Behaviorst Theory

The behaviorist theory is a theory that focuses on the observable behavior of students. “Behaviorists assert that the only behaviors worthy of study are those that can be directly observed; thus, it is actions, rather than thoughts or emotions, that are the legitimate object of study.”(Orey. 2010. p 271) In my opinion, the behaviorism theory is a superficial theory that only focuses on students learned behavior. Much like Pavlov trained his dog, the theory suggests that we train our students with positive and negative reinforcement. Given the population of students that I teach, they frequently have more issues that affect their ability to learn that reach far beyond the classroom. Although my opinion on this theory is not the most favorable, the theory itself does make some good points. Positive and negative reinforcement can be an excellent tool for classroom management if done correctly.  I believe that this theory can go hand in hand with technology implementation and project-based learning.

One of the ways that I use the behaviorism theory in my classroom is by establishing classroom rules and procedures. I have a classroom management system in place that rewards attendance, engagement, work completion and behavior. Students earn points every day and work towards incentives that I create throughout the year. There are weekly incentive winners, as well as every nine weeks. The nine-week incentive is a more significant “prize” than the weekly incentives. Prizes I have given in the past have been ice cream floats and breakfast taco parties, just as an example. Since my classroom is held in a technology lab, this part of the behaviorism theory leads into my computer lab, as well. Since we use computers every day during class, students are trained to come into class, log in to Google classroom and start their warm-up. After the bell rings and I have finished greeting students at the door, the students know that they will receive points if everyone is logged in and working. “You always want to reinforce appropriate behaviors. That’s the more powerful of the two.” (Laureate Education. 2015)

A powerful suggestion from the provided video resource was the tutorial. This would be a great way to incorporate this theory into my classroom. If I could establish a way to do a flipped classroom, where students can see my instruction as needed, this would be an excellent tool for them to use. In module two I decided to do a modified genius hour with my class. I think a lot of students would think of tutorials as dull or dry, but if they see my face and hear my voice, the connection will be made for them. As stated in the ISTE standards for teachers, educators should “model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.” (ISTE. 2016)

An excellent way to use the behaviorism theory when I implement my Genius Hour project will be to provide positive incentives for students when they complete specific milestone tasks. Most of my students do not have to complete projects that require long-term planning like the Genius Hour. I will have to create a system for them to stay engaged an excited about the project.

Resources

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2016). Standards for students. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-students-2016

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2008). Standards for students. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/standards-for-teachers

Laureate Education (Producer). (2015a). Behaviorist learning theory [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2010). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://textbookequity.org/Textbooks/Orey_Emergin_Perspectives_Learning.pdf

Hartrick G; Journal of Nursing Education, Jan99; 38(1): 17-22. 6p. (Journal Article) ISSN: 0148-4834 PMID: 9921783, Database: CINAHL Plus with Full Text