Ch. 9 Behaviorism Learning Log

WHAT
This chapter for some reason was a little harder for me to understand. We started off class with the definition of learning. Learning is semi-permanent change in behavior. The potential advantages of defining learning as a change of behavior are; it can be measurable, and the objective needs to be measurable. The disadvantages are; mode of assessment is going to differ from each student, Implicit knowledge, and classical conditioning.
Assumptions are: Influence of the environment, focus on observable events, learning as a behavior change, contiguity of events, and similarity of learning principles across species. Classical conditioning is INVOLUNTARY. For example: Raising your hand, class schedule, love/hate subjects. It is the way you learn emotionally. Whereas Operant conditioning is VOLUNTARY. Antecedent stimulus (input), and reinforcement.
Practical Reinforcers are unique to each student. They should always encourage a behavior. Start with self reinforcement then go with praise, attention, grades and recognition, home-based reinforcement, privileges, activity reinforcement (Premack Principle), Tangible reinforcers and or token economy, and last resort--Food.
How we can reinforce the group is with group contingency, and token economy. We can use shaping in the classroom by Breaking tasks down into smaller sections, Attainable criterion, and successive aproximity. Reinforcement, group contingency, token economy, and shaping are all parts/characteristics of behaviorism.
We also talked about how we can Eliminate Behaviors. First start with Reinforcing incompatible behaviors, then Cuing, Beware of the "Extinction Burst", Don't be afraid to tell students what you're looking for, and Extinction. Number 1 thing to remember is, don't be afraid to tell students what you are doing. and the Second thing is, stick with it. Some effective forms of punishment that we discussed in class are: Verbal reprimands, response cost-losing a reinforcement, logical consequences, time-out, and in school suspension. Some ineffective forms are: Physical punishment, extra classwork, out-of-school suspension, and missing recess. Potential problems with puncher's are: Temporary, may distract student from behavior, negative emotional responses, aggression, doesn't illustrate the correct behavior, and severe punishment may cause harm.
In class we discussed some characteristics we could look for to recognize behaviorism. These included; token economy, shaping, little steps towards it, reinforcement, and cuing.

SO WHAT
Knowing the definition of learning will help us remember that it is a semi-permanent change. It helps to know that classical conditioning is involuntary because we can see why students do things without being taught by us. Like, raising their hand, maybe study habits, as teachers we have the obligation to teach students to love subjects not hate them, and needing a class schedule to follow. Without a class schedule students would be lost. The classroom would be out of control.
Operant conditioning is the opposite of classical. Operant is voluntary. If the students are being reinforced by something they will keep doing that particular action. This is how we can shape our classrooms and maintain good management in our class. We need to reinforce our students in a positive way for good behavior. Making sure we stick with reinforcers no matter what behavior we are trying to change is key. In class we discussed that when you are trying to change a behavior their will be an "Extinction Burst" which is a period of when the students behavior you're trying to change, bursts! Pretty much the student is out of control. Which is a good thing because that's the last thing that will happen before it starts to decline. What I got out of class was that punishment is the last resort. Try to avoid it unless you have to use effective forms of punishment.

NOW WHAT
When I become a teacher I am going to remember to have a detailed class schedule that is structured every day. This will help my students stay focused and feel secure in the classroom. If their are behavior problems in my classroom I need to look at what I am doing wrong to promote them and then the student. Because sometimes teachers are doing things that are reinforcing that bad behavior. Pull away the reinforcement and the student will stop that behavior. This is an important thing for me to remember because I will have a hard time with it.
I have always believed that rewarding students is way more beneficial then punishing them. When we talked about the punishments in class I was glad to hear that punishment are the least effective because then I don't have to change my beliefs on that. In my classroom I am going to try to avoid punishment and stick to doing the 4 to 1 ratio. Using precision commands will help me with my classroom management as well.
We also talked about teaching students to have the desire to learn. Not to do things to receive tokens, or tickets, or any other kind of prize. I think rewarding students is great but teachers can go overboard with it as well. I need to be careful to remember not to fall into that trap.