The Behavioral Approach
The Behavioral Approach
Behaviorists assume that the only things that are real (or at leastworth studying) are
the things we can see and observe. We cannot see the mind ,the id, or the unconscious,
but we can see how people act, react and behave. From behavior we may be able to
make inferences about the minds and the brain,but they are not the primary focus of
the investigation. What people do,not what they think or feel, is the object of the
study. Likewise the behaviorist does not look to the mind or the brain to
understandthe causes of abnormal behavior. He assumes that the behavior
representscertain learned habits, and he attempts to determine how they are learned.
The material that is studied is always behavior. Because behavioristsare not interested
in the mind, or its more rarified equivalents such as psycheand soul, inferences about
the conditions that maintain and reinforce humanbehavior can be made from the study
of animal behavior. Animal research hasprovided a very important foundation for the
behavioral approach. Thebehavioral researcher is interested in understanding the
mechanisms underlyingthe behavior of both normal individuals and those with
problems that might bereferred as "mental illness". When the behavioral model is
applied tomental illness, it tends to be used for a wide variety of presenting problems.
It is perhaps most effective in treating behavioral disorders and disorders ofimpulse
control, such as excessivedrinking, obesity, or sexual problems. Behavioral
approaches may bequite useful in treatment of anxiety and have occasionally been
helpful in themanagement of more severe mental disorders such
as schizophrenia, negative reinforcement, punishment,, self
management, shaping,time out, and systematic desensitization
Behaviorism in education, or behavioral learning theory is a branch of
psychology that focuses on how people learn through their
interactions with the environment. It is based on the idea that all
behaviors are acquired through conditioning, which is a process of
reinforcement and punishment.
Every teacher knows that they will usually have a student in class who is
difficult to manage and work with. Their behavior is usually hard to control and
it can be extra work to get them to pay attention and stop distracting others. If
you’re studying to become a teacher, your courses will help you learn
classroom management techniques that will prepare you for difficult students.
Additionally, it’s extremely valuable to learn about learning theories and
recognize that there are different methods and thoughts about how people
learn.
Behaviorism is key for educators because it impacts how students react and
behave in the classroom, and suggests that teachers can directly influence
how their students behave. It also helps teachers understand that a student’s
home environment and lifestyle can be impacting their behavior, helping them
see it objectively and work to assist with improvement.
History of behaviorism.
Behaviorism started as a reaction against introspective psychology in the 19th
century, which relied heavily on first-person accounts. J.B. Watson and B.F.
Skinner rejected introspective methods as being subjective and
unquantifiable. These psychologists wanted to focus on observable,
quantifiable events and behaviors. They said that science should take into
account only observable indicators. They helped bring psychology into higher
relevance by showing that it could be accurately measured and understood,
and it wasn’t just based off opinions.
Watson and Skinner believed that if they were given a group of infants, the
way they were raised and the environment they put them in would be the
ultimate determining factor for how they acted, not their parents or their
genetics.
Behaviorism criticisms.
While behaviorism is a great option for many teachers, there are some
criticisms of this theory. Behaviorism is best for certain learning outcomes, like
foreign languages and math, but aren’t as effective for analytical and
comprehensive learning.
Other critics of behavioral learning say that the theory doesn’t encompass
enough of human learning and behavior, and that it’s not fully developed.
Other theories have come forward that take behaviorism further, implying that
there are many additional factors to consider when evaluating behavior.
If you are hoping to one day become a teacher, it’s important to get the right
degree and credentials to help you be prepared for success. It’s also
important to understand learning theories to be ready to take on students and
the classroom. When you understand more about psychology and how
students learn, you’re much more likely to be successful as an educator.
The task for L&D leaders then is to use Behavioral Learning Theory to create
the right learning environment, provide appropriate courses of action, and help
employees form associations between rewards and outcomes. This is critical
in motivating employees to become lifelong learners.
What is Behavioral Learning Theory?
Behavioral Learning Theory states that all learning is based on experience.
From potty training to performance-based incentives at work, humans use
behavioral learning to teach and modify behaviors to achieve the desired
outcome.
For example, parents have long used behavioral learning to teach toddlers to
eat their vegetables. If a toddler is repeatedly given a sticker each time they
finish their peas instead of throwing them to the ground, the child connects the
reward (sticker) with the vegetables and will not only expect it but will work
toward it. The positive reinforcement helps make healthy eaters of them for
life.
In this case, behavior is learned with the help of operant conditioning, where a
specific behavior leads to a consequence. Similarly, when employees are
given praise or even receive a badge (or bonus) each time they perform well
or exceed a desired quota, they are motivated to repeat the behavior in hopes
of a reward.
Behavior is also learned through classical conditioning, where two events are
unconsciously related even though they may not be intuitively associated with
each other. Pavlov’s dog study is a famous behaviorism experiment in which
Pavlov rang a bell each time a group of dogs was about to be served their
food. Even though the bell was a neutral stimulus, the dogs began to
associate the sound of a bell with mealtime. Before they were able to see or
smell the food, they would salivate.
Oscar Rivera
BM, MMED
Published Apr 14, 2019
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Managerial Approach
practitioner
innovative plans
not a theoretician
classroom grouping
individualization
departmentalization
Behavioral Approach
Academic Approach
it is the oldest and still the major approach to
curriculum
traditional
encyclopedic
historical
philosophical
scholarly
therapeutic
Humanistic Approach
artistic
physical
Null curriculum
By nature, games have built-in rewards and gratification in the form of ranks
and recognition. This gives learners more tangible goals to chase while giving
them the training they need. When learners connect these tangible goals with
a feeling of accomplishment, it boosts the quality and frequency of
participation, and in some cases, even reduces training time.
Active learning
The premise of behavioral learning somewhat lines up with the
classic 70:20:10 framework of learning, which states that 70% of learning is
from on-the-job experiences, 20% from peer interaction, and 10% from formal
training. Since the fields of psychology and L&D both agree that behavior
depends on observational learning, there is value in providing employees
with active learning opportunities that allow them to learn in the flow of work.
Active learning can take the form of a live discussion or collaboration with a
peer. Through group interaction, employees can build their understanding of
concepts, share their expertise with peers, and problem-solve together. In
fact, skill-sharing practices, such as an employee-led workshop on sales
tactics from a top performer, have huge benefits in helping organizations
preserve their institutional knowledge. Plus, in keeping with the stimulus-
response concept of behavioral learning, such practices can be tied to
rewards and recognition to motivate employees to share their skills and
knowledge.
Social learning
Social learning through peer feedback, comments, and Reactions helps
create a learning environment where employees feel a sense of connection.
Instead of passively obtaining information from an instructor, social learning
taps into the basic human need for connection and interaction.
1. Behavioral Approach. This is based on a blueprint, where goals and objectives are specified, contents
and activities are also arranged to match with the learning objectives. The learning outcomes are
evaluated in terms of goals and objectives set at the beginning. This approach started with the idea of
Frederick Taylor which is aimed to achieve efficiency. In education, behavioral approach begins with
educational plans that start with the setting of goals or objectives. These are the important ingredients in
curriculum implementation as evaluating the learning outcomes as a change of behavior. The change of
behavior indicates the measure of the accomplishment.
2. Managerial Approach. In this approach, the principal is the curriculum leader and at the same time
instructional leader who is supposed to be the general manager. The general manager sets the policies
and priorities, establishes the direction of change and innovation, and planning and organizing curriculum
and instruction. School administrators are less concerned about the content than about organization and
implementation. They are less concerned about subject matter, methods and materials than improving the
curriculum. Curriculum managers look at curriculum changes and innovations as they administer the
resources and restructure the schools.
3. Systems Approach. This was influenced by systems theory, where the parts of the total school district
or school are examined in terms of how they relate to each other. The organizational chart of the school
represents a systems approach. It shows the line-staff relationships of personnel and how decisions are
made. The following are of equal importance: a) administration b) counseling c) curriculum d) instruction
e) evaluation.
4. Humanistic Approach. This approach is rooted in the progressive philosophy and child-centered
movement. It considers the formal or planned curriculum and the informal or hidden curriculum. It
considers the whole child and believes that in curriculum the total development of the individual is the
prime consideration. The learner s at the center of the curriculum.
What is the difference between basic education curriculum and K-12 curriculum?
Whereas the old curriculum offers a broad and linear curriculum, it did not include
enough practical applications like the K-12 does. Starting with Kindergarten as the
foundation for lifelong learning and development, the 12-year curriculum aims to give
students the journey in education that they deserve.
The K-12 curriculum and the Matatag curriculum have similarities and differences. Both curricula
were reformed in response to the needs of their respective societies . However, the purposes of
the curricula differ. The K-12 curriculum focuses on the development of knowledge and skills,
while the Matatag curriculum aims to strengthen social and religious values . In terms of
teaching methods, the Matatag curriculum emphasizes the use of the Hypno-Quantum
Teaching learning model, which aims to make learning more interesting and engaging . On the
other hand, there is no information available about the teaching methods used in the K-12
curriculum. Overall, the curricula have different goals and approaches to education.
AT A GLANCE
One of the "issues" discovered in the existing K to 10 curriculum was that it was
"overloaded" with too many lessons or subjects.
Recognizing that necessary revisions to the curriculum are needed “avert further learning
losses,” DepEd released the revised curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 10 called the
“MATATAG K to 10 Curriculum.”
While the pilot implementation starts this year, DepEd will implement, in phases, the
MATATAG K to 10 curriculum beginning SY 2024-2025.
The revised K to 10 curriculum will also set the stage for the comeback of Good Manners
and Right Conduct (GMRC) as a learning area or a subject under the Republic Act (RA)
11476 or the GMRC and Values Education Act of 2020/
“The formation of our learners' values and the development of their characters will be
intensified,” Duterte said.
The recalibrated curriculum, Duterte said, highlights the promotion of non-violent actions
and the development of conflict-resolution skills in learners through the integration of
peace competencies.
In a separate presentation, DepEd Bureau of Curriculum Development Director Jocelyn
D. R. Andaya explained that the new K to 10 curriculum has seven important features.
Among the notable changes in the “less congested” K to 10 curriculum is that the learning areas
in Grades 1 and 2 have been cut from seven to five.
The progression of subjects will be implemented in phases starting next school year,
Andaya explained.
Recognizing there is a lot to be done before the rollout of the new K to 10 curriculum,
Undersecretary for Curriculum and Teaching Gina Gonong said there will be a pilot
implementation in select schools this year.
According to the triarchic theory, three kinds of thinking are essential to problem solving,
in particular, and to human intelligence, in general.
Analytical thinking occurs when the components are applied to relatively
familiar types of problems in their abstracted form. Analytical thinking is involved
when people analyze, evaluate, judge, compare and contrast, and critique. For
example, a student might be asked to evaluate the assumptions underlying a
logical argument or to compare and contrast the themes underlying two short
stories.
Creative thinking occurs when the components of information processing are
applied to relatively novel types of problems. Creative thinking is involved when
people create, invent, discover, explore, suppose, and imagine. For example, a
student might be asked to create a poem or to invent a better mouse trap.
Practical thinking occurs when the components of information processing are
applied to highly contextualized, everyday problems. Practical thinking is involved
when people apply, use, utilize, implement, and contextualize. For example, a
student might be asked how the lessons of the Vietnam War are and are not
relevant to the situation that has arisen in Serbia, or how to apply algebraic
techniques to determining compound interest on an investment.
Validation of Theory
We are interested not just in proposing theories, but also in conducting rigorous tests of
these theories in the laboratory, classroom, and workplace. Some of the main findings
from these studies are the following:
Our Data
In our earlier research, we showed that it is possible through instructional interventions
to improve analytical-thinking skills, creative-thinking skills, and practical-thinking skills.
In our more recent research, we have shown that the triarchic theory can be applied to
improve students’ achievement in school (Sternberg, 1997; Sternberg et al., 2000).
Participants consisted of 199 high school students (146 females and 53 males) from
among 326 who were tested and who were selected for participation in a summer
program on the basis of their patterns of abilities. Program participants were 60%
European-American, 11% African-American, 6% Hispanic-American, and 17%
American from another ethnic minority (thus a total of 34% U.S. ethnic minority).
Another 4% were from South Africa and 2% were from other locations.
Participants were identified as high in analytical ability (20%), high in creative ability
(19%), high in practical ability (18%), balanced high (i.e., high in all three abilities—
20%), and balanced low (i.e., low in all three abilities—24%). Identification was
accomplished via a research form of the Sternberg Triarchic Abilities Test (STAT),
which is based on the triarchic theory. There were 9 multiple choice tests, crossing 3
types of abilities (analytical, creative, practical) with 3 types of content (verbal,
quantitative, figural), plus 3 essay tests (analytical, creative, practical). For example, the
analytical verbal multiple choice test involved inference of meanings of unknown words
from paragraph contexts, and the practical figural multiple choice test involved route
planning use maps. As another example, the creative essay required participants to
design their ideal school.
The 4-week long instruction for the course involved common and unique elements for
each instructional group. Two parts were common: the college level psychology text,
which contained analytical, creative, and practical content; and the morning lectures,
taught by an award winning teacher, which involved analytical, creative, and practical
elements. The experimental manipulation occurred in the afternoon when participants
were assigned to a discussion section that emphasized either memory, analytical,
creative, or practical processing, and that either was a better or a poorer match to the
participants’ tested pattern of abilities.
As an example, memory oriented instruction might ask students to recall the main
elements of the cognitive theory of depression; analytically oriented instruction might
ask students to compare and contrast the cognitive to the psychoanalytic theory of
depression; creatively oriented instruction might ask students to invent their own theory
of depression, drawing on, but going beyond past theories; and practically oriented
instruction might ask students to show how they could use existing theories of
depression to help a depressed friend.
All participants were tested via homework assignments, a midterm examination, a final
examination, and an independent project. All assessments were evaluated for
analytical, creative, and practical achievement. The examinations also included multiple
choice items that measured memory achievement.
All correlations of ability tests scores (analytical, creative, practical) with all measures of
achievement were statistically significant, reflecting perhaps the fact that the instruction
and assessment were guided by the same theory as was the identification instrument
(i.e., the STAT). More important was the aptitude-treatment interaction, which also was
statistically significant for all ability groups. In other words, students who were better
matched triarchically in terms of their pattern of abilities outperformed students who
were more poorly matched. Perhaps as interesting was the result that the analytical (IQ-
like) test tended to identify as gifted, mostly White children, of middle to upper middle
socioeconomic class background, who were students in so-called “good” schools. The
creative and practical tests, however, identified students from a much wider mixture of
ethnic groups, socioeconomic levels, and educational backgrounds as gifted.
Participants in a primary school study included 213 third grade students (106 boys and
107 girls) in two elementary schools in Raleigh, NC. Both schools serve a diverse
population of almost exclusively lower socioeconomic status students, including large
groups of African-American, Hispanic-American, and Asian students. A total of nine
classes of 20-25 students each participated in the research.
Participants in a secondary school study consisted of 141 rising eighth graders (68 boys
and 73 girls) drawn from around the nation from predominantly White middle-class
backgrounds. Students took a summer psychology course either in Baltimore, MD, or
Fresno, CA, in connection with the Center for Academic Advancement at John Hopkins
University. The 10 section course took place in two intensive 3-week sessions. Classes
met 5 days per week with 7 hours of class time per day.
In both studies, students were divided into three instructional groups: traditional
(memory oriented), critical thinking (analytically oriented), and triarchic (analytically,
creatively, and practically oriented). Instructional time was the same in each condition,
and all teachers were appropriately in-serviced.
To illustrate the three different instructional treatments, consider three ways in which a
third grade unit on public services (e.g., fire, police) can be taught. The approach taken
in the traditional instruction was to have children memorize the names and functions of
the various public services. In critical thinking instruction, an additional analytical effort
was undertaken whereby students would compare and contrast the different services
and evaluate which ones to keep—and why—in case of a budget crisis. In triarchic
instruction, students might additionally be asked to invent their own public service, to
describe its means and ends, and to compare this new public service with conventional
ones.
Students in both studies were evaluated for memory-based achievement (via multiple
choice tests), as well as for analytical, creative, and practical achievement (via essay
tests). For example, a memory oriented assessment might ask which of several officials
is an elected official. An analytical assessment might ask students to write a page
explaining what a person in a given governmental position (e.g., Mayor of Raleigh)
does, why the position is needed, and why the position is one of authority. A creative
assessment might ask the student to imagine a place where no one tried to be a good
citizen, and to write about a third grader’s visit to this place. A practical assessment
might ask the student how to handle a situation in which he or she is in charge of
teaching 8-year-old students visiting from England different kinds of government
services available in Raleigh, NC.
The results from the two studies were roughly comparable. In general, triarchic
instruction was superior to the other modes of instruction, even on memory based
multiple-choice items. In other words, students showed better academic performance
through triarchic instruction even if their achievement was measured in terms of pure
memory-based performance. In the elementary school study, students also were
administered a self-assessment questionnaire for which the students were asked how
much they liked the course, how much they thought they learned in the course, and how
well they thought they did in the course. The students in the triarchic group generally
gave significantly higher ratings than did the students in the other two groups.
The first, the middle school study, involved two phases. In phase 1, 2 schools (10
teachers and 146 students) participated as an experimental group and 2 schools (4
teachers and 171 students) participated as a control group. In phase 2, 4 schools (14
teachers and 350 students) participated as an experimental group and 3 schools (9
teachers and 225 students) participated as control groups. The reading material in this
study was the actual material the students were studying in school, namely, stories
from Light Up the Sky, a Harcourt Brace Treasury of Literature basal reader. In this
study, all students received a pretest involving 2 vocabulary, 2 comprehension, and 2
homework (a take home section) assessments, and a posttest with the same elements.
Only the experimental students received the intervention, with the other students
receiving their normal reading instruction. All teachers (experimental and control) were
involved in professional development geared to their appropriate role. Thus,
experimental group teachers were involved in triarchic teaching, and control group
teachers on the use of mnemonics to help improve student memory performance. The
program lasted from November through the remainder of the school year.
The second, the Summerbridge study, was smaller in scope, involving 5 teachers and
33 seventh graders as an experimental group and no teachers and 29 seventh graders
as a control group. In this study, all students were accepted for a summer program, and
then the experimental students who were selected at random from the total group were
told that they would get the summer program in the summer of 1998. The control
students, also randomly selected, participated in the summer program in the summer of
1999. In the Summerbridge study, the reading material was chosen by regular teachers
of the program, and included two novels, A Raisin in the Sun and The Lottery Rose. All
students received a pretest and posttest. The 6-week intervention was given only to
experimental group students.
The third study at the high school involved our working with teachers in different subject
matter areas (English, mathematics, science, arts, social science, history, and foreign
languages), with a focus on teaching reading for content. The participants in the study
were high school students attending grades 10 through 12 in high schools in New
Haven and Ansonia, Connecticut. A total of 432 students (130 females, 215 males, and
87 of unreported gender) participated in the study. Of these students, 201 (46.5%) were
attending schools enrolled in the triarchic group (2 New Haven schools) and 231 were
attending the control school (in Ansonia). Teachers’ guides and student assessments
were developed based on each teacher’s specific curriculum.
We analyzed the data from these studies in a variety of ways. One way was to look at
changes in teacher behavior. Before our middle school intervention, teachers in a
typical classroom lesson used an average of 18 memory analytical activities
(combined), 0 creative activities, and 3 practical activities. After the intervention,
experimental group teachers used an average of 18 memory analytical activities, 13
creative activities, and 17 practical activities. The intervention thus had a huge (and
significant) effect on teacher behavior in the teaching of reading. Analysis of individual
teacher behavior revealed that almost all individual teachers showed changes in
behavior as a result of the intervention. Teachers also were asked to rate the program
on various facets on a 1 (low) to 7 (high) scale. Sample ratings were 6.4 for interest to
the teacher, 6.0 for interest to students, 6.2 for motivating the teacher, and 6.1 for
motivating the students. Students were also asked for their feedback. Of the total, 35%
liked the activities very much, 51% liked the activities, 10% did not care much one way
or the other, 2% disliked the activities, and 2% hated the activities. Most importantly
though, were the assessments of objective improvement. In the middle school study,
the experimental students showed significantly greater gains than the controls in
reading and vocabulary. For the Summerbridge study, the experimental students in the
program showed significantly greater gains than the control students in analytical,
creative, and practical achievement. Overall gains were significantly greater for
experimental than for control group students. In the high school study, a comparison of
students’ reading/writing skills before and after the intervention suggested that the
triarchic teaching improved students’ performance significantly more than did
conventional teaching. As was the case at the middle school level, both teachers and
students rated the program positively.
Conclusion
Triarchic teaching—teaching students not only for memory, but for analytical, creative,
and practical processing—works. It improves achievement assessed via either
conventional or performance assessments at all grade levels and in all subject matter
areas we have examined, across a range of socioeconomic and achievement levels of
students.
Any teacher knows how to teach triarchically. Our goal is simply to give teachers a
simple-to-follow “recipe” to make sure the teachers do what they already know how to
do. You can start teaching triarchically right away, and start seeing significant
improvements in your own students’ achievements and attitudes.