UND has an annual psychology conference – Northern Lights. The regional conference mostly allows undergraduates and graduate students to present their work.
One unique feature of the conference has been the ability to attract some of the most prominent names in psychology. This year’s keynote was provided by Dr. Albert Bandura. According to the introduction, Dr. Bandura is perhaps the most well-known psychologist behind Frued, Skinner, and Piaget.
Anyone who has taken Introductory Psychology probably remembers the modeling study involving the Bobo doll. Young learners become more aggressive after witnessing an adult act agressively toward a bobo doll. While not as widely recognized, Bandura has also made significant contributions in understanding the importance of self-efficacy.
Now, as an 80 year old patriarch. Bandura is applying the concepts of modeling and self-efficacy to some of the big problems of the world. Bandura is involved in the use of “serial dramas” to promote positive behaviors (literacy, family planning, aids awareness, gender equity) in impoverished countries. Serial dramas are radio or television programs somewhat like “soap operas”, but focused on more socially conscious themes. These programs include certain common features:
- models involved in negative and positive behaviors
- vicarious motivation – characters experience consequences for their actions
- attentional involvement – emotion, interest – that help viewers/listeners identify with the characters in the programs
- environmental support – contact information, epilogues following shows provide opportunities for action
Google translation of article describing Taru – a program in India
Radio programs in Mexico
These examples offer a very different model of the educational use of technology. I wonder if a similar approach would work in the U.S. Probably not – there are too many messages and such programs would likely attract a much smaller proportion of the audience. Maybe students should do their own programs. They would learn from creating the content and from the content produced by peers.
