1. Cultural and Societal Influences on the Learning Process Tisha Lane PSY492: Advanced General Psychology August 15, 2011
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Editor's Notes
Based on the age at the start of ones education and the amount of time the student has been nurtured in their home as well as the cultural aspects learned it also combines society as a student socializes before they start school; all of these aspects attribute to the learning process.
The main focus of educators is to offer knowledge in order to create new cultural and social norms within the classroom society as well as the outside world. Groups can be considered as communities and with this in mind a mini-society, whereby their interactions facilitate a part of the learning process. Educators utilize the foundations of culture and society in order to create a mini-society within the classroom that is cohesive as well as learning experience. The pedagogical approach to the curriculum structure was also found to influence the learning process (Gould, 2000-01). With these research findings, on culture in the classroom by way of classroom climate and interaction, the educators can utilize approaches to promote the learning process that is geared to enhance the varying cultures of the classroom.
Societal influence is also seen throughout the classroom and is hand in hand with culture. At times it is difficult to separate the two as we live in a multicultural world that has combined itself of many cultures to form one culture and society. Students within a society go through a socialization process whereby they are transformed by those they come in contact with, such as; parents, teachers, friends, and various cultures. Sandoval, (2005) found that during socialization, we learn the language of the culture we are born into as well as the roles we are to play in life.
There are various influences within the learning process those of which were studied within this review. However, there is an area that should be considered more frequently; biological based learning plays a major role in the learning process. More specifically the neurological point of view, although there is a scarcity of biological research in this area; Porr, (2005) found that our reference frame (neurological) depends on our own internal states, thus, it can never accurately match that of any other agent who receives different inputs and performs different internal processing.
Varying technological changes within the classroom have been attributed to cultural and societal influences (Aronowitz, 1996; Hirschy & Wilson, 2002; Braxton, Eimers, & Bayer, 1996; Sandoval , 2005). Technological changes have accounted for great success in the student academia that allows them to gain substantial employment as well as prominence among their peers. Other studies found that the climate and make-up of the classroom are both the basis of change and the highlight of the learning process ( Clabaugh, & Clabaugh, 2005; Colbeck, Campbell, & Bjorklund, 2000; Gardner, Dean, McKaig, 1989; Gould, 2000-01; Hallinan & Smith, 1989; Sandoval , 2005). There are various influences within the learning process those of which were studied within this review. However, there is an area that should be considered more frequently; biological based learning plays a major role in the learning process.