Week 2 Behaviorism

Select one learning, distance education, or instructional design theory 

• behaviorism

You may choose one or two. 

When learning online students are required to demonstrate what they have learned.  Behaviorism is one way that this demonstration happens, this brings to mind the current movement of project based learning.  The students are not tested with standard vocabulary but they are assessed by doing different projects that will demonstrate what they have learned.

"B.F. Skinner, who had pioneered the principles of operant conditioning in the training of animals. Operant conditioning, as Skinner (1986) described it, was a metod of conditioning that reinforced an organism's spontaneous, natural behavior when it approximated a desired terminal behavior.  With continued conditioning the organism would eventually display the desired behavior consistently. Skinner became convinced that operant conditioning could be as effective when teaching human beings as it had been in the training of animals. (Skinner, 1968)." (Jason, et. el, 2005)

Jason, K. M., Stephen, C. Y., & Russell, T. O. (2005). Learning from programmed instruction:   Examining implications for modern instructional technology. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 53(2), 84-98. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/218036571?accountid=12085

Behaviorism has the various components to it such as the active learning, reinforcement, modeling and feedback.  Direct instruction approach to teaching is influencing the instructional design of today's online environment.  eLearners are expected to interact with their teacher more often and in a more detailed way then they may have been required in a traditional classroom.  It is believed that learners must be active in order to learn in the eLearning environment.  The instructional design must be such that it affords the student the ability and the space to demonstrate their engagement.

Susan, G. M., Barbara, B. L., & John, K. B. (2005). Direct instruction revisited: A key model for instructional technology.Educational Technology, Research and Development, 53(4), 41-55. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/218051643?accountid=12085

Then, summarize the key strengths (or usefulness) and weaknesses (or non- usefulness) of the theory for online or mobile course development.

Participating in discussions and completing projects does not always accurately demonstrate a students' understanding of content.  There are many different types of learning and there needs to be come cognitive understanding involved in the learning process. It is not just important to do but the student must also understand why they are doing and be able to articulate what is being done.  The student can be given feedback from their teacher and still not really be on the right track.

In a middle school environment such as the one that I teach we use a Learning Management System to help students become more engaged in their learning. They are active participants in the learning process because they are required to get their grades off the website.  They get their homework assignments there as well and they even engage their classmates and teachers in discussions online from home or from any mobile device.  This helps to build on the relationship within our small middle school community whether we are in school or at home on the weekends.  

Then, identify how you might practically apply this theory in distance education course development, or how the theory may serve as a foundation to your distance education course development.

The reason the behaviorism theory stuck out for me is because it is the way that I learn best. I deploy is within my classes quite frequently while always trying to discover ways that my students comprehend best.  We are a very hands on class and we work with computers, iPads, Lego robots and different other software to accomplish the necessary learning goals of the class. The students respond very well to the hands on components of the class and while we do not have much research there are times when they are called on to not just produce a product but to also tell how they came up with their answer.  They are required to create presentations that demonstrate the understanding and we work closely and the expectation is that as the instructor that I will give clear and positive feedback on a regular basis.