Learning, Knowledge and Human Development MOOC’s Updates

The Effects of Social and Emotional Conditions in Learning

The Social and Emotional conditions of a learner in learning cannot be overemphasised as it determines to a large extent whether learning goals and objectives are achieved. As we have learnt in previous classes the social mind of a learner helps them to learn from the environment and experiences around them, it is also seen in Dr. Dorothy Espelage's class that the things, occurrences and people around a learner can interrupt the learning process. Taking bully (a kind of treatment meted out by peers on an individual) as an example, a student who has been doing well academically but becomes a victim of a bully is most likely to withdraw from class activities and might want to be left alone when home. This treatment over time may birth anger, anxiety, solitude and depression (these and many more are problems with emotions), not being able to speak for him or herself. This in turn will tell on learning behaviours in class; such a child might be absent-minded, travelling psychologically and emotionally to a lone world trying to figure out a solution to the bullying situation. Such experiences encountered with the bully perpetrators could also affect his relationship with every other person he meets depending on how his mind processes it. He could also end up becoming another wild bully.
Also, another social environment is social media, what kids see, watch or do on social media which also includes bully perpetration and victimisation, affects the way they learn if not well supervised and managed.
However, this social and emotional conditioning is, not limited to school and learning. All agents of socialization which primarily start from the first contact of a child, that is, the immediate family, school, neighbours, churches, media and the society at large are direct or indirect contributors to this state in a child. For instance, a family or neighbourhood where there is constant practice of any form of violence is likely to produce a child who only expresses himself violently. It will now be the responsibility of other agents of socialization to enact standards or programs that would curb or stabilize such dysfunctional children. Programs that promote personal skills such as self-awareness, empathy/sympathy, emotional intelligence, independence, modesty, and collaboration among others should be encouraged in schools and parents should be taught these things in parents/teachers meetings and training so that all agents of risk and protective factors will be on the same level.