The social constructivist approach (Dr. Brockbank, 2010)
The social approach to learning today seems to be much more theoretical than the others and it seems to me that it goes back somewhat to the assumptions made by the behaviourist above. The main idea is that social situations, environment and culture has got much more effect on learning than the individual him/herself. Although learning is initiated by the learner and it is an active process where he/she discovers new concepts, truths and skills, the learning takes place by comparing views of reality with others.
In this approach, there is no objective reality and the focus is on the prevailing discourse, which is not visible to its users. A prevailing discourse is a set of beliefs, meanings, stories, metaphors, images etc. that together creates a certain version of the truth. Humans however are capable of analysing the discourse they are in and by resisting it, they can free themselves from its influence. This is where the coach can be very useful because some of the discourse might not be visible to the client who is in it but the coach can point it out.
Another theory is about dispositions (named tendencies, habits). We all have dispositions that we bring with us e.g. race, family, gender, age, class, traditions. These dispositions are believed to be unconscious, we take them for granted. However, they can all be challenged by the individual and again this is where an external coach can be very useful.
Some theories & contributors that are worth studying further (Peltier, 2010) are K. Lewin, L. Festinger, I. Janis, J. Harvey, D. Goleman, R. Cialdini, S. Milgram.
From coaching point of view, this means that we need to be aware of the client’s environment, the culture in which they operate, their managers, their teams as it is more influential than the individual’s character. When we can, we should teach the organisation about the climate and culture. We, as a coach have a lot of opportunity to point out and challenge the prevailing discourse, give feedback and reinforce how individuals present themselves in the organisation.
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ReplyDeleteIt's fascinating how much our social environment and culture shape our learning experiences. I completely agree with the idea that coaches play a crucial role in helping clients see and analyse the prevailing discourse they are part of.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience on Sureway NDIS psychosocial recovery coach, I've seen firsthand how guiding clients to recognise these hidden influences can empower them to make significant changes in their lives. By comparing their perceptions with others and challenging existing narratives, they often find new paths to personal growth and recovery.