Week 2 - Skinner and Behaviorism

What is learning?

I still think that learning is a very active process. To really get it, you have to think through it and apply it. I think there is a strong intrinsic value to real learning. Skinner would probably disagree. According to Skinner, learning is very extrinsically motivated. Skinner's version of learning occurs when a person performs a task and the task has a subsequent response. Based on whether that response is positive or negatively reinforced, the person will choose to do the same task again or not. After this processes is repeated, the person learns what is the expected behavior.

How can learning be best effectuated by a teacher?

As a classroom teacher, I tend to disagree with Skinner because Skinner's tactics have proven to be less effective for my own teaching style. I don't like students doing good things for the wrong reasons. For example, I don't want them to turn in their homework for a piece of candy. I want them to turn in their homework because they know it's important. I want them to feel that sense of gratification that comes from working hard and doing something well!

In addition, I often get frustrated with the idea of behaviorism because there ARE a lot of extrinsic motivators out there for students, but not all students are taking advantage of them.

For example, many high school students in Utah know that if they do well, they can pick a really cool prize from Ken Garff's Keys to Success program and even earn a chance to win a car. I think the Ken Garff program is great and it rewards good kids with cool prizes. There is nothing wrong with that.

However, my question is, "Why doesn't every high school kid do well if there is something as big as a car at stake?" The answer is that there are a lot more complexities to individuals than Skinner's ideas lead you to believe. Extrinsic motivators are clearly not enough to get all students to learn. In addition, I strongly believe that most students who do well (including those who win the cars) would do well even without the car. They are motivated by things that run much deeper that these simple reinforcements.