Behaviorist Learning Theory and Instructional Strategies in Technology
The behaviorist learning theory primary concern is the observable and measurable aspects of human behavior, which emphasizes changes in behavior that result from stimulus-response associations made by the learner (Orey, 2001). As educators, who directly observe behavior daily in the classroom we use contracts, consequences, reinforcement, and extinction. In our district we use a levels chart D being the desired behavior, which is democracy and A the lowest behavior, which is anarchy. Watsons’ operant conditioning is the rewarding of part of a desired behavior or random act that approaches it (Orey, 2001). The classes as a whole are conditioned after just a short time, understand, and display the behavior expected. This is just one of many behaviorist strategies.
Another behaviorist strategy, which embeds technology, is reinforcing effort and providing recognition. Have you ever heard the saying that “Success comes in cans; failure in can’ts”? The person who said it first recognized that effort is the most important factor in achievement (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). Research shows that student achievement can increase when teachers show the relationship between an increase in effort to an increase in success (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2012). Students need to understand the relationship between achievement and effort prior to achieving success. It is the teacher’s job to reinforce the efforts made by each student. Visual representation of the efforts may increase the student’s achievement of their effort (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2012). Helping the students make the connection can become easier with a spreadsheet or rubric. Create a rubric that will give students a clear idea and a realistic goal of what effort looks like, include attitude, commitment and pride (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012).
Providing a rubric or spreadsheet will allow you to track the student’s efforts and compare the final grade to their effort score. Students need consistent and systematic exposure to teaching strategies like this one in order to really grasp the impact that effort can have on their achievement (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). This will show the students how to modify their behavior to have positive effects on their results or grade.
My principal just toured several schools in Boston; she mentioned a board that they have in the school, which is titled “Caught in the Act of Trying Hard”. This is also mentioned in this week’s readings. By maintaining, this bulletin board not only reinforces effort but also provides recognition (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012).
The second strategy presented, assigning homework and providing recognition gives the students an opportunity to do drill and practice to master the skills needed to be proficient in a particular subject. Homework or lifework provides opportunities for them to deepen their understanding of the content and to gain proficiency with their skills, and extends learning beyond the classroom walls (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012).
It is important to remember the four key principles of learning: Activity in which the learner is active not passive, repetition or frequent practice in varied contexts, reinforcement with positive rewards and success, learning with clear objectives (Smith, 1999). Technology provides many resources for learning at school and at home. Technology offers collaborative assignments, independent work, tracking of data collection, analysis, and challenging tasks.
Four types of homework need to be understood and when and why to have students practice: memorization, increase in skill speed to allow for problem solving, deepening understanding of a concept, and preparation for the following day’s learning (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2012). This will help in preparation for the type of student we are providing the homework task.
According to research on strategies that help students who are struggling, computer-assisted instruction (CIA) contributes to the learning of at-risk students because it is nonjudgmental and motivational, provides frequent and immediate feedback, can individualize learning to meet students’ needs, allows for more student autonomy, and provides a multisensory learning environment (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012).
After only four practice sessions, students reach a halfway point of mastery, twenty-four more sessions needed before a student reaches eighty percent mastery (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2012).
It is important to reinforce skills that learned in the classroom. Tutorials viewed prior to student lifework allow for ques and questions. Many of the exercises allow for diagnostic assessments and data analysis. Though these are behaviorist-supported strategies, they will reinforce the constructivist strategies such as project-based learning.
Reinforcing efforts, providing feedback, assigning homework, and providing practice are behaviorist theories that reinforce operant conditioning of B. F. Skinner because the positive is reinforced. Operant conditioning is the root of behaviorism: reinforcement of desirable behaviors and the punishment of undesirable behaviors (Laureate Education Inc. (Producer), 2011). Many of the homework sites that offer drill, practice, and data analysis will provide the teacher and the student with immediate feedback. Several of the gaming sites do not allow the student to proceed until the material is mastered. It will remain the teacher’s objective to ensure that a student is achieving what is expected.
Suggested homework sites:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3
English, Geography, History, ICT, Math, Science, and Gaming
National Council of Teaching Math
http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=125
Isometric drawing tool for math nets
Pre-K to Geometry, offers rewards and data
http://www.brainpop.com and http://www.brainpopjr.com
English, Social Studies, Math, Science, Health, Art, and Technology
http://internet4classrooms.com
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program four: Behaviorist learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. (2012, Ocober 12). Northwest Educational Technology Consortium . Retrieved from Focus on effectiveness research-based strategies: http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/rein.php
Orey, M. (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epitt/index.php?title=Main Page
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Smith, M. K. (1999, May 11). The behaviorist orientation to learning’, the encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from Infed.org: http://infed.org/mobi/the-behaviorist-orientation-to-learning/
tamiwithani403 
My district also uses the discipline system you spoke of. We were all given Dr. Marvin Marshall’s book “Discipline Without Stress” a few years ago. What do you think of this system? Having used it for a few years, I am not sure that all students are intrinsically motivated to succeed. I will say that this book is the reason that we no longer use the clip system mentioned by Dr. Orey in the video. That visual reminder, which is very behaviorist in nature, was deemed an extrinsic motivator, not an intrinsic motivator. Does your school still have behavioral systems in place, or do you follow the ABCD levels of behavior strictly?
I am glad you remembered the author. I was at home and did not have the book. The students know what level they are on if I ask, and it does help to change the classroom behavior. It is spring and I find myself asking more often. I do think it is more effective than the clip system. We also have behavioral contrats for repeat offenders and a dicipline committee.
Tami,
I really enjoyed reading your post and the connections you made between homework, effort, recognition, and the behaviorist theory. II love the bulletin board idea: Caught in the Act of Trying Hard. I like how the recognition surrounds effort, communicating to students that we notice their efforts and celebrate them. The reward for their effort is also quite motivating for other students. Do you use any specific strategies to help students understand the importance of effort and achievement other than a rubric?
I do awards every month in art; behavior, effort, and most creative artwork. We have not tried the bulletin board idea yet, but my principal saw it in a very successful low-income school.
Thank you for all of the links to possible homework sites. I am working on putting together a list of teacher approved websites for my families to use over the summer and will be sure to add some of these to my list. I have also really been thinking about effort lately. I have an 8 year old with very little reading skills, and when we were taking our end of the year test he was frustrated that I couldn’t read it to him. This kid has baffled me all year because he seems more than capable of developing the skills, has all the pre-reading skills necessary, but shuts down every time something is the slightest bit hard. I talked with him today about how if he wants to improve his reading he needs to work on it and participate during instruction. I wish that I would have implemented an effort rubric at the beginning of the school year with him. I think that this will have to be part of my routine next year. Many of your suggested sites seemed like they were geared at younger students. I have K-2 students. Have you implemented an effort rubric with such young kids before?