Name
Understanding Learners in Context (Interactive Session)
Topic
Social Ecological System
Learning time
3 hours
Designed time
3 hours
Size of class
25
Description
This is a design for moving a MA lecture and seminar online via an interactive learning design featuring short video lectures, discussion, investigation and collaborative activities.
Mode of delivery
Wholly online
Aims
This lecture introduces a theoretical model and invites students to apply it to a context they are familiar with.
Outcomes
Knowledge, Application, Analysis
Editor
EileenKennedy
Edit
Introduction to the Social Ecological System Theory
80 minutes)
  • Read Watch Listen
    10
    1
    0
    In Moodle, watch the first of a series of videos (see notes below) about a theory called the social ecological system. This theory was developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner to understand how what happens within different social systems around the child or young person can influence their development.
  • Discuss
    10
    25
    0
    Does the social ecological system make sense to you? Please post any queries in the Q & A discussion forum.
  • Read Watch Listen
    30
    1
    0
    Read the articles about Brofenbrenner's Social Ecological System theory
  • Read Watch Listen
    10
    1
    0
    Watch the second short video about theory helps us consider how these different systems impact on children and young people’s wellbeing as well as their ability and opportunities to learn and prosper.
  • Investigate
    20
    1
    0
    Perform a search on UCL Explore to find articles that apply the theory to your teaching context. Download any relevant articles, add them to your referencing system.
Notes:
It is a good idea to split a long lecture into video chunks to make it easier for students to digest.
Resources linked: 0
Applying the Social Ecological System Theory
50 minutes)
  • Discuss
    30
    25
    0
    Think of an example of a difficult situation you have faced with a child in your classroom. In the discussion forum, post your response to the following questions: Identify what you did to try and improve the situation or support the child; Can you identify which of the system or systems you acted within in order to change or improve things? Who else (if anyone) did you work or connect with in order to address this difficult situation?
  • Discuss
    20
    25
    0
    Read through the other responses. Do you agree with the system(s) being identified? Have you experienced similar situations? How did you handle it? Reply to other posts and share your experiences and advice.
Notes:
Writing a post in an online discussion will take longer than contributing to a discussion in class so it is important to allow time for it.
Resources linked: 0
Analysing how the theory could guide future practice
50 minutes)
  • Read Watch Listen
    5
    1
    0
    Consider the following scenario: You notice more and more incidences of bullying among children in the classroom and playground. You also observe some teachers speaking harshly to children and treating them differently to others. You notice that around the school there are a number of posters about preventing bullying. You know that the posters are not working to prevent bullying and violence in the school and want to find other ways to reduce bullying and violence in the learning space. Think about what considerations do you need to have and what actions could you take at each of the system levels (micro; meso; exo; macro; chrono) in order to address this issue in the school/learning space?
  • Collaborate
    30
    4
    0
    In groups of 4, create a table on a shared document (Google Docs or Word Online) with the following column headings:enable; mediate and advocate. Then underneath each heading add an action you are suggest in each of the system levels.
  • Discuss
    15
    25
    0
    Choose a group member to post a link to the shared document in the discussion forum. Look at the other groups' tables and suggest any other action that could be taken.
Notes:
Resources linked: 0

Learning Experience

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Social learning graph will not display correctly, because one or more learning types do not have group size set.