Behaviorism in Practice

One way teachers can shape student behavior is through reinforcing effort.  According to Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski (2007, p. 155), “the level of belief in self efficacy plays a strong role in motivation for learning and achievement.”  Teachers can help boost students’ self efficacy through reinforcing effort.  One way teachers can achieve this is through having students monitor their effort compared to their academic achievement, (Pitler et al, 2007).  Students do not always understand the importance of effort, accrediting their success or failure to factors other than themselves (Pitler et al, 2007).  By showing students the correlation of their effort and academic achievement it will help students learn the importance of effort. 

Teachers can have students monitor their effort using spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel by giving students an “effort rubric” with which they will score their effort for the given categories (Pitler et al, 2007).  Teachers can adapt the achievement and effort rubric found on Rubistar to meet their students’ needs (http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1875123&).  Students can then compare their effort scores to their academic scores in order to observe the relationships between them.  Through positively reinforcing effort and students seeing positive academic correlations to their effort, students will be more likely to put forth effort on future assignments. 

                In addition, teachers can use homework and practice as a means to reinforce positive behavior through programmed instruction.  The more times and the more ways students are exposed to a skill the better understanding students will have of the skill.  Practice problems and homework are two ways teachers can give students more exposures to a skill or concept which will ultimately increase student understanding.  “When access is not a problem, multimedia homework is an opportunity to deepen understanding and gain proficiency,” (Pitler et al, 2007, p. 192).   Teachers can assign homework using multimedia resources such as interactive games, blogs, group wiki pages, podcasts, and word processing to engage student interest while practicing skills.  Online games typically provide immediate feedback, informing the student of correct and incorrect answers (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010).   This allows for students to make adjustments as they are working according to their feedback.  You can find fabulous interactive games for math by visiting http://www.ixl.com/.

                To integrate technology in the classroom effectively the teacher must understand how learning takes place and know which teaching strategies will be most effective for the intended learning to take place (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008).    When considering behavioral learning theories, students need immediate feedback and positive reinforcement of wanted behaviors.  Through using technology such as interactive games during practice and homework students will receive quick feedback and reinforcement, which will increase student proficiency of the skill.     

References

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

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/78618/CRS-CW-6289937/Ch1_Excerpt.pdf.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction

that works.Alexandria, VA: ASCD.