Research on adaptive teaching machine theory has also led me to the social learning theory, which focuses on the learning that occurs within a social context. It considers that people learn from one another, including such concepts as observational learning, imitation, and modeling. This theory was originated by Albert Bandura.

People learn through observing others’ behavior, attitudes, and outcomes of those behaviors. “Most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling: from observing others, one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action.” (Bandura). Social learning theory explains human behavior in terms of continuous reciprocal interaction between cognitive, behavioral, and environmental influences.

A lot of today’s technology relies on user’s social behavior, the Internet has connected people around the world through blogs and social networks. Social theory seems like a perfect learning model to apply to my mobile learning application.