Behaviorism in Practice

As I continue my exploration of technology use in the classroom, I am always eager to learn new strategies. This week I am delving into reinforcing effort and homework/practice as they relate to the behaviorist learning theory. The strategy of reinforcing effort is defined as students comprehending the "relationship between effort and achievement by addressing their attitudes and beliefs about learning" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). According to this week's resources, "homework and practice give students a chance to review and apply what they have learned" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). These are not new strategies to me but some f the ideas presented provide a new angle from which to work.

As a middle school physical education teacher, I am enthusiastic about learning new approaches to reinforcing effort. Our text surmises that effort is the only source to success that is within an individual's control" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malennoski, 2007). It is recommended that educators "explicitly teach students about the importance of effort" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). It is also suggested that "students keep track of their effort and achievement" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). A good way to put these recommendations into practice is through the use of technology. One suggestion is to use a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to help make a connection between effort and achievement. Developing a spreadsheet to utilize data provided by rubrics and grades is a user friendly way to connect these dots. The key to success with this strategy is developing a rubric that will show the students what effort looks like. The website http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php is a free tool to help teachers generate effective rubrics. This strategy demonstrates the behaviorist learning theory by providing evidence to the student that giving their best effort (stimulus) will result in positive results (response). It can also show them that giving less than their best effort can lead to negative results. This is a strategy I can put into action in my classroom to assist the students in giving their best effort. Another strategy discussed was the used of data collection tools and, in particular, surveys. I have found the website http://www.quia.com/ to be useful in delivering surveys.

"Having students practice a skill or concept enhances their ability to reach the expected level of proficiency" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). A statistic I find interesting is "students need about 24 practice sessions with a skill in order to achieve 80 percent competency" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). One web resource I use to provide practice with the concepts being studied in my PE class is http://www.quia.com/. the teacher inputs the material covered and the site generates activities and quizzes. The students access it for practice and review. The site provides instant feedback so the students know the area(s) that require attention. This is another example of how technology demonstrates the behaviorist learning theory. Homework and practice are important to students learning. "Web resources allow students to practice concepts and skills repeatedly from their home, during a study period, or even as an anchor activity in a differentiated classroom" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Plus, with our students being digital natives, this type of study is of interest to them. There are a vast number of web resources available to teachers, students, and parents. "As an extension of the classroom, homework provides opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of the content and to gain proficiency with their skills" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).

Resource:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2207). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD