Part 3:
Bandura's social cognitive learning theory helps provide a psychological basis for learning and teaching. His theory emphasizes the importance of interaction between individuals in meaningful relationships as essential to the learning process. The cognitive interactinoist view proposed by Bandura confirms that individuals are 'purposive beings who exercise situational choice" (Shermis & Bigge, 155). This means that people do the best they can in any given situation to promote the best self and may use life experiences to choose the outcome in a complex decision making process. Interaction based on this theory is purposive, meaning that individuals are not passive learners. People learn based on interactionist between a persons environment and their experiences which "give meaning to that environment" so they can decide how best to make decisions that will ultimately be advantageous to them (Shermis & Bigge, 155). Through interactions and daily events learners may gain new insights that result in decision-making changes. People's behaviors are a function in part of the environment and those with which they interact according to Bandura. How do these relate to Benner's levels of nurse functioning? The most relevant concepts of Benner's theory suggest that learning is gained depending on the experience levels in part of a nurse. Nurses in a novice state for example tend to view situations...
This is not a social cognitive interactionist form of functioning as Bandura describes it. However, as nurses advance in their functioning, such as during the advanced beginner stages, they begin to recognize situational influences within a given environment, thus may start changing their functioning or thought processes based on the situation at hand. Once nurses reach competence and proficiency functioning they are better able to become active learners and function in a social cognitive interactionist role, where they take cues from their environment and situation and make decisions based on what is most advantageous both for themselves and their patients in a given situation. Social cognitive interactionist ability is at its peak during the expert level when nurses have the ability to trust their perceptions and decide on specific interactions based not only on experience but the situation presented them. Benner's levels of nurse functioning are very beneficial in explaining the social cognitive learning process Bandura supports. They clearly outline how one moves from a state of more passive functioning to an active one.
References
Shermis, S. & Bigge, M. (1992). Chapters 7 & 8 of "Learning Theories for Teachers."
New York: Harper Collins.
