Behaviorist Learning Theory

"In education, advocates of behaviorism have effectively adopted this system of rewards and punishments in their classrooms by rewarding desired behaviors and punishing inappropriate ones " (Orey,2001). As a high school teacher I find myself punishing inappropriate behaviors far too often, which takes time and energy away from rewarding the desired behaviors. The 80/20 rule often takes over... 20% of my students take up 80% of my time. After learning more about the Behaviorist Learning Theory and the power of positive reinforcement in changing behaviors, I have vowed to make a conscious effort to reward positive, appropriate behaviors.

One instructional strategy explored in this week's readings is Reinforcing Effort. According to the authors, success can be attributed to a number of different sources, but “effort is the wisest choice for someone who intends to achieve success or maintain it, as it is the only one within an individual’s control” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007. p. 155) But too often, students fail to make the connection between effort and success, often attributing their results on luck or lack of ability. I can't tell you how many times I have discussed poor test results with a student, and when asked if they studied, their answer often matched their results... "a little", or "during lunch:, etc... Or how often have you had a student suddenly concerned about their term grade a week or two before the marking period ends, only to review with them that their effort was non-existent in the first 8 weeks. “One easy way to help students make the connection between the effort and achievement is by using a spreadsheet like Microsoft Excel” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p. 155) Using a rubric that clearly explains what effort looks like is an important piece of the process. Students can then use the results of their spreadsheet data to recognize certain areas that need improvement by increasing or refocusing their efforts.

The second instructional strategy explored in this week's readings is Homework and Practice. To give homework or not? That is the often debated question. As we have been taught as educators, “...homework provides opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of the content and to gain proficiency with their skills.” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p.187) Just as in learning how to shoot a foul shot, tee off on a golf course, or learn how to play the piano, “mastering a skill or process requires a fair amount of focused practice”(p.188) B.F. Skinner called this focused practice Programmed Instruction. In the classroom, using technology, today we call this the use of Online tutorials. Using Technology in and out of the classroom can help facilitate homework "by providing a wealth of resources for learning outside of the classroom, making it easy for students to work on collaborative homework assignments and providing “drill and practice” resources that help students refine their skills.” (p. 189) But using just "drill and practice" alone can be ineffective, because it does not create a passion for learning. Therefore, it is important to incorporate different types of technology and assignments for homework enrichment. For example, “…multimedia homework is an opportunity to deepen understanding and gain proficiency "(p. 192). One example that I use is that after we complete a novel, such as "To Kill a Mockingbird" or a longer unit, I have students work collaboratively to create an online PowerPoint Jeopardy game to use as a review for the class. We also use wikis so that the students can work on group projects/assignments at home, as long as a computer is available in the home.

References:

Orey, M.(ED). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.