21st Century Learning and Teaching

"Social learning theory is the idea that people learn most effectively when they interact with other learners about a given topic. Educational psychologists refer to this as social constructivism. Recent credibility for this theory comes from a study by Dr. Richard J. Light (Harvard School of Education) that identify factors that lead to success for college students. According to Dr. Light, the strongest determinant of students’ success in college—even more than the details of their instructors’ teaching styles—is their ability to form or participate in small study groups. Students who studied in groups, even only once a week, were more engaged in their studies, were better prepared for class, and learned significantly more than students who worked on their own."