Teaching Behaviorism

• In Event: 46.083 - Book Panel Discussion: Contributing Authors Discuss Challenges and Innovations in Teaching and Learning Educational Psychology

Abstract

Sperling’s chapter addresses the teaching of behaviorism to undergraduates in an educational psychology course. She will describe an instructional strategy – behavioral self-monitoring -- that was implemented to address the primary goals of the course. The strategy employed was designed to combat the challenges encountered when teaching learning theory for transfer, given students’ low prior knowledge and few prior or concurrent experiences. Transfer of learning is an over-arching goal when teaching educational psychology, including transfer within the course, across the college curriculum, and to contexts that students will face in their personal and professional lives. The behavioral modification (via self-monitoring) activity was presented to students to help their track their future behaviors and evaluate their progress toward learning goals. The activity was connected to several concepts taught in the course (i.e., self-regulation, operant conditioning, selection of reinforcers). Benefits to students within and beyond the course will be described and discussed.

Author

• Rayne A. Sperling, The Pennsylvania State University