1. Behavioral Learning Theory: Operant Conditioning
Chapter Seven
Behavioral Learning Theory: Operant Conditioning

2. Learning and Instruction
Chapters – (7-11)
Learning and Instruction
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3. How do we effectively assess learning?
How do we learn?
How do we effectively assess learning?
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4. Learning Theories What is learning?
A relatively permanent influence on behavior, knowledge, and thinking skills which comes through experience.
(Santrock, 2004)
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5. Historical Overview William James (1842-1910)
Professor at Harvard
University
In late 1890’s, he
studied the relationship
between psychology and
teaching
Psychology…aims to acquire "a ..body of propositions about states of mind [thoughts, feelings, and knowledge]”
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6. Pioneers of Educational Psychology
Three Pioneers
William James
John Dewey
E. L. Thorndike
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7. John Dewey (1859-1952) USA “Child is an active learner”
Est. first ed Psyc Lab in
USA
“Child is an active learner”
“Children learn by doing”
“Focus of learning should
be thinking”
Thinking is the method of intelligent learning, of learning that employs and rewards the mind.
(Democracy and Education, p. 171)
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8. E. L. Thorndike (1874-1949) Student of William James
Schools should hone children’s thinking skills
Ed. Psy should have a scientific base and focus on measurement
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9. Historical Background
Educational Psychology developed before the start of 20 Century
Growth spurred by pioneers from various parts of the world
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10. Historical Overview
Wilhelm Wundt established first psychological laboratory in 1879 in Germany – study human thought
Hermann Ebbinghaus German Psychologist– in 1880’s studied memory and forgetting
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11. Approaches to Learning
Various approaches to learning
Behavioral – behavior should be explained by observable experiences, not mental processes.
Classical conditioning; operant conditioning
Cognitive – mental processes like thoughts, feeling, motives can be studied in a scientific manner to explain learning
Social learning theory; information process theory; cognitive constructivist; social cognitive constructivist
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12. Chronology of Dev. In Ed Psych.
Thorndike’s view – first half of 20 C.
Skinner’s view – middle of 20 Century
Behavior is the evidence of learning
Cognitive revolution – 1980s cognition is evidence of learning
Contextual View – last decades of 20 C and onward.
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13. Behavioral Approaches
Classical Conditioning
Ivan Pavlov (Russian physiologist, 1900’s)
Experiments with dogs
John B. Watson (American)
Applied this theory to children (Albert)
Associative learning - no rewards or punishments
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14. Ivan Pavlov ( )
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15. John B. Watson (1878 to 1958)
Give me a dozen healthy infants…and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select--doctor, lawyer, merchant-chief, and yes, even beggarman and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors." (1930)
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16. How Emotions Are Learned John B. Watson
Little Albert – 11 month old baby
Presented: White rat (CS) + Loud noise (US)
Result: Albert showed fear of the rat and later generalized to beard
Copyright ©2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies
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17. Behavioral Approaches
Operant Conditioning
E. L. Thorndike
Studied cats
Law of Effect
Behaviors followed by positive outcomes are strengthened and behaviors followed by negative outcomes are weakened
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18. Operant conditioning Theorist Basic assumption
B. F. Skinner extended the work of Thorndike with rats in Skinner boxes
Basic assumption
Voluntary responses are strengthened or weakened as a result of their consequences
NB: Associative learning in which there is a contingency between the response and the presentation of the reinforcer
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19. Behavioral Approach-Key Principle
Associative Learning
A mental link is formed between two events and is evident from observable behavior.
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20. Educational applications of operant conditioning principles
Overview
Operant conditioning
Educational applications of operant conditioning principles
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21. Conditions that define reinforcement, punishment, and extinction
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22. In Class Assignment Team Work
Use role-playing in a teaching-learning situation, to explain and demonstrate:
Positive Reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement
Punishment Type I and Type II
Generalization and Discrimination
Extinction and Spontaneous Recovery
Be careful to ensure that your skit and explanation help us to understand the concept
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23. Operant conditioning concepts
Positive reinforcement
Strengthening (increasing) a behavior by presenting a positive stimulus immediately after the behavior has occurred
Negative reinforcement
Strengthening (increasing) a behavior by removing a negative stimulus immediately after the behavior has occurred
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24. Operant conditioning concepts
Presentation punishment (Type I)
Weakening (decreasing) a behavior by presenting an aversive stimulus immediately after the behavior has occurred
Removal punishment (Type II, time-out)
Weakening (decreasing) a behavior by removing a positive stimulus immediately after the behavior has occurred
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25. Operant conditioning concepts
Extinction
When a previously reinforced behavior decreases in frequency and eventually ceases altogether because reinforcement is withheld
Spontaneous recovery
When an extinguished behavior reappears without having been reinforced
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26. Operant conditioning concepts
Generalization
When an individual learns to make a particular response to a particular stimulus and then makes the same or a similar response in a slightly different situation
Discrimination
When an individual learns to notice the unique aspects of seemingly similar situations and thus different ways of responding
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27. Operant conditioning concepts
Shaping
Reducing complex behaviors into several more simple behaviors
Reinforcing successive approximations to the complex behavior
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28. Schedules of reinforcement
Fixed interval schedule
Reinforcement occurs after a specific amount of time
Variable interval schedule
Reinforcement occurs after a random amount of time
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29. Schedules of reinforcement
Fixed ratio schedule
Reinforcement occurs after a specific number of responses
Variable ratio schedule
Reinforcement occurs after a random number of responses
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30. Major Types of CBI Programs (Grabe & Grabe, 2004)
Teach new information and skills and provide an opportunity to apply what was learned in a meaningful context that would otherwise be unavailable because of cost, physical danger, and time constraints
Probems-Solving Programs: Simulations and Games
Teach new information (e.g., facts, definitions, concepts) and skills
Tutorial
Practice knowledge and skills learned earlier to produce fast and accurate responses
Drill and Practice
Purpose
Type of Program
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