Behaviorist Learning Theory, Instructional Strategies, and Technology Tools

       Behaviorist learning theory, a philosophy that believes a well-rounded understanding of the relationship between stimulus and response can promote desired behaviors within an individual (Standridge, 2002.) With this said teacher have to let student practice good behavior while in the classroom if they want the student to learn. The relationship among behaviorism instructional strategies and technology tool are like the necessary condition in which educators must teach 21st-century learners. All three work together when teaching students. For behavior in my school is one of the most challenging things that a teacher would face five days a week. Therefore I have to manage behavior in my class before I can teach the students. There are many ways I can use behaviorism to control students in my classroom. Dr. Orey (Laureate Education 2015a) made mention of a strategy that some teacher use in school, I also use it in my classroom. It is a behavior chart that is made up of different colors each color have a meaning with points and the student's name are written on a clothespin and then pin on the chart. Every day all students name will be placed in the middle of the chart. Four colors going upwards on the chart with point starting from zero to eight.

         Moving names going up on the chart is a positive behavior where they score point which is added within a two months period the principal along with members of the Parent Teachers Association at the end will provide these students with educational gifts and sometimes toys. If the name moves downwards on the chart this mean students behavior is to be corrected and therefore lose points. Depends on how far it goes if it reaches the last color on the chart going down that means students will have to go to the office and parents will be called in. Punishment involves presenting a strong stimulus that decreases the frequency of a particular response (Orey 2010.) Punishment is effective in quickly eliminating undesirable behaviors.

      This is a way the school used to control student’s behavior in the classroom. I can use behaviorism to increase learning and decrease distracting student behavior. Other teachers use a different method of controlling and rewarding behavior in their classroom. Having used this therefore proper instructional strategies can be used to teach students and also choosing the right technology tool which will engage all diverse learners. Therefore behaviorism, instructional strategy, and technology tool I would say all work when they are implemented properly in the classroom as long as there no distraction and the students are the focus and can use the right technology tool learning will take place. Using technology is another way of controlling behavioral problems in my classroom. Implementing the right strategies like cooperative learning where students can work in groups each one teaches one is a good strategy to help with diverse learners. This will help with the behavioral problem when students interact with each other in a quiet learning environment tends to learn more from each other at times than from the teacher while using technology tool to enhance student learning.

         The resource that was used for this module were similar in terms of how they articulate about behaviorism. Like scholarly source about behaviorism are sources that are reviewed and also at times put into to study to show that what they are writing about is factual base on the result of the study. This is done and reviewed before the information about the findings is published. For the popular resource, a person in the field may write something about what they have observed or about something base on an article which may be close to the fact. In this way, I can use both findings and compare which is close to what I am looking for. In this course of study about behaviorism, both writings that were used were credible about behaviorism even though they were different source writings. Both sources have helped me to get a more concrete knowledge about how student behave in the class and the positive and negative ways of reinforcement when a student is inline doing the correct thing, and also when students are off-course and doing the incorrect thing, and the ways of how I can reinforce them for a better classroom management and use technology tools that will help my students to become 21st century learners. Every year, so many new technology tools for teachers are launched into the market that it can be nearly impossible to keep up with them all, but I will try to use the one that suits my student’s needs.

         Using behaviorist theory in my classroom can be rewarding for both students and teachers. Behavioral change occurs for a reason; students work for things that bring them positive feelings, and for approval from people they admire (Orey 2010.) In my classroom, one of the ways that I used behaviorism-based instructional strategies is to continuously reinforce behavior which is rendering for my classroom especially when a student is in groups working. At times I will set a scoring rubric for students to score their work ethics for working in groups after a given task is completed. Some groups give themselves higher score than what they work for, but most I would say was honest with themselves. The rubrics were then discussed with me before the final grade was scored. Students knowing what they had to do at the end of the class keep them on task and focus on what they have to learn. I can align this with the ISTE standard for teachers that says Provide alternative ways for students to demonstrate competency and reflect on their learning using technology. In this students can realize that they become responsible for their learning and that all effort is needed in working individually also in groups and they are somehow responsible for their learning too in the 21st-century classroom. And the ISTE standards for students that state that students demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the rights and obligations of using and sharing intellectual property. Students will have to learn to share, work in groups and communicate to become more rounded in technology they use which will enhance their learning.

     And the sources that were used in this model had helped me to get more understanding of how to control behaviorism and also how behaviorism can work with the integration of technology in the classroom. The Genius Hour is a movement that allows students to explore their own passions and encourages creativity in the classroom. Resources found gave me more knowledge of how to use behaviorism and instructional strategies as a mean to help with the smooth running of a 21st-century classroom. Also has it relates to Genius Hours eliminating undesirable behaviors student will have more time to be focus on what they are doing instead of being distracted. Genius will surely help these students to become positive, and creative thinkers. For students to be empowered in a culture of rigor, they must have some sense of control over their direction and progress as they become active learners in my classroom.

References

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2016). Standards for students.

Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-students-2016

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2008). Standards for students.

Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/standards-for-teachers

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2010). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved

from http://textbookequity.org/Textbooks/Orey_Emergin_Perspectives_Learning.pdf

Section, Behaviorism

Standridge, M.. (2002). Behaviorism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning,

teaching, and technology.