Behaviorism TheoryWritten by Molly Howell

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What?

Who?

How?

My Classroom

The Behaviorism Theory World view that operates by the principle of

stimulus response

Positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement will increase the probability that the behavior will be repeated

Consequences and punishment, negative and positive, will decrease the likelihood that the behavior will be repeated

The Behaviorist Theory Continued Mostly focuses on teacher-centered instruction

Lectures, demonstrations, tutorials

Concerned with observable and measurable aspects of human behavior

All behavior is caused by external stimuli

Educational effects are key in developing basic skills and foundations of understanding in all subject areasClick to go

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People of the Behaviorist Approach B.F. Skinner

Most influential of American psychologists Theory of operant conditioning Radical Behaviorism

John B Watson Thought psychology should be the science of

observable behavior Beginning of the development of learning science  The “Little Albert” Experiment

Ivan Pavlov  Russian physiologist

His research on the physiology of digestion led to the first experimental model of learning, classical conditioning

Nobel Prize winner, 1904

Best known for Pavlov’s Dog Experiment

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Classroom Implications of BehaviorismDirect, teacher-centered instruction

Demonstrations, drills, lectures

Teachers would check student’s work regularly Providing feedback as well as encouragement

Students can be taught best when focus is directly on the content

Breaking down skills and information to be learned is best when put into small units

Implications of Behaviorism View Teachers must set up highly structured lesson

plans

Punishing bad behavior, encouraging good behavior

Behaviorist approach is best with young learners

No lesson plan can work if completely behavioral-free Discipline helps keep classroom moving along

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My Classroom Using Behaviorism View

Students will be rewarded for good behavior, and consequences will be given for bad behavior

The teacher, myself, must have well-structured lesson plans for students to follow

Help my students understand that more effort equals higher grades. 

My Classroom and Behaviorism Approach I will use high achieving and successful peers

as models for other students

Reinforcement will strengthen a behavior while punishment will weaken a behavior

Using Technology with Instruction that Works by Pitler et al (2007) (Book) Educational strategies such as “Reinforcing Effort”

and “Homework and Practice” Effort is number one factor

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