Journal Entry 2

Description: The focus of study this week in EDAT 6115 was on behavioral and social learning theories and their implications in teaching and learning.  We learned about the work of Ivan Pavlov, B. F. Skinner, Albert Bandura, and Meichenbaum.  Their research helps us understand how children learn and what we can do to help them learn what we want them to learn.

Analysis: Learning happens all of the time.  We learn without even realizing it.  Even though children are constantly learning, it is up to teachers to ensure that they learn "information, skills, and concepts that will be useful in their lives" (Slavin, 2015).  We have learned valuable information from notable researchers that has shaped the way we view and address behaviors in the class room. 
     Pavlov's theory is referred to as classical conditioning.  His research and experiments revealed that a neutral stimulus can be joined with an unconditioned stimulus and after time, the neutral stimulus can become a conditioned stimulus.  The conditioned stimulus can then provoke responses as would an unconditioned stimulus.  Skinner focused on the correlation between behaviors and their consequences (Slavin, 2015).  He found that behaviors can be changed based on the use of consequences.  This idea is called operant conditioning.  Skinner's work "established a set of principles of behavior that have been supported in hundreds of studies" (Slavin, 2015).  Most notable is the concept that enjoyable consequences (reinforcers) increase the frequency of the behavior, while unenjoyable consequences (punishers) decrease the frequency of the behavior. 
     Another important behavioral principle is the Premack principle.  Described by David Premack, this principle promotes desired behaviors by having individuals participate in a less desirable activity followed by a preferred activity (Alberto & Troutman, 2006).  An activity that an individual participates in voluntarily can be used as the preferred activity.  This strategy is effective in getting children to participate in activities or tasks that they find difficult or uninteresting. 
    There are many reinforcers that can be used in the class room to increase positive behaviors.  Slavin (2015) lists several examples of reinforcers: "self-reinforcement, praise, attention, grades and recognition, call home, home-based reinforcement, privileges, activity reinforcers, tangible reinforcers, and food."  It is suggested to use the least tangible reinforcer that will produce the desired results.  On the other hand, there are several punishers that can be used in the class room as well.  Some effective punishers include verbal correction and "withdrawal of ... pleasant consequence[s]" such as "loss of privilege[s]," detention, and time out (Slavin, 2015). 
     In order to serve their purpose, it is important that consequences be immediate.  Providing feedback in a timely manner has a much larger impact on the behavior being addressed than would providing this feedback at a later time.  The two primary advantages to providing feedback immediately is that "it makes clear the connection between behavior and consequence" and "it increases the informational value of the feedback" (Slavin, 2015).  If feedback is given too late after the behavior, the impact simply isn't there. 
     Shaping is another behavior principle that makes a great impact on student behavior and learning.  The main idea with shaping is that individuals are reinforced for making steps towards the final goal.  This strategy guides students along as they learn within their abilities and are pushed towards more difficult tasks.  Shaping goes hand in hand with scaffolding.  Both strategies involve providing more then less guidance towards an end product or goal.
     Reinforcers can be provided with varying frequency.  The fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement describes a frequency of reinforcement based on a predetermined number of behaviors.  In the beginning, reinforcers may be provided for each behavior exhibited, but as time goes on, the number of behaviors required for a reinforcer may increase.  The variable ratio schedule of reinforcement is when reinforcers are given for an unpredictable number of behaviors.  Fixed interval schedules provide reinforcers at set increments of time.  Variable interval schedules provide reinforcers at unpredictable increments of time.  According to Alberto and Troutman (2006), a reinforcement system should be viewed as a temporary arrangement.  They further discuss the importance of schedule thinning to reduce the "dependence on artificial reinforcers" (Alberto & Troutman, 2006).  The ultimate goal is that students make positive choices for intrinsic motivation.
     Another important aspect of behavior modification is that of generalization.  We want students to be able to transfer their positive behaviors and learned skills into different settings.  In order to accomplish this, it may be necessary to teach the skills in a variety of settings or to reinforce the behaviors in various settings. 
     Social learning includes learning by observation and by self-regulation.  Bandura discussed the importance of modeling in order for students to learn.  There are four stages to observational learning: "paying attention, retaining the modeled behavior, reproducing the behavior, and being motivated to repeat the behavior" (Slavin, 2015).  Meichenbaum proposed that students can learn to self-regulate.  Self-talk and checklists are beneficial for students to learn to monitor their behavior and learning.

Reflection:  In my special education studies, I learned a great deal about behavior theories and how they impact teaching and learning.  In my experience with students, especially those with behavior disorders, I found that by being intentional and having a plan, I have been able to modify behaviors in a pretty effective manner.  We know how children learn, for the most part, and if we pay attention to what they want, we can generally come up with a plan to address their needs. 
     Most of the information in this chapter is common sense, but as teachers, we tend to overthink situations and do things the hard way first.  When attempting to increase or decrease behaviors, it is important to create a plan of action.  The worst thing a teacher can do is to go into this process blind.  If the teacher is not consistent and committed to the process, it will certainly fail.  Working with students with problem behaviors has been a challenge that I have whole heartedly accepted.  I enjoy getting to know these students and working through the puzzle to figure out why they do what they do and how I can help make a positive difference.

References:

Alberto, P. A. & Troutman, A. C. (2006). Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers, (7th Ed.).

     Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Slavin, R. E. (2015). Educational psychology: Theory and practice, (11th Ed.). Boston, MA:

     Pearson Education.

Journal Entry 1

Description
     The focus of study this week in EDAT 6115 was the cognitive, literacy, and language development in children.  Learning about the theories of various psychologists such as Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bronfenbrenner enables teachers to gain a deeper understanding into the development of children.  Understanding how students develop in these areas helps teachers plan effective instruction that is developmentally appropriate. 

Analysis

     Many factors contribute to the development of children.  In our reading, we learned about the views of three well known psychologists.  The theories of Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and Urie Bronfenbrenner have greatly contributed to the understanding of child development.  In order to be an effective teacher, it is important to "understand how students think and how they view the world" (Slavin, 2015).  This understanding will lead to more effective instruction and greater student progress.

     Piaget had the viewpoint that children's development depends on their "interaction with the environment" (Slavin, 2015).  He determined that children progress through four specific stages of development.  Children in each stage of development possess "intellectual abilities that allow [them] to understand the world in increasingly complex ways" (Slavin, 2015).  The manner of thinking changes and becomes more advanced with each stage of development.  According to Slavin, Piaget believed that children will progress through each stage at their own pace and may seem to be in two stages at once (2015).  Depending on the stage of development that children are in greatly influences teaching strategies and expectations.

     Unlike Piaget, Vygotsky believed that children learn from others, and their learning is shaped by their experiences.  Teachers know that experiences certainly increase a child's intellectual capacity in terms of vocabulary, comprehension, and knowledge of the world around them.  Vygotsky further believed that children are best able to learn when "working within their zone of proximal development" (Slavin, 2015).  The instruction and tasks within this zone are at the level where children can understand and complete them with a bit of assistance.  It is important for teachers to know where this zone is for children in order to ensure that learning occurs.  Material that is too easy or too hard does not increase learning for students.  Another important aspect of Vygotsky's beliefs that greatly impacts student success is scaffolding.  Scaffolding occurs when teachers provide more support early on and gradually decrease the amount of support as students become more confident in their abilities.  This process increases student responsibility for their learning.  Vygotsky further supports the notion of cooperative learning.  Students tend to enjoy working together and by sharing their insight with peers, increased learning can occur.

     Bronfenbrenner's beliefs center on the influences of the home, family, friends, and community on the development of children (Slavin, 2015).  It would be hard to ignore the influence that a child's environment and interactions with others have on his or her development.  These factors are seen in behaviors and knowledge that are brought to the classroom by students.

     Language and literacy are developed in phases.  Young children depend on early exposure to language and literature to develop early skills needed for learning to read.  As children enter school, these skills develop quickly.  Students quickly move from decoding words and increasing fluency to comprehension and vocabulary acquisition.  As these skills are learned, students gain reading strategies that help them make sense of what they are reading.

Reflection

     As much as I pride myself on being an effective teacher, there is always much more to learn and consider.  After reading the information on cognitive development, I feel that I need to be more cognizant of what I expect of my students based on their ability to think and perform.  Considering their Piagetian stages of development should be an important aspect of my lesson planning and task selection.  Whether I fully agree with Piaget's theory or not, his ideas are important to consider when determining whether or not students are ready for particular strategies or instructions.

     Vygotsky's ideas are some that I have implemented more so in my classroom.  Effective teachers scaffold without even thinking about it.  I often begin lessons by offering maximum support, then I gradually remove my support until the students are practicing independently.  Another of Vygotsky's ideas that is in place in my classroom is that of cooperative learning.  I have found that students learn well from each other.  Working cooperatively further increases knowledge acquisition because students are able to listen to other views and ideas about the material. 

     I have witnessed first hand the effects of environment, family, community, and home on the knowledge that students bring to school with them as well as their abilities to learn.  In regards to language and literacy development, it is obvious which of my kindergarteners have been read to and communicated with at home.  Their vocabulary and language skills are evident as to the environment they have lived in.

     The topic that we studied this week has great importance in lesson preparation.  Although many teachers put these ideas into practice in their classrooms, it is imperative that we be intentional in our planning.  These ideas should be explicitly considered when deciding how to teach a particular lesson.  Teacher expectations should be realistic based on a child's level of development.  If children are not developmentally prepared for how we teach, then our efforts are going to be in vain.

References

Slavin, R. E. (2015). Educational psychology: Theory and practice, (11th Ed.). Boston, MA:

     Pearson Education.