This week I have been learning a lot about the behaviorist learning theory and how it works in the classroom. This week I also learned about two different instructional strategies that fit under the ideas of behaviorist theory (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).
The first instructional strategy is reinforcing effort (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). In this strategy the teacher makes sure that the student is putting forth their best effort. As a middle school teacher I can say this is the biggest challenge I face. My colleagues and I have often said in middle school students are not graded on how smart they are but if they do their work. Those students who work the hardest are guaranteed at least a B while other really bright students get F's because they don't try at all. The main tool used in this strategy is getting the students to realize how much effort matters in their success and how much effort they are putting in. From a technology stand point the best way I saw to do this was to track grades and a self-survey of effort through excel. The students can then make a graph that represents their grade and their effort and see how they are related. From a behaviorist stand point this is great because the students get to see how their behavior is effecting their learning and hopefully changed their behavior.
The second strategy is homework and practice (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Every teacher knows that we can not teach everything in the class. Therefore we assign extra practice outside of school we call homework. This home is great because it gets students to reinforce what they are learning in class. Again from a technology point of view practice is essential. Almost no one can do something on a computer once and be able to do that again and again forever. We all need to practice skills before we can master them. The part of this strategy that stands out to me as being behaviorist is the fact that students always need feedback on their practice. Then they can change or continue what they are doing so they can be more successful students.
Both of these strategies are useful for the classroom and both work well with technology. One can also categorize these strategies as behaviorist because they show students what is good and bad and allows them to change their behavior based on that analysis.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
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I try to teach my students’/athletes’ that if you want to achieve something you must put in the time and “effort”. John Wooden remarked that “people usually know what they should do to get what the want, they just won’t do it”. I believe that most students want to excel in the classroom, but lack the drive and effort needed to be successful. I feel that some students just don’t understand and realize the importance of believing in effort. I agree with you that the instructional strategy of “reinforcing effort” with the use of technology can offer students concrete data that allow them to acknowledge the impact of their hard work. I believe that technology can make it easer for students to keep track of their effort and achievement. I have always talked to my students’ about effort, but really never made the use any type of method for assessing it. After viewing this week’s resource I’m now going to create and establish a system for students to collect data on the relationship between effort and achievement.
ReplyDeleteGreg-
Greg,
ReplyDeleteKids totally know what they need to do but they don't do it. I teach middle school where this idea is so obivous. Student grades are not determined by ability but effort. I wish it was a combo of both but its not.
Luke
Luke,
ReplyDeleteFrom what I can see, this week's research seems very applicable to your view about your middle school students and the effort they put forth. Knowing this, was there a particular strategy that you see that you may be able to incorporate into your classroom to better gage student learning rather than simply record grades?
Thanks, Robyn