The term "vicarious learning" was introduced in the 1960s by Bandura, who demonstrated how learning can occur through observing the behaviour of others. Such social learning is effective without the need for the observer to experience feedback directly. More than twenty years later a series of studies on vicarious learning was undertaken…

The research compares two open education programs in New York City (one in a private school, one a public school) from 1970 to 1976. Both programs stressed decentralization of the classroom into interest areas, individually created learning materials, and participation by children in decisions regarding use of time and space. The purpose of the…