(From my Thesis, “Enhancing Proficiency in
Communication through Campus Journalism”)
This piece of research is founded primarily on
Development Communication Theory, Experiential Theory, and Cognitive Process
Theory of Writing formulated by Albert Bandura at Stanford University
(2009), Social Cognitive Theory of Communication specifies that mass-media
messages give audience members an opportunity to identify with attractive
characters that demonstrate behavior, engage emotions, and allow mental
rehearsal and modeling of new behavior. The
behavior of models in the mass media also offers vicarious reinforcement to
motivate audience members' adoption of the behavior.
Baran
and Davis (2000) also classify mass communication theories into three
broad categories: microscopic
theories that focus on the everyday life of people who process information
- for example, uses and gratifications, active audience theory, and reception
studies; middle range theories that
support the limited effects perspective of the media - for example, information
flow theory, diffusion theory, and macroscopic
theories that are concerned with media's impact on culture and society -
for example, cultural studies theory.
Building
upon earlier work by John Dewey and Kurt Levin, American educational theorist
David A. Kolb as cited by Chapman (2010) believes “learning is the process
whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experiences” (1984,
p. 38). The theory presents a cyclical model of learning, consisting of four
stages presented in Figure 1. One may begin at any stage, but must follow each
other in the sequence: concrete experience (or “DO”), reflective observation
(or “OBSERVE”), abstract conceptualization (or “THINK”), active experimentation
(or “PLAN”).
Further, Kolb’s four-stage learning cycle in his
experiential theory shows how experience is translated through reflection into
concepts, which in turn are used as guides for active experimentation and the
choice of new experiences. The first stage, concrete experience (CE),
is where the learner actively experiences an activity such as a lab session or
field work. The second stage, reflective observation (RO), is when
the learner consciously reflects back on that experience. The third stage, abstract
conceptualization (AC), is where the learner attempts to conceptualize a
theory or model of what is observed. The fourth stage, active
experimentation (AE), is where the learner is trying to plan how to test a
model or theory or plan for a forthcoming experience.
Kolb identified four learning styles which
correspond to these stages. The styles highlight conditions under which
learners learn better. These styles are: assimilators, who learn better when
presented with sound logical theories to consider, convergers, who learn better
when provided with practical applications of concepts and theories,
accommodators, who learn better when provided with “hands-on” experiences,
divergers, who learn better when allowed to observe and collect a wide range of
information.
Odell, Cooper and Courts (1999) as cited by
Baroudy (2008) made an elaboration on the Cognitive Process Theory of Writing.
They expressed that there is a venerable tradition in rhetoric and composition
which sees the composing process as a series of decisions and choices. However,
it is no longer simply asserting this position, unless you are prepared to
answer a number of questions, the most pressing of which probably is: What then
are the criteria which govern that choice?” or what guides the decisions writers
make as they write?”
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