Social Interaction Model

A model of teaching consists of guidelines for designing educational activities and environments (Singh and Sanasnwal (1991). A model of teaching is a plan that can also be utilised to shape courses of studies to design instructional material and to guide instruction. Educators and psychologist have designed several types of teaching models which provide suitable guidelines to the teachers for modifying the behaviour of the learner. The social interaction model of teaching emphasizes the important of social relationship of the person and is based on the assumption that social relation is the vehicle of education. For instance, in the department of Media and Society Studies, lecturers engage students in an interaction and allow them to discuss the subject topic using their vast past and present experience. Students can then use that experience to share it among themselves and peer discussion make them to be in the same footing which can assist them to understand the subject topic easily and quickly. In addition, lecturers in the Media and Society Studies create a comfortable environment that enables the students to learn better. The lecturers do not appear as the master but rather as the facilitator by initiating a topic and allow students to discuss further among themselves. Students through the guidance of the lecturers can exemplify debate and pass a reasonable judgement based on the past experience. A good example is when I teach my students on Journalism and Desktop Publishing, particularly the visiting one. I had to start by introducing the topic, invite them to assist me in defining the concept and allow them to explore further the subject topic. Most of my students who have been editing in newsroom had to tell me different types of lead (introduction) of the news story. I had to allow students to explain and demonstrate to their colleagues what they know and understand about those leads of the news stories and how they can be constructed. Sharing of ideas by students enhances better learning. As the lecturer I would be there to facilitate and guide them without forcing myself to the debate. This make students to perceive me as a colleague rather than their master and this facilitate good learning. According to Patel (2013), social interaction model stresses the relationship of the individual to the other persons and to the society. Schaeffer (2006:64) asserts that social interaction refers to the ways in which people respond to one another. For instance, with the advent of technology at Midlands State University (MSU) e-learning is a good example of social interaction between the lecturer and the students. It is an instrumental method used by lecturers in the lecture-room to facilitate group work. It is a student centred teaching approaches that allows students to interact with each other in a structured on task manner. In addition, students take on the role as a facilitator of content by helping their peers constructing meaning. The students are allowed to question, reflect, reconsider, get help, support and participate in group discussion. Group discussions enable students to maintain a strong rapport among them-selves as they can laugh and use their experiences to explore the concept. For instance, when I had to teach my student on feature story writing in Journalism and Desktop Publishing Module. My students who are journalist and editors in newsrooms could debate on various type of feature articles and different writing styles such as literary allusion, descriptive features and so forth. Such discussion by students creates team work spirit and sense of belonging. Students can learn easily from their colleagues. Student can easily achieve the common goal and enjoy the learning environment which empowers them. Since adult student have vast experience allowing them to use their experiences make them remember easily all what they would have been discussing with their college mate. The three most common strategies include group projects, group discussion, and cooperative learning. These interactions normally occur face to face but are not limited to this type of interaction with the assistance of online tools and technologies. The stages of instruction using the social interaction model begins with an introduction lead by the instruction. The learners then break into groups, and the instructor continuous to monitor and assess teams and their results. Social interaction strategies begins with and introduction of the topic/ objectives by the instructor. The students then transition into teams by a pre-determined method. The instructor must continue to monitor teams so they stay on task and for assessing purposes. The groups must then produce their findings. Within social interaction the instructor facilitator and student take on specific roles. The instructor must explain the concept topic and organise the group. The process and rules of working as teams will need to be taught and reviewed to build team skills and group cohesion. The instructor must provide content focus and review. Interaction must be student to students. Students must be active and responsible for their learning, both acting as a facilitator and learner. Students should explain content to one another as well as the entire class. The team working skills of compromise, negotiation, and motivation are used during the learning process. Steps to implementing social interaction. 1. Introduction of concept by facilitator. 2. Students group into teams 3. Students negotiate, compromise, and explain concepts to another while facilitator monitors. 4. Students assess their work. 5. Students present findings Advantages of social interaction teaching strategies • Social interaction Models can be advantageous to lecturers for many reasons. • This model is student centred so they engage in higher level of thinking. • Since the method is student centred it promotes meaningful learning. • It can be beneficial to students that work well in a corporative setting. • It can promote leadership, team work and problem solving skills. • This strategy is most beneficial to students that work well in a cooperative environment rather than a competitive one. • Students can learn more efficiently and be more motivated when working together with their peers rather than by themselves • Because students work together in groups they learn to use leadership as well as problem solving skills. • They also learn to work together as a team to produce desired outcome Disadvantages of social interaction teaching strategies • The process of social interaction is time consuming. • The focus on the process of the model may make it difficult to reach all content objectives. • The process of social interaction should be taught explaining rules responsibilities and procedures. • Group dynamics may also inhibit student learning. • Some student may not participate while others take on the full project. • Handicapped students may find it difficult to participate. • Instructors must consistently monitor group behaviour to maintain on task behaviour. Different types of social interaction model 1. Jurisprudential inquiry 2. Group investigation. 3. Social inquiry. 4. Laboratory Method 5. Role playing 6. Social stimulation. Analysis of student learning Weekly self-evaluation notes from students help the instructor understand how and how much they were learning, what concerns they had, and how they wanted to improve their debate. This in turn, help the instructor consider how to guide their learning throughout the semester. It can be concluded that social interaction model emphasise also personal develops the individual. It can be concluded that social interaction strategy is the best methods that lecturers should enforce in tertiary education. Adult learners need to be recognised and allow them to explore concept using their experience. Social interaction makes the lecturer to be the facilitator rather than the master to the students. Students can discuss with peers and come up with comprehensive understanding that can assist them to learn much easier. Again social interaction creates team work spirit among students and places them all in the same footing. For instance, examples cited in this essay were an attempt to reflect how the Media and Society Studies department reinforces and enhances social interaction with students. Students can be placed in groups and be allowed to discuss among themselves and the report back to their colleagues. Students through social interaction strategy can assess their work as well as their progress. However, different types of social interaction model such as jurisprudential inquiry, group investigation, laboratory methods, role play and social stimulation are some among those lecturers in tertiary institution like MSU can implore to empower their students with knowledge and necessary skills to better their livelihoods in the learning process. All examples cited were drawn from the Media department where the writer belongs References Bhogayatab. C (1991) Sankalpnaaona Shikshanane Parikshannee Technology, Rajkot, Shritt. G. Memorial Educational Trust. Glendler, M.E. (1997). Learning and Instruction:Theory and practice. Upper saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Inc. Jouce.B and Masha .W. (1978) Model of Teaching, New Delhi, India. Prentice Hall. Patel B.H, (2013) Social Interaction Model: International Journal for Research in Education.India. Vol.2 issue 5, May 2013 (IJRE) ISSN:2320-091x. Prawett, R.S. and Floden, R.E. (1994). Philosophical perspectives on constructivist views of learning. Educational Psychologist, 29(1), 37-48. Sansanwala, D.N., Prabhakarshinh (1992). Shikshan Pratimaan, Vadodara:Society for Education Research and Development. Scheafer R.T, (2006) Sociology Matters 2nd Edition. US. McGraw-Hill Schunk,D.H (1996). Learning theories: An educational perspective. (2nd. Ed). Englewood Cliff, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc.