Theories and principles Theories and principles for enabling learning - for enabling learning -

BehaviourismBehaviourism

Learning stylesLearning styles

What is the point?What is the point? What are the problems with them?What are the problems with them? How will you use them in your teaching How will you use them in your teaching

from now on?from now on?

Homework!Homework! Tell your group your definition of learningTell your group your definition of learning Tell them why this is a good definition in terms of Tell them why this is a good definition in terms of

how it applies to you, your students and what how it applies to you, your students and what you teachyou teach

If you found out something about behaviourism If you found out something about behaviourism tell them what you now know – if you have timetell them what you now know – if you have time

Outcomes Outcomes

You will be able to..You will be able to.. Define a behaviourist approach to Define a behaviourist approach to

learninglearning Describe how behaviourism can be Describe how behaviourism can be

applied to your own teachingapplied to your own teaching Evaluate behaviourism in terms of Evaluate behaviourism in terms of

application to your own practiceapplication to your own practice

DefinitionDefinition

Write your own before you go home Write your own before you go home incorporating what you have learnt tonightincorporating what you have learnt tonight

BEHAVIOURISM COGNITIVISM HUMANISM

LEARNING THEORIES CONTINUUM

WatsonThorndikeSkinner Gagne

PiagetBrunerAusebelDewey

NeillMaslowRogersKolb

Teacher controls Student controls

Objective model Process model

Easily measured Not easily and evaluated measured

Teacher needs to use approach best suited to the students and organise accordingly.It may be a mixture of approaches will be most appropriate.

But tonight the Behaviourists…But tonight the Behaviourists…

Do not look for the “underlying cause” of Do not look for the “underlying cause” of behaviourbehaviour

View the learner’s mind as a View the learner’s mind as a “blank slate”“blank slate”

(Classical approach) (Classical approach) View behaviour as the result of conditioning View behaviour as the result of conditioning

(when you learn 2 things are associated)(when you learn 2 things are associated) View View learninglearning as a gaining of new as a gaining of new

behavioursbehaviours

Pavlov’s DogPavlov’s Dog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=R4kDmkXwU2khttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=R4kDmkXwU2k

So it’s all about conditioning or So it’s all about conditioning or changing a students behaviour changing a students behaviour

by providing stimuliby providing stimuliRead the explanations of these key phrases:Read the explanations of these key phrases:Operant conditioningOperant conditioningReinforcementReinforcementPunishmentPunishmentShaping Shaping Stimulus control Stimulus control

NOW take one each and explain it to the rest your NOW take one each and explain it to the rest your group – NO help from megroup – NO help from me

Activity Activity

Watch the following…….Watch the following……. Dog = student! Dog = student! Key phrases – look out for these on Key phrases – look out for these on

screenscreen What does it tell you about the role of the What does it tell you about the role of the

teacher and the student?teacher and the student?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=AML-feature=player_detailpage&v=AML-JVLfYFEJVLfYFE

Advertising examplesAdvertising examples For example, many beer ads prominently feature For example, many beer ads prominently feature

attractive young women wearing bikinis. The attractive young women wearing bikinis. The young women (Unconditioned Stimulus) young women (Unconditioned Stimulus) naturally elicit a favourable, mildly aroused naturally elicit a favourable, mildly aroused feeling (Unconditioned Response) in most men. feeling (Unconditioned Response) in most men.

The beer is simply associated with this effect. The beer is simply associated with this effect. The same thing applies with the jingles and The same thing applies with the jingles and music that accompany many advertisements.music that accompany many advertisements.

Hmm- nice legs – attractive – car!

[must buy it to a)get legs like that or b) attract

someone with legs like that ]

Watson’s ContributionWatson’s Contribution

First used the term First used the term

““behaviourismbehaviourism” (1913)” (1913) Applied the animal experiments Applied the animal experiments

of of PavlovPavlov to human behaviour to human behaviour Scientific explanation of behaviour Scientific explanation of behaviour

(observable cause and effect)(observable cause and effect) Behaviour explained in terms of Stimulus Behaviour explained in terms of Stimulus

and Response (S R)and Response (S R)

Watson (1878 - 1958)Watson (1878 - 1958)

““Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and my own specified world to bring them up in and and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might train him to become any type of specialist I might selectselect – doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief – doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors.” vocations, and race of his ancestors.”

Watson, John B (1930) Watson, John B (1930) BehaviorismBehaviorism. University of Chicago Press. . University of Chicago Press.

The Skinner BoxThe Skinner Box

Reinforcement or PunishmentReinforcement or Punishment ReinforcementsReinforcements: increase the probability of a behaviour being : increase the probability of a behaviour being

repeated. Reinforcements can be either repeated. Reinforcements can be either positive positive (pleasant)(pleasant) or or negative negative (removal of unpleasant)(removal of unpleasant)

PunishmentsPunishments: decrease the likelihood of a behaviour being : decrease the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated. Punishments are unpleasant consequences.repeated. Punishments are unpleasant consequences.

Note pleasant and unpleasant consequences are Note pleasant and unpleasant consequences are subjectivesubjective

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLoHH03QAAI&feature=relatedv=fLoHH03QAAI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4muo6jXzLX8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4muo6jXzLX8

A bit more human in their approach – thought A bit more human in their approach – thought that the human mind selective NOT just a that the human mind selective NOT just a response. Learning must be driven byresponse. Learning must be driven by

goals and targets, so needgoals and targets, so need

Logical learning sequence Logical learning sequence Opportunities to apply learningOpportunities to apply learning Highly structured learning with planned Highly structured learning with planned

rewards and feedback for reinforcementrewards and feedback for reinforcement Cagne – start with lower order and Cagne – start with lower order and

move to higher ordermove to higher order

Neo-behaviourismNeo-behaviourism

Behaviourist LearningBehaviourist Learning1850’s onwards - overview1850’s onwards - overview

Originated in research into animal Originated in research into animal behaviourbehaviour

Emphasis on demonstrable and Emphasis on demonstrable and measurable learning outcomesmeasurable learning outcomes

Gives clear focus and direction to lesson Gives clear focus and direction to lesson planningplanning

Mainly relates to learning of skillsMainly relates to learning of skills Pavlov, Thorndike, WatsonPavlov, Thorndike, Watson

Behaviourism – some key Behaviourism – some key conceptsconcepts

Learning by association / reinforcementLearning by association / reinforcement ConditioningConditioning Shaping behaviour – manipulative?Shaping behaviour – manipulative? Stimulus and responseStimulus and response Habit formingHabit forming Can be controlled by external environment – by Can be controlled by external environment – by

the teacherthe teacher The more frequent and repeated the response The more frequent and repeated the response

the better the learningthe better the learning

Activity Activity

Think about your own teaching and Think about your own teaching and explain to your group what you do to explain to your group what you do to condition your learners/get the ‘right’ condition your learners/get the ‘right’ response from them (no electric shocks response from them (no electric shocks allowed) – allowed) – use specialist terminologyuse specialist terminologyConsider ways you might build this into your Consider ways you might build this into your practice in a more methodical waypractice in a more methodical wayWhat do you do if you arrive in class and the What do you do if you arrive in class and the group are noisy and rowdy?group are noisy and rowdy?

What does it mean for my What does it mean for my teaching?teaching?

Practice should take the form of question Practice should take the form of question (stimulus) - answer (response) which expose the (stimulus) - answer (response) which expose the student to the subject in gradual steps student to the subject in gradual steps Require that the learner make a response for Require that the learner make a response for every step and receive immediate feedback every step and receive immediate feedback Try to arrange the difficulty of the questions so Try to arrange the difficulty of the questions so the response is always correct and hence a the response is always correct and hence a positive reinforcement positive reinforcement Ensure that good performance in the lesson is Ensure that good performance in the lesson is paired with reinforcers such as verbal praise, paired with reinforcers such as verbal praise, prizes and good grades. prizes and good grades.

Give feedback frequently and quickly, Give feedback frequently and quickly,

especially when the learning is new. especially when the learning is new. Supply rewards less often laterSupply rewards less often later

List what you want them to learn at the List what you want them to learn at the start of a sessionstart of a session

Arrange materials in stepsArrange materials in steps Negotiate completion times for work and Negotiate completion times for work and

attach a reward to itattach a reward to it Job of the teacher is to reinforce the Job of the teacher is to reinforce the

‘correct’ response while discouraging the ‘correct’ response while discouraging the ‘wrong’ response (R and W)‘wrong’ response (R and W)

Power TeachPower Teach

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBeWEgvGm2Yv=eBeWEgvGm2Y

Activity- in threesActivity- in threesIf you don’t do it I’ll make you stand in the cornerIf you don’t do it I’ll make you stand in the corner

Design an Activity – Behaviourist ApproachDesign an Activity – Behaviourist Approach

Decide on a complex topic from one of Decide on a complex topic from one of your subject areasyour subject areas

Design an activity which incorporates Design an activity which incorporates behaviourist ideas – behaviourist ideas – see notes on shapingsee notes on shaping

Could you use power teaching to Could you use power teaching to accomplish what you want?accomplish what you want?

Some criticisms of behaviourismSome criticisms of behaviourismDoes not account for….Does not account for….

free will and internal influences such as moods, free will and internal influences such as moods, thoughts, and feelingsthoughts, and feelings

other types of learning, especially learning that other types of learning, especially learning that occurs without the use of reinforcements or occurs without the use of reinforcements or punishmentspunishments

adapting behaviour when new information is adapting behaviour when new information is introduced, even if a previous behaviour pattern introduced, even if a previous behaviour pattern has been established through reinforcement.has been established through reinforcement.

What happens when they don’t get What happens when they don’t get rewarded?rewarded?

Your Criticisms?Your Criticisms?

Another view Another view http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=R-feature=player_detailpage&v=R-Ez5YXezxEEz5YXezxE

Influence:Influence: Huge influence upon the development of Huge influence upon the development of

curriculum in the UK and elsewherecurriculum in the UK and elsewhere Led directly to the development of the Led directly to the development of the

outcome/product models of curriculumoutcome/product models of curriculum Developing measurable learning outcomes a Developing measurable learning outcomes a

direct result of this approachdirect result of this approach Vocational courses in particular but education in Vocational courses in particular but education in

generalgeneral Appeals to government, managers, regulatory Appeals to government, managers, regulatory

bodiesbodies Gets rid of vaguenessGets rid of vagueness

What about your own life What about your own life experiencesexperiences

Do you have any strong stimulus > Do you have any strong stimulus > response stimuli?response stimuli?

What to do with all of this in What to do with all of this in your essayyour essay

Describe the main characteristics of Describe the main characteristics of Behaviourism and how it was developed – Behaviourism and how it was developed – make this to the point (I don’t want make this to the point (I don’t want hundreds of words on it)hundreds of words on it)

How do you use this approach in your How do you use this approach in your teaching? Give precise examplesteaching? Give precise examples

Why is it appropriate for your subject Why is it appropriate for your subject area?area?

Why do you use this approachWhy do you use this approach What are the issues/problems with the What are the issues/problems with the

approachapproach What (if anything) will you do differently as What (if anything) will you do differently as

a result of what you have learnt on the a result of what you have learnt on the module?module?

Your re-capYour re-cap And your definition is………………….?And your definition is………………….?

Someone else’s recapSomeone else’s recap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CB_T-feature=player_detailpage&v=CB_T-vPzQKkvPzQKk