Activity 2.3: Videos on Behaviorism In Theory and Practice

Activity 2.3: Videos on Behaviorism In Theory and Practice

Skinner (1984) states there were many suggestions for improving education, after Sputnik, but virtually none suggested improving teaching. Teaching machines and programmed instruction would allow for teaching the curriculum in “half the time with half the effort” (p. 948).  He offered four solutions to improve learning in American education: be clear of the content taught, teach the subject matter first, allow students to learn at their own rate, and utilize programmed instruction with scheduled reinforcements. Skinner recognized the responsibility of the institution of education to find a better way to transmit our culture to the “most important natural resource of our nation” (p. 953), our youth.

Skinner would be encouraged by the Common Core State Standards, which promote, essentially, national standards, curriculum and assessments, especially if they can be implemented using technology (p. 950).  There is a heavy use of programmed instruction (i.e. PLATO) currently being used for credit recovery. If these programs work so well, why not use this method in the first place, encouraging kids to be actively, engaged, get immediate feedback, and work at their own pace as they master the subject matter independently (Skinner: A Fresh Apprasial, 1999)? 

Skinner might like the “School of One” in theory, but learning using programmed instruction is available in just three of eight learning options in these schools. The other five are whole group, small group, or individual live instruction. A New York Daily News (2012) article, reported two of the three middle schools dropped out of this expensive, pilot program after 2011 standardized tests showed no better, or worse results in math scores.

In the “B. F. Skinner- Operant Conditioning” video, Skinner states that behavioral scientists dispose of free will and “attribute nothing to it”. Skinner would say that behavior is 0% free will and 100% habit.