Theories of Learning .... Behaviourism

Readings

Elias, J.L. & Merriam, S.(1980). Philosophical Foundations of Adult Education. (pp. 82-90; 102-107).

Skinner, B.F. (1958). Teaching Machines. Science, 128, pp. 969-977. Questions for Reflection

Questions for Reflection

1. What are some of the ways in which the behaviourist principle of reinforcement has
been applied to education?

Teachers routinely reward and discipline students in an effort to influence student behaviour.
Students learn that working, paying attention and studying will result in praise, good marks and even smiles. On the other hand, the opposite behaviour can result in less desirable outcomes like poor grades and detention. In an effort to influence the students in our school to behave appropriately, we have instituted an approach known as PBS (Positive Behaviour Supports) whereby students are literally rewarded for displaying positive behaviours.


2. What are the roles of the teacher and the learner in the behaviourist framework?

According to the reading, the role of the teacher is "to design an environment that elicits desired behavior .... and to extinguish behavior that is not desirable." (Elias & Merriam, p.87). The student is expected to take an active role so that their behavior can be reinforced by the teacher.

3. What are some of the criticisms of behavioural objectives?

- learning is complex and cannot be measured objectively and precisely.
- these objectives do not ensure that what is learned will be transferred to a new situation


4. What epistemological tradition (objectivism or subjectivism) do you think underlies
the behaviourist view of learning?

I think that subjectivism underlies the behaviorist view of learning because the learner is an integral part and plays an active role in the learning process and in interpreting the appropriate behavior from the teacher.


5. Can you think of anything you do as an instructor that is influenced by the behaviourist view of learning?

Everyday that I teach, I feel like a "behavioral manager" who is trying to have my students act in ways that are conducive to learning. With this goal in mind, I frequently reward specific actions and threaten to discipline other actions.

6. In what contexts do you think it would be appropriate to use a behaviourist approach to teaching?

In a regular classroom with 30 students, a teacher has the major responsiblity for ensuring that all 30 students have the opportunity to learn. This can a difficult task if every student is behaving differently, and some are not behaving in a manner that is conducive to learning. Often, it is important for the teacher to manage that class and to modify student behavior to ensure that all students are accomplishing a large number of specific curriculum outcomes in a relatively fast pace.


7. In what contexts do you think it would be inappropriate to use a behaviourist approach to teaching?

When the responsibility for learning lies primarily with the learner. For example, students enrolled in distance education courses or when students are expected to solve problems without direct instruction.