3. Overview
Repetition,
Group F: Behaviourist Theory of Learning 3/20
(Skinner, 1938)
http://www.forensicmag.com/articles/2013/09/using-positive-reinforcement-employee-motivation#.UnFp4_mcd8E
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/negative-reinforcement.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Understand-Positive-Reinforcement
http://www.brighthub.com/office/human-resources/articles/121217.aspx
Reinforcement and Punishment
4. Methodological Behaviourist Theory
John Watson
“Psychology as the
Behaviorist Views it”
1913
Group F: Behaviourist Theory of Learning 4/20
http://www.biography.com/people/john-b-watson-37049
5. Methodological Behaviourist Theory
In higher education?
Group F: Behaviourist Theory of Learning 5/20
http://carolhbates.com/4-examples-of-using-social-media-and-the-olympics-in-the-college-classroom-increase-student-engagement-by-adding-excitement-to-you-
lesson-plans/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2020469/opponents-say-itu-treaty-threatens-internet-freedom.html
Passive learners
Future scope
8. Psychological Behaviourist Theory
Arthur W Statts 1924-
Group F: Behaviourist Theory of Learning 8/20
3rd Generation Behaviourist
Unification of behavioural science
Personality theory
Child development
http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=33701010
11. Teleological Behaviourist Theory- Educational Context
Group F: Behaviourist Theory of Learning 10/20
Feed Back
Positive and Negative feedback
Continuous feedback help & guide to modify the behavior
12. Behaviourist Theory: Experimental
Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning
Group F: Behaviourist Theory of Learning 12/20
Ian Pavlov
Conditione
d response
Conditione
d Stimuli
Stimulus
Generalization
14. Behaviourism : The role of the teacher
• Teacher-led
• Incentives, praise, good grades
• Competency-based learning
objectives
• Content, methods, outcomes:
aligned
• Regular feedback
Group F: Behaviourist Theory of Learning 14/20
15. Behaviourism : The role of the student
• Passive recipient
• Receives planned
instruction
• Clear expectations
• Learning by doing
• Can learn to "play the
game” for rewards
Group F: Behaviourist Theory of Learning 14/20
16. Behaviourist Theory in context
Critique:
• Narrow, deterministic
• Ill-suited to decision-
making, critical thinking
• Ignores social, personal
and experiential learning
• People learn differently!
Group F: Behaviourist Theory of Learning 16/20
17. Behaviourist Theory in context
Shares with cognitivism:
• Understanding of role of
environment
• Emphasis on practice and
feedback
Precursor of constructivism?
• Learning of facts precedes
construction of meaning/higher
learning: Bloom’s taxonomy
Group F: Behaviourist Theory of Learning 17/20
18. The future of Behaviourist Theory
Learning Outcomes
Group F: Behaviourist Theory of Learning 18/20
Feedback
GRADES
20. Weekly round up email
Constructively aligned learning outcomes and content
Conclusions
PG Cert HE
Online quiz
Positive reinforcement when
joining in on Moodle
REGULAR FEEDBACK
Group F: Behaviourist Theory of Learning 20/20
Editor's Notes
So what can all this mean for us, as teachers? Well, behaviourism puts the teacher at the heart of the classroom – we are leaders the learning process. Behaviourist teachers emphasise learning objectives, measureable outcomes and give regular feedback.
(Conversely the student can be seen as a passenger on their own learning journey, an empty vessel to be filled by the teacher’s expertise. However, students often welcome behaviourism’s clear structure and learning by doing - as well as working out how to game the system – and work only for rewards…
Other perspectives all share a critique of behaviourism as narrow and deterministic, suited only to simple repetitive tasks, which ignores the richness of students prior experiences and the diversity of ways in which each person can learn. Having said that, it is clear that all the learning theories have some common approaches.
The importance of the environment, practice and feedback is shared with cognitivism, for example, the learning of facts and information can be seen as a building blocks towards the construction of meaning , rather than as an alternative to it – remember Blooms taxonomy?
So, we’ve learned that students are not dogs and that education is about more than opening a metaphorical can of Winnalot. We’ve also seen that behavousim can and does have a role in our 21st century classrooms. It need not be a rival to alternative theories – it can complement them and help us to move beyond Surface learning to deeper integration
Supporting evidence is the fact that our tutors on this course embed behaviourist approaches in their teaching. How many techniques can you identify – and how effective do you think they are (please post your answers on Moodle please).
