicks. Sah Bum Nim eventually
stops the match and says nothing (since he really
didnt notice their out of control actions).
There were consequences for those kicks.
Next is Billy. He spars with all the
uncontrolled jumping side kick vigor of the
previous two gups.
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Previous Slide Continued
Sah Bum Nim stops the match abruptly, and
hollers at (punishes) Billy for being out of
control. Next Sah Bum Nim gets the original two
gups up and has them model the correct jumping
side kick control. Then he brings the second two
gups back. This time they are not out of
control. They have learned through vicarious
punishment (slide 19) of Billy, and through
vicarious reinforcement (slide 19) of the first
and last two gups that uncontrolled kicks are not
acceptable in the dojang. Sah Bum Nim asks Billy
to explain (after seeing the correct behavior)
why kicks should be controlled. Billy explains
the value of self control, in that the kick could
hurt someone badly, which is not good at all.
Through this course of events (modeling) Sah Bum
Nim realizes that Billy, through vicarious
acquisition (slide 19), has learned (and
modeled) not only aggression, but morality as
well.
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Conditions Necessary For Effective Modeling
With all that has happened in the learning
environment, Sah Bum Nim has definitely caught
Billys attention. For better retention of the
jumping side kick (including thinking about the
control element), Sah Bum Nim gives Billy a
verbal memory code (slide 19) to rehearse (slide
). These verbal cues are Jump Hips Think
Heel Two things are obvious to Sah Bum Nim
from watching Billy kick. There is nothing wrong
with Billys motor reproduction (slide 20)
ability, and that Billy likes to show what (the
kick) he has learned (i.e., his motivation).
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Self Regulation Aspects
Over time Billy has gotten a little better
at this kick on his own. He set his original
goal (to learn this kick), but now has set
standards (of control) to accompany the goal.
Through his own high standards (i.e.,
self-judgment) for excellence with this kick,
Billy imposes self-observation of which parts of
the kick he does well, and which need
improvement. Sometimes Sah Bum Nim notices Billy
wearing a proud smile (self-reaction) after Billy
does a good kick. Self Regulation In Action
Billy at times can be heard mumbling (jump,
hips, think, heel) to himself while practicing
the jumping side kick. These mumblings are
self-instructions. This is also similar to self
talk and inner speech. Other times Billy heard
self-monitoring by mumbling a question to himself
(e.g., did I turn the hips enough). When he
yells yes after a kick, he displaying
self-reinforcement. Billy also likes to practice
with the senior gups. Putting himself in that
(their) environment shows self-imposed stimulus
control.
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The Small Group
It is time to take Billy to the next step in
learning the jumping side kick. Sah Bum Nim puts
Billy in a heterogeneously talented group with
three other gups. He knows that classroom
discussions will help facilitate learning, so he
instructs Billy and the others to discuss the
possible applications of this kick. Although Sah
Bum Nim believes in the effectiveness of this
type of cooperative learning (students working
together in small groups to achieve common
goals), he does not want Billy to remain in this
group long enough to create a base group(a
cooperative group that lasts the entire semester
or year) Billy is showing signs of reciprocal
teaching. For example, Billy is summarizing and
clarifying information about the kick, as well as
asking the group questions and predicting future
information they might receive about the kick.
Even though Billy and the rest of the group
is benefiting from the experience, Billy must
move on yet again.
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Teaching and Learning
Weeks have passed by now. Billy, has come
to see this kick as a very authentic activity
(slide 20). Sah Bum Nim realizes that the next
step for Billy is to work as an apprentice (slide
20) with him, especially since this kick is
extremely effective when done correctly (Billys
original goal) and is to complex to be just
merely performed. The gap between what Billy can
learn on his own, and what he can learn with Sah
Bum Nim is the zone of proximital development.
For more information about this topic, visit the
web site of http//tip.psychology.org/vygotsky.h
tml They work together for several weeks.
After that, Sah Bum Nim reverses the role and
assigns Billy to assist another gup (in learning
this kick) as a peer tutor (slide 20).
Sah Bum Nim watches, smiles, and says Billy, you
are teaching this kick just like Chuck Norris!
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Contributing Theorists
Bandura Writings 1969-1989 Imitation
and modeling. Rosenthal and Zimmerman
Writings 1978 The role of consequences in
learning. 1. Influencing the extent of
exhibited behavior. 2. Influence of
expectations in cognitive processes. Vygotsky
Translated writings 1962-1967 Zone of
proximital development. Palincsar and Brown
Writings 1984 Reciprocal teaching.
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Definition Of Terms
The definitions are in order as they were
used (and needed) in the previous slides. Verbal
Instructions Descriptions of how to behave,
without a live or symbolic model. Symbolic Model
A person or character portrayed in a film,
television show, book, or other medium that
demonstrates a particular behavior. Live Model
An actual person that demonstrates a behavior.
Expectations Expecting consequences that
future behaviors may bring. Incentive
anticipating that a particular reinforcement will
occur if a particular behavior is
performed. Reciprocal Causation The phenomenon
of how the person, behavior, and environment
influence each other.
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High Self-Efficacy People engaging in certain
behaviors because they because they believe they
are capable of executing those behaviors
successfully. Resilient Self-Efficacy A sense
of self-efficacy that does not let an occasional
failure ruin optimism for success. Delayed
Imitation Learned behaviors that do not appear
until a later time. Vicarious Punishment The
observer showing a decrease in a response from
seeing the model punished for the same response.
Vicarious Reinforcement The observer shows an
increase in a response from seeing the model
reinforced for the same response. Vicarious
Acquisition The learning (not imitation)
through observation. Memory Code Verbal and
visual representations of observed
behavior. Rehearsal repeating over and over
again whatever needs to be remembered.
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Motor Reproduction The ability to replicate the
behavior that the model has demonstrated. Authenti
c Activity Tasks that are identical or similar
to those that students will eventually encounter
in the outside world. Apprenticeship A learner
working with an expert to accomplish complex
tasks that the learner could not do
independently. Peer Tutoring A peer (someone
similar) to a learner (e.g., another learner in
the same class) that assumes the role of
instructor to facilitate their own learning as
well as that of the other learner.
Please note any highlighted terms not
appearing in this word bank have been previously
defined within their context (where they appear).
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Reflection
The Social Learning Theory informs
instruction by its consideration of how the
instructor (the model) as well as other models
(live or symbolic) can be used to facilitate
learning in a student (the observer), and for
that student to influence his or her environment.
Instruction can be designed to incorporate
several people (or figures) instead of just one
instructor. This prepares a learner for future
authentic (real world) application of the
learning. Having been in the business world
for several years, I personally understand how
authentic social instructional design not only
facilitates applicable learning, but also gives
the learner a large host of instructors that will
serve as models for a future job. For example,
if a person is working in a large organization,
and has to perform a task (behavior) that
involves accounting, that person will have to go
to (i.e., learn from) someone in the accounting
department how to perform that task. There will
not be only one instructor on any given job.
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Realizing the wide variety of applications
for social learning (both on and from the
environment) has changed my opinion about this
theory. I used to think that the learning that
came from social learning was only the
unwritten or unintentional learning that
occurred in or out of the classroom. I had no
idea (as I do now) how purposefully and
strategically this theory could be used for
instruction and design. As much as I do
(now) appreciate the value of the social learning
theory, I still have one puzzling question. This
theory definitely overlaps other learning
theories in terms of person and the environment
in regards to where and how the learning takes
place (see the next slide for a diagram). Given
this, should this theory really be given its own
title, or should we call it (and treat it as) an
extension or category within the other two? It
appears to me that the theories need to be boiled
down some. Note Constructivism was
purposely left out of the comparison for use in
the next knowledge base unit.
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Learning Theory Overlap Diagram