Positive and negative reinforcement can motivate student learning. Positive reinforcement uses rewards to increase desired behaviors, like praising students for good work. It involves three phases - targeting issues, private discussions of problems, and irregular rewards. Negative reinforcement strengthens behaviors by removing undesired stimuli, like being lenient at first and then stricter if mistakes continue. Both techniques can motivate students if used properly, but punishment should be avoided. Maintaining a balance of positive and negative reinforcement without harsh criticism best encourages academic excellence.

1. ‘WHAT IS POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE
REINFORCEMENT?
ANALYZE THE ROLE OF POSITIVE AND
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT IN
MOTIVATING STUDENT LEARNING’

2. OPERANT CONDITIONING
• Theory invented by famous psychologist B.F Skinner.
• Theory of operant conditioning advocates the idea of practicing
reinforcement in order to increase the recurrence of desired behaviors.
• According to psychologist and critic B.F Skinner, “Operant
conditioning means, the alteration of behavior by reinforcement that
is given after the desired goal is achieved or a desired response
becomes apparent” (1938).

3. REINFORCEMENT
• The process of encouraging or
establishing a belief or pattern
of behavior is called
reinforcement.
• There are two types of
reinforcements:
• Positive reinforcement
• Negative Reinforcement

4. • A very effective tool to alter
and shape a behavior into a
particular form.
• Positive reinforcement works
by presenting a motivating
item to the person after the
desired behavior is exhibited.
• This methodology makes the
behavior more likely to
happen in the future.
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

5. • On the other hand, negative
reinforcement occurs:
• when the possibility of a
desired behavior is
strengthened by the removal
of a mal stimulus by positive
means.
• The negative stimulus that is
excluded during the
implementation of negative
reinforcement is referred to as
a process of negative
reinforcing.
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT

6. THE TWO MAIN PROFESSIONAL FIELDS
WHERE THE TWO REINFORCES ARE BEING
PRACTICED IN ABUNDANCE ARE:
BUSINESS AND EDUCATION

7. POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT IN
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS:
• Positive reinforcement that is being practiced in educational institutions is:
• A very potent tool that can help teachers in molding and altering the
behaviour of a student, as well as a class/group of students.
• It works by praising and rewarding a particular desired behavior, in order to
increase its recurrence.
• Positive reinforcement revolves around three phases.

8. • Usually students respond more positively
towards politeness and tokens of
appreciation rather than criticism.
• The positive response rate of a student
increases when he/she is appreciated
specifically on his/her achievement out
of a population of students.
• In targeted phase, the focus of target is
the maleficent behaviour of a particular
students that refrains him/her from better
performance in academic activities.
• That is why the first phase is called
targeted phase.
PHASE: 1
TARGETED PHASE

9. • Specific timing can be used in scenarios
where teacher faces a bold criticism from
a rebellious student during class.
• In this case it is appropriate to not to
shun that particular student in front of
the whole class.
• However, a teacher can call the particular
student to a private corner or in his/her
office and resolve the issue through
polite discussion.
• By using this approach a teacher can
diminish the insecurities of a student,
motivate him/her towards achieving
academic excellence and promote his/her
healthy psychological growth.
PHASE:2
SPECIFIC TIMING

10. • It is the promotion of the
knowledge of the fact to the
students that:
• Rewards can be given any time,
due to any positive behavior and
achievement. It will keep the
students intrinsically motivated
towards achieving the rewards and
good/better grades.
• This aspect can ultimately lead the
teachers as well as the students to
better results.
• By using the technique of irregular
rewarding teachers can attract
more motivated and positive
responses from the students,
especially when students are
awarded with extra marks as a
reward for their hard work.
PHASE: THREE
IRREGULAR REWARDING

11. NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT
• In negative reinforcement:
• A desired behavior and response is strengthened by
excluding a negative stimulus that causes the
malfunctioning of an individual’s behavior in any matter.
• Negative reinforcement is not punishment.
• It is actually the adaptation of a positive technique in
order avoid a negative outcome.

12. • Even in order to practice negative
reinforcement, a teacher should make use of
positive reinforcement.
• For example, during a semester due to some
reason, the students fail to come up to the
expectations of the teacher.
• In this case, instead of strictly marking their
assignments, a teacher should practice
leniency/flexibility.
• In the class, a teacher should highlight their
mistakes and teach them the accurate method.
• Afterwards, if she receives the same response
again then she should practice strictness in
marking in order to make sure that the
students struggle to achieve academic
excellence.
WHAT SHOULD TEACHERS DO?

13. • Mostly teachers in the educational
institutions misuse the technique of
negative reinforcement. Their act of
misusing the technique lead them to
conduct punishment.
• This becomes the cause of
demotivating students.
• As a result the students suffer and they
withdraw certain courses because of
harsh attitude and undue criticism of
the instructor.

14. • Maintaining a balance while
implementing these two
techniques on students is very
important.
• The practice of moderation in
the implementation of
positive reinforcement and
negative reinforcement can
keep the students motivated
towards achieving
academic/educational
excellence.
(The End)
CONCLUSION