Behaviorism

Behaviorism is, in its purest form, the idea that learning is no more than the acquisition of new observable behaviors.

In many cases, it depends on the idea that information should be divided into small separate facts, each of which can be learnt individually.

Learning depends on conditioning, that is:

• A certain stimulus will produce a specific response.
• To control behavior, you should reinforce good responses with rewards.

One of the main criticisms is that it does not explain what happens in the mind; it only speaks of observable behavior. It also doesn't explain some kinds of learning or how people can adapt their behavior to new situations. In teaching, it often chops knowledge into such small pieces that it loses the big picture.

In its less extreme versions, it is the idea that the goals of learning can be written down unambiguously and used as an objective standard for assessment.

A behaviorist approach may be most useful when:

• the best way to learn a skill is through drills or practice (especially those requiring accuracy or speed), or though instructional games
• when students must develop automatic responses
• when the students have little or no prior knowledge of the topic
• students cannot deviate from a standard practice
• you have very little time.

Teaching strategies:

• Ask for active responses to what you have taught.
• Tell people when they are doing it right. This will reinforce good learning at a time when they don't know whether or not they are on the right track.
• Give correction early so that people don't reinforce their mistakes.
• Use the principle of "decreasing frequency". For example, if students learn something new this morning, it will stick better if they go over it again this evening, tomorrow, next week, next month, and next semester. But if they don't go back to it until next month or next semester, they've probably forgotten it and will have to learn it again from scratch.
• If students get stuck, divide the information into small bits and help students through them one-by-one. Then help them carefully put the bits together.
• Attach learning to certain rewards. These may be intrinsic to the learning, such as a sense of satisfaction on mastering something new, or extrinsic, such as an excellence award or a promotion. It also works to withhold rewards for negative behavior.