This document discusses behaviorism as a philosophy of education. It focuses on using stimuli and reinforcement to change student behavior positively. The teacher controls learning situations and applies reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors. Students play an active role by responding to stimuli and reinforcement. Materials are used as stimuli and should include reinforcement. Both motivation and punishment are forms of reinforcement, with motivation being positive and punishment requiring care. Behaviorism aims to efficiently teach new behaviors but risks affecting student self-esteem and individuality.

1. Philosophy of Education
BEHAVIORISM:
DEALING WITH HUMAN INSTINCT
M.C. Rafael Velasco Argente
Fall 2011

3. OBJECTIVES
 Goal:
 The goal of this theory is to change the behaviour of the
student in a positive sense by means of applying a
series of stimuli and positve or negative reinforcement.
 Purpose:
 The students can apply the new behavior in specific
contexts as well as duplicating the desired behavior in
others.

4. VIEW-APPROACH
 Mechanistic:
 Behaviorism is strongly tied to the concept of changing
mechanically the conduct of individuals. By means of stimuli
the students can adopt a desired behavior that can be used to
increase their knowledge faster. The main disadvantage of
using this view is when self teem and individual preferences
might be affected by the application of certain reinforcement.
 Organicist:
 Thinking in terms of the length of modification of the behavior,
and discovering as a tool for learning, an organicist view of
the theory can be applied in this theory. Nevertheless and
advantage of adopting this view is that stimuli and
reinforcement are no so obvious for the individual and might
have a stronger effect on the subconscious of the students

5. ROLE OF TEACHER
 The teacher plays an important role in this theory.
He controls the situations, the stimuli and the
reinforcement in every activity that he decides to
work with. His role is also delicate is he is
conscious about it; a single reinforcement applied
incorrectly might affect the future changes in the
behavior of the student.

6. ROLE OF THE STUDENTS
 The students play an active role in the experience
of learning. They are the ones who are directly
affected by the stimuli and reinforcement. It is
expected that the student do change their conduct;
however it is possible to have certain resistance to
change. In this cases the teacher must find a way
to get to the extinction of the undesired behavior.

7. ROLE OF THE MATERIALS
 The materials are used as stimuli and to stimule the
behavior from the student.
 Materials are as important as the activities
performed in class by both the students and the
teacher.
 The more attractive and adaptable materials are,
the better response will create in the individuals
they are directed to.
 Every activity and material must have a
reinforcement included.
 Even attitude from the teacher can be considered
as a material.

8. MOTIVATION AND PUNISHMENT
 Motivation and Punishment are the core of this
theory. Both of them fit inside the category of
REINFORCEMENT. While motivation can be
considered as positive, punishment is a double-
edge sword that must be handled with care.
 Motivation varies from teacher attitudes, classroom
environment, rapport, materials, congratulation
rewards (spoken or material). It could also be
internal (from student’s perspective)

9. CRITIC
 The good:  The bad:
 The approach  Delicate
 The time  The endurance
 The target  The time
 The endurance  The target