Reflection #2

Describe:

The reading this week in EDAT 6115 focused on behavioral and social theories of learning for children.  Understanding how children learn and the theories behind the learning can better prepare a teacher for success in the classroom. 

Analysis:

            Learning can be defined as “a change in an individual caused by experience (Slavin, 2018, p.98).  My role as a teacher is to lead my students to new learning that will be useful to them in the future and at the same time, making sure I am presenting the new learning in a manner that focuses their attention and mental energy, so they have success with obtaining and retention of the new material (Slavin, 2018).  Pavlov and Skinner are both early researchers that made an impact on discovering how people learn (Slavin, 2018).  Pavlov “showed how learning could affect what were once thought to be involuntary, reflexive behaviors” and Skinner focused on how behavior can change in a controlled environment (Slavin, 2018, p.99). 

            According to Slavin (2018), “the most important principle of behavioral learning theories is that behavior changes according to its immediate consequences.  Pleasurable consequences strengthen behavior; unpleasant consequences weaken it” (Slavin, 2018, p.101).  Behavior is reinforced when the consequence that is given strengthens or raises the number of times the behavior happens.  A consequence is a punisher if it weakens the behavior (Slavin, 2018).  Slavin (2018) also suggest that a more timely and immediate consequence has more of an effect on behavior.  Many times, to have the appropriate reactions and behaviors, children need to go through a shaping or extinction process with reinforcements (Slavin, 2018).  A schedule of reinforcements can also be used to improve the effects of reinforcements on behavior.  There are four schedule options that each serve a different purpose, depending on the behavior that needs to be altered.  They include fixed ratio, variable ratio, fixed interval, and variable interval (Slavin, 2018). 

            When understanding human learning, social learning theory needs to be addressed.  Bandura developed the social learning theory which focuses mainly on how behavior is affected by cues in our environment and “the effects of thought on action and the effects of action on thought” (Slavin, 2018, p.112).  Bandura believed that “human learning is not shaped by its consequences but is more efficiently learned directly from a model” (Slavin, 2018, p.112).  Slavin (2018) states that self-regulated learning is an important idea in social learning theory.  “Bandura hypothesized that people observe their own behavior, judge it against their own standards, and reinforce or punish themselves” (Slavin, 2018, p.114).  Along with many other things we as teachers have to teach children, they may sometimes need help or guidance in learning how to self-regulate.  They can be reminded about appropriate self-regulation strategies until it eventually becomes a habit (Slavin, 2018).

Reflection:

Behavioral and social learning theories relate directly to what happens in my classroom every day.  In this week’s discussion post, I discussed how, for some students, a trip to the office could actually be a reinforcement of their behavior and not a diminisher.  These students like and thrive off of the attention they receive and the whole production of sending them to the office.  They also get out of class work or a situation that they don’t want to be in, so in essence, they get what they want.  The behavior’s consequence is actually a good thing for them.  As a teacher, I need to make many decisions every day about how to handle behavior situations that happen in my classroom.  The better I understand how children learn, and the theories behind their behavior, the better decisions I will make for the students in my class.

It has been nearly twenty years since I took my first educational psychology class.  If I don’t use and refer back to the information that I learn regularly, it is forgotten.  As I work through EDAT 6115, I am relearning so much valuable information that is crucial to know as an educator.  One thing I learned, or relearned, that I didn’t know or had forgotten before its presentation in this class is the research that was done by B.F Skinner about operant behaviors and conditioning.  Skinner “focused on the relationship between behavior and it’s consequence” and believed that behavior would change depending on the pleasant or unpleasant consequences that are given (Slavin, 2018, p.99). 

I can see how the knowledge of Skinner’s research could help me immensely to be a better teacher, especially when trying to understand and support the students in my classroom when behavior issues arise.  I can use this information to prevent situations and use more positive consequences to help students behave appropriately.   

I think one thing that I will do differently after reading and learning more about social learning theory is how I address self-regulation.  As a kindergarten teacher, there are many opportunities during the day where I can teach and remind students about how to self-regulate various behaviors.  I have always known that this was an important skill to acquire, but I don’t always try to teach these skills and strategies explicitly.  If it comes up as a teachable moment, then I address it, but that’s pretty much it.  I can do a better job at making a point to purposefully teach students how to monitor and regulate their learning (Slavin, 2018).  If I begin doing this with my students, I think it can have a positive effect on their success in school as they get older. 

Reference

Slavin, R. E. (2018). Educational Psychology: Theory and practice. NY, NY: Pearson.