Behaviorist Learning Theory in the Classroom
Melissa Standridge (2010) defines behaviorism as observable
and measurable aspects of human behavior that result from stimulus-response
associations made by the learner. There is
a myriad of instructional strategies that can be used to enhance behaviorism in
the classroom, especially with the utilization of technology. Two behaviorist-based instructional
strategies that can be used in the classroom are reinforcing effort and
providing recognition and assigning homework and providing practice. Pitler et al. (2012) state, “Technology can transform
the environment and procedures for communication, teaching, and learning” (p.
11). Using technology tools to
incorporate these instructional strategies will provide a solid basis for implementing
behaviorist learning theory in the classroom.
The instructional strategy of reinforcing effort becomes
a different ballgame when technology is incorporated. Pitler et al. (2012) believe that technology
aids both students and teachers to better track the effect of effort as well as
allowing more immediate feedback to students.
This can be as simple as creating an effort rubric and using a spreadsheet
to collect data and analyze graphs of the data as time progresses. This visual representation of effort can be very
useful to students who are more visual learners. It also allows students to track their effort
week to week. They will be able to
observe the effect their effort has on their classwork and overall assessment
scores. Standridge (2010) believes that
behaviorist techniques are implemented in education to promote desirable
behavior and discourage undesirable behavior.
The fact that students can analyze their behavior and the effect it has
on their classwork is an amazing use of technology to reinforce effort.
Providing recognition is now more efficient than ever
thanks to technology. Pitler et al.
(2012) state that teachers can make exemplary student work more accessible to
parents, students, and others in the real world by posting them online using web
showcases, blogs, or even online picture galleries. A student can contact family members that even
different a different state, or even country, and share their piece of
extraordinary work. Teachers have
several options to provide recognition to their students. In my case, this is as easy as a quick email
to the student or a private comment in Google Classroom for a job well done. This is an example of positive reinforcement. According to Standridge (2010), positive
reinforcement presents a stimulus that will increase the probability of a
response. In this case, my email or
comment on a job well done will provide a stimulus to my student that they did
something well and would want to perform that action again to get a similar
response. Dr. Michael Orey (Walden University,
2015) believes that this reinforcement of desirable behaviors has a very
powerful effect on the student. Technology
makes this reinforcement quicker and easier than it ever has been in the past.
The
instructional strategy of assigning homework and providing practice can be greatly
enhanced by incorporating technology. According
to Pitler et al. (2012), homework provides opportunities for students to deepen
their understanding of the content all while gaining proficiency in their skills. Homework and practice need to be active. It is not just rereading over notes and
studying. Homework and practice are
taking what is learned and applying it to a new situation. I go over this with my students every day in
my mathematics classroom. After we finish
our guided notes discussion, the students begin their homework. They are taking the knowledge that they gained
from our discussion and applying it to the different homework problems that
have been assigned. We are in an
all-virtual setting currently, so these problems are then submitted through
Google Classroom and I provide feedback as to what they did correctly, or where
they may have gone wrong. This practice
allows for the students to understand what they did incorrectly and how to
change it the next time they came across it.
Google Classroom allows for private comments to be made to individual
students. I can even highlight certain
portions of their work and comment right beside it like you can in a Google
doc. Standridge (2010) speaks to the
fact that in behaviorist theory, students work for things that give them positive
feelings or allows for them to gain approval from those that they admire. This immediate feedback through Google
Classroom has been a great asset through this difficult all-virtual time. Students will even comment back to me
regarding what I originally sent to them asking what could have been done differently.
Pitler et al. (2012) believe that technology
facilitates homework and practice by the resources that are available to the
students outside of the walls of the classroom.
These could be mathematics sites that allow for more practice on a
specific skill or different programs such as Google Meet and Zoom which allow
students to work collaboratively on their homework and practice. Orey (Walden University, 2015) speaks to the fact
that one facet of behaviorism, programmed instruction, is huge within the
online learning communities. Programmed
instruction is specific online tools that if a student answers correctly, they
move on. If they answer incorrectly,
they receive more information on the concept and need to try again. Pitler et al. (2012) state that many
technologies can track a student’s progress over time and adjust the content
matter accordingly. One technology that
I incorporate in my classroom every week is a program called ALEKS. ALEKS is an online mathematics program that
adjusts to each student’s learning level in Algebra 1 after they take an
initial knowledge check. The students work
through the topics at their learning level, at their pace. The data that we have gathered over the past few
years that we have used ALEKS shows a positive correlation in our students’
performance on their end of year exam in Algebra 1. This data has allowed me to drive my
instruction as to whether I need to go more in-depth on a concept or skim over
it.
Using ALEKS as a method of programmed instruction is
one of the ways that I currently implement behaviorist-based instructional strategies
in my classroom. This allows me as a
teacher to be a facilitator according to the ISTE Standards for educators
(ISTE, 2008). I can facilitate learning
with technology to support students as they strive to meet their ISTE Standards
(ISTE, 2008). In this case, I believe my
students are achieving the standard of an empowered learner. My students use ALEKS to take an active role
in choosing, achieving, and demonstrating competency in their learning goals
(ISTE, 2016). Another way that I
implement behaviorist-based instructional strategies is through my use of
Google Classroom and email to provide recognition and immediate feedback to my
students. This allows me to fulfill the
ISTE standard for educators of being a collaborator. I dedicate time with my students to improve their
practice, discover and share resources, and solve problems (ISTE, 2008). This is all accomplished utilizing the
technology provided by Google Classroom.
I can comment on a student’s work and give them immediate feedback. The student can then respond to me and create
ongoing collaborative discussions regarding their work. I also make sure to send private comments or
emails when I notice changes in my students' work – either for the better or
for the worst. This opens the door to
allow students to have a one-on-one conversation with me regarding their
situation. It also allows my students to
achieve the standard of being a creative communicator, as they can now
communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes
using the platforms, tools, styles, formats, and digital media that is
appropriate for the situation at hand (ISTE, 2016). My students tend to bounce back and forth
between email and Google Classroom correspondences, whichever one they prefer,
but they are comfortable with both.
The sources that I researched this week gave me more
background knowledge regarding the behaviorist learning theory. Gökmenoğlu et al. (2010), provides a
detailed chronological look at behaviorism throughout the past two decades and believes
that behaviorism is very much alive in an educational context. This source allowed me to gain a deeper understanding
of the roots of behaviorist learning theory and how important it will be to
implement in my upcoming Hour of Code (HoC) activity, especially in the realm of
assigning homework and providing practice.
Kropf (2014) speaks of behaviorism in terms of reinforcement. This will be a crucial part of the
implementation of my HoC activity. Since
coding is going to be a completely new concept to my students, reinforcing
their effort and behaviors is going to be a must as we work through this
activity together. David Webb (n.d.) offers
a myriad of information on all different learning theories with a background in
psychology. I believe it is important to
research and gain an in-depth knowledge of a theory before fully implementing
it. The sources that I interacted with
this week gave me this in-depth knowledge as well as supporting the uses of the
behaviorist-based instructional strategies that I have already implemented in
my classroom. I am looking forward to
applying the knowledge that I gleaned this week when I implement my HoC
activity with my students in the weeks to come.
Gökmenoğlu,
T., Eret, E., & Kiraz, E. (2010). Crises, Reforms, and Scientific
Improvements:
Behaviorism
in the Last Two Centuries. Ilkogretim Online, 9(1), 292–299.
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2008).
Standards for educators.
Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2016).
Standards for students.
Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students
Kropf, D. (2014, March 4). 21st century classrooms with 20th century
learning theories.
Retrieved November 21, 2020, from https://elearningindustry.com/21st-century-classrooms-with-20th-century-learning-theories
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E.R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology
with classroom instruction that
works (2nd ed.). ASCD.
Standridge, M. (2010). 26. Behaviorism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging Perspectives
on
Learning, Teaching, and Technology (pp. 271-277). The Global Text
Project.
Walden University. (2015). Behaviorist learning theory [Video]. Walden
University
Blackboard. https://class.waldenu.edu
Webb, D. [@psych101]. (n.d.). Tweets [Twitter profile]. Twitter.
Retrieved November 22, 2020,
from https://twitter.com/psych101
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