The discussion of learning theory, instruction and technology has opened a platform to introduce how our students think, how they learn, and how to engage them in the 21st-century learning environment.
Behaviorist learning theory has a long history according to Dr. Orey. (Laureate Education, Inc. 2011.) When positive behavior is reinforced a positive element of praise or acceptance induces more positive behavior from the student. Negative or off-task behavior results in punishment, which as a negative response is just as powerful as praise, but results in a destructive force. The behaviorist learning theory recognizes the emotional implications of each of these reinforcement styles. I believe all teachers rely on behaviorist theory if only to control and management their classroom.
For instance, of the 3000 decisions we are said to make every day, how many answers are rote? “No, you can not change seats.” “Yes, if you bring your agenda book you can go to the bathroom.” “Stop running in the classroom this instant or you will be writing sentences during recess.” These are all behaviorist remedies to classroom management.
Reflecting on these strategies and how they relate to behaviorist learning theory I also believe reinforce effort is positively displayed in technological computer game strategy.
The website, http://www.sheppardsoftware.com has map games that have stimulating colors, flashing prompts and encouraging voices giving instructions. The games reward the student for positive behavior by letting the student advance to the next question. Points and positive reinforcement are quickly connected in the student’s brain to develop a positive response sequence of behavior in the student. These games also quickly provide the final score of answers, so feedback on assessment is timely.The basic strategy of ask a guided question, answer the question, than an immediate correct/incorrect prompt from the computer mirrors behaviorist theory and outcome.
As long as students are playing games with solid curriculum backing, the use of this technology is school appropriate. Behaviorism and reinforcement effort are paired in computer game development and the use of this technology in the classroom.
Homework and practice is another instructional strategy with behaviorism as it’s basis. While I do not assign homework since I teach computer applications as a “specials” class, I do subscribe to technology driven homework since our 6th and 7th grade students have school issued MacBook laptop computers. Our students should use Pages to prepare a writing response. They are shown how to access the thesaurus and the dictionary to expand their word selection and improve their writing competence level. Students are shown that the calculator is scientific, actual or binary by just clicking a button. Homework and practice are extensions of the classroom. Homework provides a student an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the content presented in class. (Smith, M. K.. 1999.) As students practice a skill, and receive positive reinforcement for completing the work, the behaviorist approach is providing the reinforcement energy to produce the result.
The current practice of flipping the classroom entails students watching an instructional video as homework and then completing the assignment at home. The student can rewind the video as many times as they wish to review the instructions. The next day in class, the teacher reviews the assignment which was created at home. This flipping brings the students’ rendition of the homework back to class to be discussed. This discussion become the classroom lecture as opposed to the teacher presenting singular lecture during classroom time. This model still follows behaviorist theory, it just reverses the lecture to homework and the homework to classwork. I think this new version of an instructional technique lecture is brilliant.
For our district, the technology can go home with every student, but a well planned lesson driven by a technology savvy teacher is still the impetuous for a dynamic classroom.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program one: Understanding the brain. [Video Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved February 27, 2012 from http://laureate.college.com/ec/crs/default.learn?
Smith, M. K. (1999) ‘The behaviourist orientation to learning’, the encyclopedia of informal education, www.infed.org/biblio/learn-bevavourist.htm, Last update: December 01, 2011.
I am so excited to see that you mentioned the idea of flipping your classroom! I was actually just introduced to it two weeks ago through a colleague. The idea completely fascinates me. Is this what you do with your students? I am very interested to hear how it works for other teachers. Please share more information if you can!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see your response Emily. I do not flip my computer applications classroom, but a 6th grade math teacher in our building does. She is very technologically skilled and said she practiced video taping her lessons with a Hover Cam. She studied and practiced how to flip a class last summer, so when our school year began in September, 2012 she was ready. She video tapes her math lesson using the hover cam and a smart board and then posts the video in her handout folder in her teacher dropbox. The students can access this dropbox to watch the video. Then, during class time at school she answers questions that students have and reviews their homework. The students can watch the video over and over if they miss a concept. Absent students also have the ability to see the teachers instruction.
ReplyDeletePaula, the teacher I'm speaking of, said her math scores have increased from a class average of 73% to a class average of 82% so far this year.
She and two other teachers in our district were spokes people last month at Ohio's ETec conference in Columbus, Ohio.
They presented a 50 minute "Flipped Classroom Instruction and Discussion" session were very well received by the audience.
The idea of flipping is new to me. I like that students can watch the classroom lecture and can review parts they are struggling with. This will benefit the students because they can ponder some of the ideas before they come to class. There have been times in my math class, that the students have received instruction with a new skill and the 70 minute class period did not allow enough practice time. The students would return the next day and after having time to digest the material and practice it for homework, they seemed to be struggling less. I wonder if flipping would benefit my students. Thank you for enlightening me on this strategy.
ReplyDeleteI have also not heard of flipping until just now, and had to pull up some websites to find more information.
ReplyDeleteI found this article: http://www.economist.com/node/21529062 but I admit, the implications of replacing many teachers with computer monitors and aides is pretty scary.
I think the idea is interesting, it feels a lot like what we do at Walden, but it doesn't feel as practical for elementary students, or students with several "flipped" classes. I couldn't imagine having several courses flipped and having to watch all of the material at home, practice, then go back to school for more practice. Of course students are going to do better, but where do they get time for themselves and their family? It's like working a job, then going home to a job, but being 12. I have always had a mixed outlook on homework. Currently, I work at a school with a lot of parent support in place at home that would help, but in the past I have had students who go home and have to take care of their siblings, or had no computer availability outside of walking to the library. I have considered creating a website and posting some of my lessons there for students to review at home (or at school if they need clarification or were absent), but I try to steer clear from a lot of homework as much as possible, outside of completing something when class time was given that they just didn't get finished with in time.
I take the same approach to homework as Mrs. Claypool - generally only sending work home that wasn't finished in class. I put as much content on my class website as possible so this is easy for my students to do. I have a few students who NEVER do their homework. By sending the learning home, now those students are not only behind in completing their work but also in learning important concepts. What do you do when students don't do the work?
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