Behaviorism in Practice

Behaviorism is said to be a theory that is not widely used in schools today; however, many of the practices found within schools can be contributed to behaviorist theories. In the book, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, there are a few ideas that are discussed that represent behaviorist theories.

One of the classroom ideas that is represented deals with reinforcing effort (p.155). Behaviorist theories discuss reinforcement of positive behaviors. This idea goes right along with that theory, as it discusses having students keep a spreadsheet of their effort on a regular basis. Many students do not realize the important of putting forth effort, which is why it suggests having them track their own effort. The book suggests making a template in a spreadsheet software. This is a great way for students to visually track their effort, as spreadsheet software programs allow people to easily turn the information into graphs.

Another example of classroom ideas that represent behaviorist theories is homework (p. 187). When many teachers assign homework, they assign it as more of a drill and practice type of assignment. This is a behaviorist view, as well. In order to make homework more meaningful, it is suggested that the teacher incorporate more uses of technology (and if technology is not available, some of it can be done without). For example, when doing drill and practice, students could practice making a spreadsheet showing how many they got correct and how long it took them to complete the assignment (p.188). With technology, students can also complete homework in a manner that allows them to collaborate with one another. Through email, blogs, or wikis, students could collaborate from home to complete a homework assignment or a project.