Sociocultural Theory In Vygotsky's Self Efficacy

One of the theories I found the most interesting throughout the duration of this class is Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. This theory emphasizes role in development of cooperative dialogues between children and more knowledgeable members of society. (pg 55). According to Vygotsky, until children learn to use mental tools, their learning is largely controlled by the environment; they attend only to the things that are brightest or loudest, and they can remember something only if has been repeated many times. After children master mental tools, they take control of their own learning, by attending and remembering in an intentional and purposeful way. What caught my attention the most was the differences and similarities in Vygotsky’s and Piaget’s

404). The most effective way of developing a strong sense of efficacy is through mastery experiences. People with a strong sense of self-efficacy: view challenging problems as tasks to be mastered, develop deeper interest in the activities in which they participate, form a stronger sense of commitment to their interests and activities, and recover quickly from setbacks and disappointments. Witnessing other people successfully completing a task is another important source of self-efficacy.
My high levels of self-efficacy strongly enhanced my accomplishments and my personal perception of my wellbeing. It has given me willingness to experiment with new ideas. I believe self-efficacy encourages me to set higher expectations for future performances. My teachers telling me, “You can do this,” have also increased my confidence to do a task. Verbal persuasion and encouragement such as this is important, it does not contribute as much as an individual's own experiences but the encouragement builds

Metacognition involves three types of knowledge. The first is declarative knowledge; the skills, strategies and resources needed to perform a task. The second is procedural knowledge or knowing how to use strategies. The final one is self-regulatory knowledge; to ensure the completion of the task, knowing the conditions (pg 318). Metacognition regulates thinking and learning (Brown 1978; Nelson, 1996). There are three essential skills: planning, monitoring, and evaluating. Metacognition involves choosing the best way to approach a learning task. Students with good metacognitive skills set goals, organize their activities, select among various approaches to learning, and change strategies if needed. Metacognitive practices help students become aware of their strengths and weaknesses as learners, writers, readers,