M. Clark

BEHAVIORISM

-A Nobel Prize winner in Physiology.-Famous for his classicalConditioning technique to train dogsto salivate to bell tones without thenatural stimulus of food. This process refers to the natural reflex that occurs in response to a stimulus.

IVAN PAVLOV (1849-1936)

-Skinner conducted experiments with pigeons and the reward systemto train and shape their behavior, step by step to get the desiredbehavior. - Skinner believes “ that people shape their behavior based on the rewards or positive reinforcement they receive.”

B.F. SKINNER (1904-1990)

-Bandura is famous for his ideas on the Social Cognitive theory.-Bandura believes that people acquire their behaviors, first by observingand then by imitating thesebehaviors.

ALBERT BANDURA

• Assumes the learner is passive.• Learning behavior is done solely through

a system of positive and negative reinforcements.

• Both positive and negative reinforcements will either, decrease or increase, the previous behavior.

• Learning in Behaviorism, is determined by a change in the learners behavior.

KEY POINTS OF BEHAVIORISM

Inside the classroom teachers can find behaviorism including classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and the social cognitive theory, to be of practical use. A lot of times in school, especially elementary, teachers use the reward/punishment system to reinforce good behavior. Both positive and negative rewards help shape the students behavior to that which is appropriate in the classroom setting. With some ‘trouble’ students, operant conditioning may be utilized, because little steps of good behavior will be rewarded until the correct behavior is achieved. The social cognitive theory can be seen in every classroom. Students are absorbing so much in the classroom. In this way teachers can shape the students behavior by rewarding ‘good’ students and by being a positive role model.

Online activities help reinforce these behaviorist theories as they most often have rewards/punishments for the activities. For simple question answer games, they either reward students with happy faces/positive sounds/points, or they “punish” with sounds/pictures that have negative connotations.

CLASSROOM IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHERS

In operant conditioning students will imitate the behavior that is rewarded by the teacher and will likely lessen the behavior that gets them intro trouble. For the most part the students will learn to obey the teacher and learn to do the right things when they are rewarded. Students will strive to do what is demanded of them in hopes that they will get the desired positive response. Behaviorism is all about the outcome of the decisions they make, they strive for positive reinforcement.

CLASSROOM IMPLICATIONS FOR STUDENTS

I believe the theories of behaviorism are the most effective with younger children because they are always looking for that positive reassurance. With younger children they are constantly seeking approval and want others to think well of them. Whether that is in their school work or in their peer group they will strive to be a part of the accepted, “good group.” This will help when teaching because I can appropriately reward/ punish for both school work and behavior. Especially, if I am in 3rd grade and under, utilizing stickers, smiley faces or “green-good” stickers, to reward students is an easy way to encourage the positive behavior.

Also, especially with younger children, they are more easily influenced so my positive behavior could have a great impact on them. As I behave in a respective way, they will respond and hopefully act accordingly as I set high standards of behavior for them.

IMPLICATIONS FOR MY OWN TEACHING

"Albert Bandura." FSU Faculty/Staff Personal Page Web Server Index. Web. 28 Nov. 2011. <http://faculty.frostburg.edu/mbradley/psyography/albertbandura.html>.

"Behaviorism." Learning Theories. Web. 22 Nov. 2011. <http://www.learning-theories.com/behaviorism.html>.

"Behaviourism." Learning and Teaching Home. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/behaviour.htm>.

"Ivan Pavlov." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 20 Nov. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Pavlov>.

"LearningTheory." Cognitive Design Solutions. Web. 28 Nov. 2011. <http://www.cognitivedesignsolutions.com/Instruction/LearningTheory.htm#Skinner>.

CREDIT