1. Social Contexts of Learning
Self-Guided Notes
Social Contexts of Learning

2. Plan:
I’ve tried to lighten this up because you have all had a busy week
These slides are a “replacement” for your background reading…so expect them to focus on Social Contexts learning theory (specifically Bronfenbrenner)
Please do Angela and Sharrisa’s facilitation activities first before starting these slides.

3. Your Tasks
Please read the following slides and do each thought question/task before going to the next slide
Thought questions are just that—things for you to think about.
Tasks are items that must be submitted:
Task #1: “Talking” to each other
Task #2: C-map Comments
Please be sure to get these done before next week’s class

4. Urie Bronfenbrenner

5. In critique of some of the other theories that we have learned about, Bronfenbrenner said:
“…it can be said that much of contemporary developmental psychology is the science of the strange behavior of children in strange situations with strange adults for the briefest possible periods of time.”
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1977). Toward an Experimental Ecology of Human Development. American Psychologist, 32,
Thought Question:
What do you think he meant by this?
Think about an answer to this question and keep this in mind for the upcoming task (no need to submit your answer for this question).

6. Development According to Bronfenbrenner:
Development is impacted by the relationships of people and their environments
These environments include not just the immediate environment, but also the world in which we live (the larger environments)

7. A Quick Introduction
Watch ONE of these short student made videos that explain Bronfenbrenner’s theory (all under 5 minutes):
(the basics)
(bit of history on Bronfenbrenner along with his theory)
(maybe easiest to understand/remember)

8. Review: Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Bio-ecological model of child development
The Developing Person
Home (Microsystem)
Community Program (Mesosystem)
Child & Family Policy (Exosystem)
Values, attitudes (Macrosystem)
Time and Place (Chronosystem)

10. Thought Question #2:
How does the world that one lives in help or hinder development?
Examples?

11. Task #1: “Talking” to Each Other (to be submitted)
Read though the selected reflection quotes from your peers. These can be found at: contexts-of-learning-page/
Choose one quote to respond to. Please either:
Relate what your classmate has said to Bronfenbrenner’s theory (how does is apply or not apply?) or
Relate the comment to the classroom and/or to the thought questions posed earlier in these slides.
***Please choose a quote that has not yet been responded to (until everyone has at least one comment)

12. Final Task (#2):
Look at your classmates C-maps. Write one comment or suggestion about someone’s map.
This should be something that you think needs clarification, or correction, or addition to.
How might you suggest that they make their map more robust?
***Please comment on someone’s map that does not yet have a response to it