Assignment: Blog: Behaviorist Learning Theory, Instructional Strategies, and Technology Tools

Visualize your students in an exciting group activity with many stimulations to keep them alert and active, and one student is talking out of context. You can privately mention to him that his talking is interrupting the activity rather than publicly embarrassing him or her by saying you are really annoying me today, stop disrupting my group activities. This is a prime example of classic conditioning. Classic conditioning is “human behavior resulted from specific stimuli that elicited certain responses” (para. 5). As teachers, we should impose consequences to curb undesirable behavior. “Consequences occur immediately after a behavior” (Orey, 2001, para. 10). In the scenario above the teacher could have used hand signals, private notes, or verbally warn the groups to remain focused, in order, to create a conditioned stimulus. The conditioned response could have been immediate silent or fear.

“Behaviorism is primarily concerned with observable and measurable aspects of human behavior. In defining behavior, behaviorist learning theories emphasize changes in behavior that result from stimulus-response associations made by the learner” (Orey, 2001, para. 1). Behaviorism is used by educators who reward or punish student behaviors. Most educators who teach young students rewards them with words of praise. All learners respond better when rewarded for doing well no matter their age or level. On the other hand, we should also discipline students when they are doing wrong, in a way that is far more beneficial to the psyche of the student. To reiterate the purpose of this blog is to show the relationship among behaviorism, the instructional strategies, and the technology tools.

            “Behavioral education has designed classroom procedures to increase academic engaged time, set expectations for learning and performance, systematically praise and ignore behavior, and organize and manage classrooms. Popular procedures include our good behavior game, token economies, and daily report cards” (Johnson, 2015, pp. 135-136). “Behavioral education has also developed discipline procedures, including reprimanding, time out form positive reinforcement, response cost, and positive practice” (Mayer, Sulzer-Azaroff, & Wallace, 2012). Throughout my teaching career, I have used technology tools such as Edmodo to promote stronger work ethic and good behavior. Schools “might dedicate a section of its website to showing these examples: reinforcing effort and reassuring students that they too can succeed if they keep trying” (p. 61). “Posting exceptional student work on the Internet opens up possibilities for recognition from friends, peers, professionals, and relatives across the globe” (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012, p. 67). This sharing of data to others promote positive behavior in students as well. Students are encouraged to work harder, have others supporting, and celebrating their hard work.

“Most people like to be recognized for their efforts, whether the recognition comes in the form of praise or something more concrete” (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012, p. 64). Nevertheless, “research indicates that when teachers use a mastery-oriented approach to provide recognition and praise, praise can be used to promote student engagement and decrease behavioral problems (Moore-Partin, Robertson, Maggin, Oliver, & Wehby, 2010; Simonson, Fairbanks, Briesch, Myers, & Sugai, 2008). Also, I encourage independent study, and recitations of my content to prevent undesirable behavior. As educators, we must use instructional strategies, and technology tools that support behaviorism.

Moreover, studies shows how educators “could incorporate individual learner shaping interventions for errors, performance mastery criteria, practice to fluency by building performance frequencies with acceleration, continuous ongoing monitoring of performance while learning, and instant data displays showing growth acceleration and accuracy…” (Johnson, 2015, p. 146).  Using Edmodo I could allow students to pace their learning, solicit feedback, and assign visual badges to them for perfect attendance, excellent scores on assignment, effort, good behavior, completing all homework task, and many more. Orey (2001) indicated “positive reinforcement is presentation of a stimulus that increases the probability of a response” (p. 10). When I allow students to keep track of their achievement, the students can visibly see the stimulus (badges & efforts) and the response (positive emotions or feedback). Hence, students are motivated, and we will see a noticeable increase in their class performance or good behavior.

            Furthermore, Pitler, Hubbel and Kuhn described many other technology tools such as spreadsheet, word processing, and interactive games or website to promote desirable academic behaviors from learners. “Technology helps students and teachers to better track the effects of effort and provide more immediate feedback to students” (p. 58). Research indicated “that students can change their beliefs and make a connection between effort and achievement. One easy way to help students make the connection between effort and achievement is by using a spreadsheet” (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012, p. 58). Using technology to appeal, encourage a desire behavior, and evoke a positive response described by B. F. Skinner.

            “Recent developments in flipped classroom approaches are ripe for behavior analysis technology, as are socially engaged approaches” (Johnson, 2015, p. 135).  Research shows how Khan Academy “incorporates many behavioral procedures in conjunction with the lecture videos, including pretests, goal setting, progress mapping, time management, badges to earn along the way, and social network formats” (Johnson, 2015, p. 138). I can use flipped classroom to monitor, and redefine home-based tasks. “The basic idea is that students can listen to the “lecture” part of the class as podcasts or vodcasts at home or on the bus and engage in applying what they learn under the teacher’s guidance during class time” (Potler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012, p. 172). Since, HoC is only for one hour students can challenge themselves at home to complete problem-solving tasks. For this reason, I can integrate flipped classroom and Edmodo into a HoC classroom.

In particular, I can set up Edmodo groups “where teams can enter their ideas in real-time” (Boyd, 2013, para. 6). This can provide desired response of learners who make it their effort to complete task during class, and outside school hours. In addition, behavioral contracts can be made on Edmodo. “When a student is not completing homework assignments. The teacher and the student design a contract providing that the student will stay for extra help, ask parents for help, and complete assigned work on time” (Orey, 2001, para. 9). The students are challenged to complete homework practice, and receive immediate feedback.

            When using technology ensuring all students stay on task with activities or trying to silence them after an exciting interactive game is an exhausting task. From my personal experience, by setting consistent rules at the start of the online activity, rebuking pupils in a calm tone of voice, and focusing on the behavior rather than the child will help in maintaining control. Furthermore, the ISTE standards for teacher met by using Edmodo and flipped classroom approach are:

(1)Facilitate and inspire students learning and creativity. I can use student’s knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. (2) Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments. Using flipped classroom approach and Edmodo I can design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the Standards (Watson, 2014).

Additionally, the two ISTE standards met by student, and how they are met are:

(1)Empower Learner. Using flipped classroom approach and Edmodo students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences. (2) Digital Citizen. While using Edmodo or implementing flipped classroom “students recognize the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal and ethical (Watson, 2014).

Therefore, flipped classroom, Edmodo, and HoC is very beneficial for teachers and my learners. Now we understand the correlation between behaviorism, instructional strategies, and technology tool.

 References

Boyd, D. (2013). Don’t be fooled when assessing creative work. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/inside-the-box/201306/dont-be-fooled-when-assessing-creative-work.

Johnson, K. (2015). Behavioral education in the 21st century. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, (1-2), pp. 135-150. doi:10.1080/01608061.2015.1036152

Mayer, G., Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Wallace, M. (2012). Behavior analysis for lasting change. Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY: Sloan

Moore-Partin, T. C., Robertson, R. E., Maggin, D. M., Oliver, R. M., & Wehby, J. H. (2010). Using teacher praise and opportunities to respond to appropriate student behavior. Pre- venting School Failure, 54(3), pp. 172–178.

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Behaviorism

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Simonson, B., Fairbanks, S., Briesch, A., Myers, D., & Sugai, G. (2008). Evidence-based

practices in classroom management: Considerations for research to practice. Education and Treatment of Children, 31(3), pp. 351–380.

Watson, R. P. (2014). ISTE standards for students. Retrieved from https://prezi.com/ry4ltpnwu5-s/iste-standards-for-students/

Watson, R. P. (2014). ISTE standards for teachers. Retrieved from https://prezi.com/ry4ltpnwu5-s/iste-standards-for-teachers/