Description
The
focus of reading and discussion in EDAT 6115 this week was on Behavioral and
Social Theories of Learning. I observed how model behaviors influenced children’s
behaviors. These model behaviors can be reflected in real-life or on a children’s
television show. Parents and Teachers must decide which behaviors they do not
want students to acquire and how they will address unwanted behaviors from children.
Analysis
Learning
takes place in many ways. It can be intentional, like when a student acquires new
information in class or unintentional like a child reaction to a needle
(Slavin, 2012, p. 98). To help parents and teachers teach appropriate behaviors
to children, we must observe those how certain behaviors affect our children. When
we look at behaviors observed and practice in the classroom, I think about how
classroom/ behavior management in a classroom is one of the key components to
teaching and learning. In the Peppermint Patty video, Peppermint Patty exemplified
behaviors that were distractive to the learning environment and she could
continue to distract the class without any consequences. Peppermint Patty was
not given any consequences for disrupting the class which, consequences could
strengthen or weaken certain behaviors. Not having consequences for unwanted and
wanted behaviors can shape the class because not only will the student involved
in any given situation be affected by their behavior but they will socially
influence the behaviors of other student who are learning what the teacher or
their teachers may deem as appropriate behaviors.
Often
times when teaching, I like to encourage positive behaviors with praise. This type
of behavior is known as an extrinsic reinforcer and is often used on students
who may not exemplify wanted behaviors with encouragement. While you will have
these students in your class, you will also have students that are self-motivated
to have good behavior which is known an intrinsic reinforcer.
We also
have to look at the things that influence certain behaviors in children. Slavin
(2012, p. 110), points out that students must learn to use stimulus discrimination
to determine what behaviors are appropriate in different situations. Talking and
screaming while playing a game outside would be an appropriate behavior in that
moment but talking and screaming while playing a game in the classroom may not
be a wanted behavior because the students can distract other classes on the
hall. Providing students with cues to help enforce certain behaviors will help
them maintain those behaviors while also keeping in mind your expectation of
them for when certain behaviors are expected.
In Social
Learning Theories, a behavior is modeled, and student learn from those experiences
on how to behave in certain situations. In Bandura analysis of observational
learning, it involves four phases: the attentional, retention, reproduction,
and motivational phases (Slavin, 2012 p. 112). In experiment of the Bobo doll,
some children observed a model beating on a bobo doll which is called the
attentional phase. In the retention phase, they placed the student in a
playroom with the doll to see if they would mimic the same behaviors observed. In
the reproduction and motivational phase not only did students mimic the
behavior but also created their ow ways to beat on the doll.
Which
brings us to the final point which is aggression in a children’s television
show. According to the video on Bandura and Social Learning Theory (), televised
aggression has four major components: it teaches aggressive styles of behavior,
weakens restraints over aggression, desensitizes and habituates viewers to
human cruelty and shapes viewers images of reality. These are all things to
consider when allowing children to view certain programs on television created
for children. They may model behavior that our children may want to mimic in
real-life which could result in negative consequences.
Reflection
This concept of behavior and social learning theories is
important to me because not only do I want to make sure that I am responsible modeling
and expecting positive behaviors in my students, I am also a parent and had not
realized how much violence my child may have been exposed to from watching cartoons,
which I though were innocent enough to not have to sensor. This concept made me
feel that more than ever, it is important that I know what my students are
exposed to on T.V so that I can be on the look-out for how those thing may
influence my students behaviors in the classroom. I only found positive aspects
in learning about these two theories. I learned how my cues as the teacher
influence behavior in my class and I also learned about reinforcers and how
they impact my students. I would often feel like having to motivate a student
to show good behaviors was tiresome and pointless because I felt like my
influence on a child in the classroom would be wiped away as soon as the
student walked into their home environment where certain behaviors were acceptable.
I learned that I should keep doing those things so that students can use discrimination
to help them learn when certain behaviors are appropriate. This concept has
enforced in me setting clear goals and expectations for behaviors in my classroom
and has also encouraged me to sit my own child to observe and provide feedback
on the things that she watches at home.
References
Slavin, R. E. (2012). Educational psychology: Theory and practice (10th ed.). Boston, MA:
Pearson Education.
(2013). Bandura and Social Learning Theory [Motion picture].
No comments:
Post a Comment