A recent study indicated that a whopping 84.1% of CLOs consider social learning to be a top priority. While social learning theory was first pioneered by Albert Bandura in 1977, it remains just as important and innovative today as it was then. What is social learning, and how can it be used in your eLearning to better educate your employees?
What Is Social Learning?
Social learning is learning in conjunction with and from others. Social learning can happen online through eLearning, or in person during seminars, meetings, over coffee or in a group setting. Whenever people are joined together in a positive group environment, and there is some underlying structure to support learning, great things can happen.
Is Social Learning Effective?
Social learning theory states that:
- Learning is a cognitive process and not merely behavioral, and it can take place in a social setting.
- Learning can happen by watching a behavior and the consequences of it.
- Observation is a critical component of learning.
- Reinforcement plays a big role in learning, but it is not the only aspect of learning.
- Learners are not passive recipients of information.
Over the years, this theory has been tested and found to be true multiple times.
Why Does Social Learning Make Sense for eLearning?
In general, most people acquire 70% of their knowledge from on-the-job experience, 20% from socialization with others and 10% from formal training. Social learning works around the “formal training” barrier and takes advantage of improved retention through interacting with others. Social learning can also engage typically uninterested learners and enhance collaboration across departments and teams at your company.
Social learning can be applied to eLearning through forums that allow learners to interact and contribute on the internet. By giving your audience a chance to socialize before, during, and after the training, you can improve knowledge retention. The power of social learning can also be harnessed through webinars and gamification techniques to make learning more interesting and boost performance.
Partner with Zenith Performance Solutions
Zenith Performance Solutions wants to transform the ways that you and your employees learn. We offer a comprehensive range of training course design services, including updating existing courses, creating blended learning programs that incorporate social learning, and consulting. We work with companies of every size to create innovative and instructionally sound materials that boost employee performance and satisfy your objectives. To learn more, please contact us by calling (970) 409-4013.