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Behaviourism

MLS7123 Assoc. Prof. Dr. Neo Mai

Background Information

n Learning theories allow teachers to better understand the process of learning

n Together with the use of technology, learn theories have made a significant impact in the classroom.

n There are many learning paradigms: n Behaviorism n Cognitivism n Constructivism

+ Representations of the Learning Process

n  Behaviorism n  Stimulus-Response n  Reinforced Behavior n  Antecedent Behavior Consequence n  Sequenced knowledge and skills presented in logical limited steps

n  Cognitivism n  Cognitivist Learning Perspective n  Information Processing n  Schema n  Mental Models

n  Constructivism n  Inquiry-based n  Discovery learning

+Learning

n  Any relatively permanent change in behavior as a result of practice or experience. Changes due to growth or maturation are not learning.

What does this mean?

+Defining Learning

Meaning:

(1) Learning should endure time

(2) Learning involves developing new actions or modifying existing ones

(3) We learn through practice

(4) We learn through experiences.

This view was very popular in the early part of the 20th

century.

Well-known behaviourist theorists:

Ivan Pavlov, E. Thorndike and B.F. Skinner.

+Defining Learning Behavourist view:

n  Behavourist are people who attempt to understand and describe learning by observing a person's behaviour.

n  They look at the stimulus-reponse relationship.

They focus on:

(i) Observable behaviour (responses)

(ii) Environmental events (stimuli) that precede and follow those responses.

"Action speaks louder than words".

+Defining Learning

Behavourist view:

For example:

n  A teacher watches a boy's footwork (boy's responses) while practicing football and gives the boy a praise (a stimulus) when the boy makes the right moves.

n  A response that is followed by a desired stimulus (reinforcement) is more likely to occur again.

+ Behaviorism

n  The theory originates from the works of Ivan Pavlov’s, classical conditioning, and B. F. Skinner’s, operant conditioning.

n Classical Conditioning is when an unconditioned stimulus and response is manipulated with a conditioned stimulus to create a conditioned response.

n Operant Conditioning is a controlled response with a reward/ punishment system according to the behavior.

n  The learner needs reinforcements to keep interest.

n  Stimuli are effective in controlling behavior.

n  As a result, the behaviors can be measured to record learning success.

+ Key Principles: Behaviorism

n  Learning happens when a correct response is demonstrated following the presentation of a specific environmental stimulus

n  Emphasis is on observable and measurable behaviors

+What can you teach a dog, a cat, and rat?

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CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

n  People (and animals) acquire certain behaviors through classical conditioning n  Learning process in which associations are made between an

unconditioned stimulus and a neutral stimulus.

+ STIMULI

Something that elicits a response.

n NEUTRAL STIMULUS: n  Initially does not elicit a response.

n UNCONDITIONED STIMULUS (UCS): n elicits a predictable response w/o training.

n UNCONDITIONED RESPONSE (UCR): n  automatic or natural reaction to a stimulus w/o

training

Classical Conditioning - Ivan Pavlov

Pavlov set out to discover how learning occurred (empirical)

•  INVOLVES LEARNING WHAT EVENTS IN ENVIRONMENT “GO TOGETHER”

•  IS LEARNING OF “ASSOCIATIONS”

•  LEARNED BY HAVING EVENTS PAIRED WITH ONE ANOTHER

(1849-1936)

Classical Conditioning - Ivan Pavlov n  Pavlov’s Dogs Experiment

(US) Unconditioned Stimulus - food (UR) Unconditioned Response - saliva (NS) Neutral Stimulus - bell

(CS) Conditioned Stimulus -

bell

(CR) Conditioned Response - saliva to bell

Watch classical conditioning here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhqumfpxuzI

+John B. Watson

1878 - 1958

+John B. Watson

Watson changed the focus of psychology from introspection, to environmentalism.

The principles of learning would account for the largest share of behavioral development and are exercised almost exclusively through environmental learning opportunities provided for children. (reflected in cultural diversity & learning studies)

+John B. Watson

He believed that environmental shaping of behavior began prenatally, and focused his studies on infants and children.

He demonstrated the conditioned response in the case of “Little Albert”(Watson, 1925), who was exposed to an alarming noise and a rat at the same time, and developed not only a fear of rats, but transferred the fear to all furry objects.

+E.L. Thorndike

1874 - 1949

+E.L. Thorndike

First scientific theory of learning- Theory of Connectionism

 

Comprehensive analogy of human learning- Three volume work, Educational Psychology ( 1913a, 1913b, 1914 )

 

Initial work with animal learning in laboratory setting- cat in box experiment”

 

+Thorndike’s Theory of

Connectionism Law of Effect

 

If Situation + Response is followed by a positive consequence then the connection between the Situation + Response is strengthened.

 

If Situation + Response is followed by a negative consequence then the connection between the Situation + Response is weakened.

+B.F. Skinner

1904 – 1990

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-RS80DVvrg&list=PLXfgHteUJ3qrgpTS1qXOwZzBP5VMDmPl1

+ Inventions Operant conditioning chamber or “Skinner Boxes”

- rats would press on a bar to receive a food (positive reinforcement), or could be set up to give an electric shock (negative reinforcement).

- pigeons would peck to receive food if a light was on, but not receive food when a light was off.

Extinction of the operant behavior occurs when you stop giving the rat a food pellet as a reward for pushing the pedal.

Cumulative recorder –records the rate of response of the animal in the operant conditioning chamber

Air Crib – a crib that maintained constant temperature and humidity, easy to clean.

+Operant Conditioning Chambers

+ Shaping

Shaping can be used to help an animal to behave in a manner that it would never do in its ordinary daily patterns.

Shaping occurs when a reward is given if the animal does a behavior that is even slightly close to the desired behavior. Then, as the animal continues to exhibit the behavior that closer and closer resembles the desired action, rewards are given. Eventually, the desired behavior will exist. (ie. Pigeons that bowl or play ping pong.)

Cognitivism

n  Information Processing looks at how information is retrieved and stored.

n  This theory focuses on how to store and retrieve information.

n  Learning is attained through rehearsal and consistent use of the information.

n  Retention strategies such as breaking down information and comparing the information to long term storage are great techniques.

+ Key Principles: Cognitivism

n Learning is a change of knowledge state n Knowledge acquisition is described as a mental

activity that entails internal coding and structuring by the learner.

n Learner is viewed as an active participant in the learning process

n Emphasis is on the building blocks of knowledge (e.g. identifyng prerequisite relationships of content)

n Emphasis on structuring, organising and sequencing information to facilitate optimal processing

+Constructivism

n  Constructivism views learning as a process in which the learner constructs knowledge based on their past experiences.

n  The teacher only acts as a facilitator who encourages students to explore within a given framework

n  Learners may collaborate with others to organize their ideas and learn from each other to construct their own knowledge.

+ Key Principles: Constructivism

n Learners build personal interpretation of the world based on experiences and interactions

n Knowledge is embedded in the context in which it is used (authentic tasks in meaningful realistic settings)

n Create novel and situation-specific understandings by "assembling" knowledge from diverse sources appropriate to the problem at hand (flexible use of knowledge)

+Putting It All Together

Learning Theory Learning Process Technology Support

Behaviorism Through positive/

negative reinforcement and punishment

Educational software can be used to

measure the students assessment

Cognitivism

Rehearsing information and then storing it for long term

use

Flashcards and memory games can

help retain information taught in a lesson

Constructivism

Constructing ones own knowledge through

past experiences and group collaboration

Group PowerPoint projects allow students to work together and

combine their knowledge to learn