Behaviorism...is it still alive in the classroom? What about technology AND Behaviorism?

Theories which involve Behaviorism in the classroom define it as an emphasis on “changes in behavior that result from stimulus-response associations made by the learner” (Orey, 2001). In other words, the learner’s behavior changes based on some kind of reinforcement or consequence. I think it is easy to see the role that Behaviorism plays in reinforcing the importance of effort, homework, and practice in the classroom.

According to Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007), “effort is the most important factor in achievement. Research shows that the level of belief in self-efficacy plays a strong role in motivation for learning and achievement” (p. 155). This means that teachers should be doing what we can to encourage students to try their best, to believe in themselves, and to develop self-confidence in their abilities and an appreciation for learning.

Wow…easier said than done, right?

I think this all starts with getting to know who your students are, where their interests lie, and developing activities that support the curriculum, but also supports those interests as well.

All of today’s students are growing up as Technology Natives. Therefore, why not seek out activities that students can complete that provide practice in a content area, support a student interest in technology, and support the curriculum being taught? There are many sites out there that offer such activities…time to research them out is necessary though.

One such site that I found can be accessed by clicking the following link: http://www.kidsites.com/sites-edu/science.htm.
An activity on this site that I liked was the Amusement Park Physics, during which students have a chance to build their own roller coaster. At the end of the process, students are given feedback on the choices they made in developing their roller coaster. Students are provided with positive reinforcement in the reasons why they made good choices, as well as negative reinforcement in the reasons why they made bad choices. Not only are students reviewing and practicing content-area concepts, but they are doing it in a way that interests them, using technology that they surround themselves with anyway.

Additionally, sites such as this one are great in that students receive instant feedback on what they are practicing. This feedback should be provided to students as quickly as possible on a regular basis as they learn and practice new content. If students are allowed to practice material incorrectly, for too long, without receiving meaningful feedback on how to do it correctly, then they are likely to become discouraged, possibly shut-down, and their level of self-efficacy drops, which leads to a situation in which learning is no longer fun.

I think the key is to keep learning interesting and meaningful as a way of encouraging students to practice and put forth effort into everything they do.

Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page