1. Social Observational Learning
What is it? How do we get there? And, how can it shape my instruction?

2. Methods of learning Shaping Incidental
Trial and Error
Direct Instruction
Communication
Shaping
Incidental
e.g., Learning to Ride a bike, swim
Direct Reinforcement—become more effective, more efficient
Trial based
Discrete trials
e.g., Sight words
e.g., Basic math facts
Direct Reinforcement— contrived social reinforcement
Trial based
Joint attention
Must have prerequisite language skills
e.g., “This is a square”
Direct reinforcement— contrived social reinforcement

3. Higher order methods of learning
Re-combinative Generalization
Social Observational Learning
Combination of separate learned responses
Transfer of learned response to new environment
e.g., crossing a street in new city
Direct reinforcement
Generalized Imitation
Delayed Discrimination Responses
e.g., “I watch, I can do later”
Intermediate monitoring response
Transfer of learned contingency (generalized response)
NO Direct Reinforcement of behaviors in the learning process

4. Learning methods: Similarities and differences
Trial and Error
Verbal/Communication
Direct Instruction
Re-combinative Generalization
Social Observational Learning
Similarities
Content
What else?
Differences
Procedural

5. Objectives Define Social Observational Learning
Identify its prerequisite skills
Set up lessons to develop prerequisite skills
Set up lessons to develop social observational learning
Develop extension activities

6. New Place? What do you do? Foreign Country Start at a new school
Go to an event for the first time
First time to a restaurant
Slow down
Stay on the periphery
Watch others
Then ask questions
As you learn more you ask more specific questions

7. Social Observational Learning—Think of it as…..
Learning without direct instruction
Although, can be combined with
Learning by watching others
Learning by modeling/imitation of others
May be delayed
May not be in the original environment

8. SOL: Prerequisite skills
Joint Attention
2 or more people are attending to the same thing
Can be initiated thru eye gaze, body orientation, gestures, or communication
Generalized Imitation
Skill that allows a person to imitate what they observe without direct feedback
Motor skills, verbal skills
No thought involved except to coordinate movements

9. Joint Attention Skills: Let’s teach them
Eye gaze shift
Gestures
Proximal point
Distal point
Body language
Direct communication
I SPY…..
Verbally
Visually (icons)

10. How do we get students to initiate or increase joint attention initiations?
Pair yourself with a known reinforcer
You present it
You interact while reinforcer is present
Non-contingent reinforcement (NCR)
Give the reinforcer freely and often
When staff become conditioned reinforcers (students know you give reinforcement), then
Give tangibles
Have history of social experiences
Students are more likely to initiate bids of joint attention

11. How would joint attention skills help a student?
Increase opportunities for social reinforcement
Increase ability to develop social skills
Increase communication skills
Increase opportunities for social observational learning
WHY??

12. Generalized Imitation Skills: Let’s teach them
Imitation Drills
Gross, Fine
2-step
With objects
Lengthen the routine
Delayed Imitation
Time between the presentation of the skill and when the target student needs to complete it
Cross-Modal
Two-step or mixed trials
Gross, fine, oral, verbal, object, ….finer discriminations within mode
Goal is to require more attention from student both to detail and to time given
Follow the leader

13. How would generalized imitation skills help a student?
Base skill for all other learning
Allows staff to break any skill down and demonstrate thru modeling
Allows student to enter completely new environments and immediately contact success/effectiveness in the environment
Allows student to learn thru social learning
(WHY??)

14. Social observational Learning: Let’s teach it
SET IT UP
Make it systematic: Routine or procedural-based
Teach reflection: Higher order thinking about how you watch others, how you copy them when they are successful, or how you retain it to use at another time
Practice it daily

15. Social Observational learning
Practice it
Direct instruction with models, video models, turn-taking
Incorporate with other skills
Teach re-combinative generalization: Higher order discussions about how they can use this skill in their daily lives
Students need to come up with examples and then chart the examples

16. Benefits of social observational learning
Increase independence
Decrease prompt dependency
Peer Models
Collaboration
Reduce instruction time
Maximize learning opportunities
Acquire new skills without explicit instruction
Procedural Knowledge that can be applied in all settings

17. Applications of social observational learning
Small group instruction
Successive peer instruction (one at a time/around the world)
Content-based instruction
Procedural-based instruction
Taking turns
Make it a game (grid game)
Small groups can take successive turns
OF COURSE DISCUSS THEIR THINKING AFTERWARDS AND MAKE THEM AWARE OF THIS PROCESS

18. Implications for Social Observational Learning
New skills are acquired and become more complex and acute or precise over time
The more we practice, the more precise a skill becomes
the more “automatic”—thought revolving the use of skill seems to become unnecessary (riding a bike)
This is also true for social learning
Imitating others helps shape our behavior, language, vernacular, dialect, social skills (observable behavior)
And in turn, it shapes our thoughts patterns, emotions, choices, problem- solving, etc.

19. Extension activities Problem-solving in new situations Empathy
Collaboration/Cooperation with peers
Visualization, reflection
Planning, predicting
Stress awareness
Reflection activities after a lesson is complete

20. Questions/discussion?