Social Constructionism

This concept is something I really connect with and is something I wrote about in one of my first blogs called Constructivism. I like the idea that in order to fully grasp something you have to make it part of your experience. William James believed the way we know something is true is that it comes back and proves true in our experience. The way I always imagine it to myself is that if you were to give a bald person who had never had any hair and never seen any hair a hairbrush, even if you explained to them what it was for, they would have no comprehension of what you were talking about. If you then showed them someone with hair brushing it, or perhaps even got them to brush it themselves, the hairbrush acquires meaning for them. A meaning they have constructed themselves from their own experience.

David Kolb also believes that learning is experiential. He says, 'The centre of learning is experience, your own subjective experience' (Kolb, date unknown) . As I have mentioned before I believe I have a reflective learning style. I therefore like to watch something being done first before I attempt it myself. This is where I think the concept of social constructionism comes into its own with regards to professional networks. If within your network you have older, more experienced practitioners who are demonstrating beneficial ways too professionally conduct yourself it is possible to first watch this behaviour and then try to imitate it until it is a natural an integral part of your own understanding and practice.

I was reading 'Getting Started With University Level Work Based Learning' (Durrant et al, 2009) where it is suggested that for self employed people it can be beneficial to appoint a mentor (someone in your profession who is more experienced) to fill the void left by the absence of a employer. This person would be there to bounce ideas off, give important advice, and (I think most importantly) lead by example. I have decided to make my friend Helen Evans my mentor. She is an older actress I worked with on ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ and she is extremely talented. She is also assistant head of acting on an up and coming musical theatre course. Not only that she is currently doing extremely interesting research for her PhD, some of which I have been involved in. The fact that she is an experienced, talented actress and teacher, coupled with the fact that she is used to working within academic institutions makes her an ideal person to have as a mentor. I have spoken to her about it and she thinks it’s a marvellous idea and is really looking forward to it. She says that she may learn something too, which is one of the things I love about her. She is always looking to expand her knowledge and understanding. I am hoping that through working closely with her I will stretch myself and expand my current understanding.

References:
Durrant, A. (2010) The networked professional reader.

Durrant, A., Rhodes, G. & Young, D. (2009) Getting started with university level work based learning, London:  Middlesex University Press.

Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. (2000-2010) Experiential learning [online].  Available from: http://www.learningfromexperience.com/ accessed 2 December 2010

Iles, M. (2010) Constructivism http://markgraemeiles.blogspot.com/2010/09/constructivism.html accessed 5 December 2010.

Kolb, D, A. (1984) Experiential learning, London:  Prentice Hall.