The Online Journal of New Horizons in Education Volume 3, Issue 1 www.tojned.net Social Learning Theories as tools for learning in an ICT educational system Eugenia I. Toki [1] Jenny Pange [b] [1] Laboratory of New Technologies and Distance Learning, Department of Early Childhood Education, School of Education, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece [2] Department of Speech and Language Therapy, TEI of Epirus, Ioannina, 45500, Greece ABSTRACT The current study examines the effects of self-evaluation according to the nearest neighbour learning (NNL) method in the viewpoint of an undergraduate ICT subject in an Educational Department. The research questions addressed to students in order to evaluate whether they can identify their errors while working in small self-selected groups. This procedure indicates positive learning outcomes pointing that self- evaluation and NNL can contribute to an upward cycle of better learning with the potential of implementing them at all levels of the educational system. Keywords: learning methods in ICT, self-evaluation, nearest neighbour learning (NNL), collaboration INTRODUCTION The broad use of digital technology during the last decades has changed the ways of learning (Toki and Pange, 2010). It is well established that Information Communication Technology (ICT) has a vast impact at all educational levels (Pange, 2008). Teaching and learning create a dynamic system, including teacher, student, environment and teaching method. New approaches on ICT use and educational reforms improve the ways that knowledge can be passed oǀer to the todays aĐtiǀe aŶd ĐoŵŵuŶiĐatioŶal learŶers. Teaching in educational departments commonly use traditional methods that often do not use ICT. Educators nowadays face a challenge to re-examine and give careful considerations on changes in pedagogy and accept new methods and techniques under the present conditions. Therefore, quality in teaching methods is identified as type of influence on high rank educational outcomes for students (Alton-Lee, 2003). Difficulties arise concerning the application of learning theories and the use of ICT. Moreover, investigators have to explore the time that teachers need to spend preparing online educational material for groups of student with different characteristics. For this reason many teachers include different learning strategies and evaluation procedures in order to prepare students for real life situations and to attempt for the best learning outcomes. Socialization implies education (Banks, 1987; Muhlbauer, 1985) and vice versa. One of the most significant socialization mediators is school and education. In our days, the presence and the rapid expand of social media in most educational levels form a simple example of the new way of socialization and learning. Cooperative, collaborative procedures are required to connect the wide range of possibilities that the new media offer (Directorate General of Education and Culture, n.d.; Caspi et al, 2003.). Collaborative and cooperative learning demonstrate social learning which was well recognised by Vygotsky at the beginning of the 20th century. In these educational activities, learners are in touch with the tutor and other learners as they undertake tasks and projects learning through group activities, where cognition is located. Nowadays, the presence of ICT in most everyday activities, signifies the needs for collaboration and group involvement. Self-eǀaluatioŶ is a forŵ of real assessŵeŶt ǁith positiǀe adds to studeŶts learning (Rolheiser, 1996). According to Rolheiser and Ross (1996) self-evaluation is a procedure where students judge the value of their efforts, based on evidence and clear criteria, in order to become better in their future work. They 53