Introduction
Learning is one of the complex and challenging human activities involving their growth and development. The introduction of modern skills and technology forces people to seek survival alternatives in order to fit into society. Traditional forms of livelihoods face stiff competition from modern trends and this necessitates the need for better ways of dealing with challenges. Consequently, learning has proved to be a better option of combating modern challenges by devising better ways of dealing with various situations in the society. However, learning faces various challenges that subject the process to inefficiencies. This discussion involves the importance of social support in learning.
Main Discussion
Social support refers to nonmaterial assurances given to an individual by other members of the society. This means that there are various ways through which Individuals can offer social support to each other in society. There are many forums through which individuals can access social support from the many members of the society they interact within countless occasions. Social support plays a vital role in enhancing learning in institutions as is evident in this discussion.
First, all individuals need to have positive self-esteem derived through the achievements of goals in life (Carter 2008). Learners set high goals at the beginning of every learning session and aim to achieve them with ease. However, they seldom realize their goals as their school grades and scores become poor in every examination. Soon, they realize they will never achieve or fulfill their dreams and thus lose hope in life. Their dignity becomes low due to underperformance and they resort to other antisocial behavior like becoming introverts. However, through the intervention of other members of the society like parents, teachers, religious leaders, and other relatives, these people realize that excellent grades do not mean superb lives.
Through guiding and counseling, they are able to identify other strong areas like sports, music drama, and field talents that can propel them to fame (Conner 2010). This ensures their learning morale keeps urging them to work hard. In addition, it assures victims of poor grades that failure in class does not mean failure in life. Secondly, social support gives learners an assurance that they are not alone in the process.
This makes them feel that other people take a keen interest in what students do despite the perception that learning is an individual’s affair. This company gives students the social security and satisfaction they deserve. In addition, social support ensures students do not deviate from the norms of learning and social order. Occasionally, students take advantage of learning and misbehave at the expense of money and time spent (Carter 2008).
However, social support guides students on the importance of learning for not only their lives and future but also for the sake of those who will rely on their efforts for survival in the future. Lastly, social support ensures parents and teachers understand learners’ abilities, strengths, and talents. This enables them to nurture their abilities at tender ages and develop them further at adulthood.
Conclusion
Social support is inseparable from learning since it is part of learners’ lives. However, parents and teachers should not compromise the value of education by pampering their children in the attempt of giving them social support since this makes learning ineffective. Therefore, when students get social support at the correct time, and in the right manner, they will have no challenges in learning and thus makes the process fruitful.
References
Conner, M. (2010). The New Social Learning: A Guide to Transforming Organizations through Social Media. San Francisco: Barrett Koehler.
Carter, E. (2008). Peer Support Strategies for Improving All Students’ Social Lives and Learning. Mexico: Cengage Learning.