Behaviorism

The discussion on behaviorism has closed.  Both groups did wonderfully in the discussion.  Both groups reached the consensus that behaviorism could be used in teaching and what skills could be taught by the behaviorist approach.  More importantly, both groups deepened their understanding of the limitations of this approach.

Behaviorist learning objectives deal with the lowest level of knowledge: memorization.  The assessment method is a test since it involves the right and wrong answer.  

Below are some of my thoughts on behaviorism I would like to share with you.

The importance of drill and practice relates to the notion of automaticity.  In order to perform complex intellectual tasks such as reading, writing, and solving math problems, it is essential that learners master subskills to the level of automaticity. It means that learners should be able to perform these subskills without thinking or automatically. If one writes, one needs to master spelling of vocabulary and sentence structures. To solve complicated math problems, one needs to master basic calculating skills and formulas. Once I talked to my friend who was studying for her Ph. D. in math. She told me that math did involve lots of memorization. Please do not misunderstand. Drill and practice is a component of learning, not everything about learning.

One’s working memory is limited in capacity. One can only process limited numbers of mental operations at a time. It affects the operation of higher order skills if too much memory is devoted to operating subskills. The mastery of subskills will free working memory so that more working memory can be devoted to operate higher order skills.

Comparing with paper drills, computer drills have the following advantages:

Computer drills are fun. It is boring to be drilled. No one likes to be drilled. Computer drills integrate games into drill and practice. While the learner is playing games, the learner is being drilled.

Computer drills provide immediate feedback. Time is always an issue to drill students in classroom settings. With too many students in class, the teacher finds it difficult to provide adequate time to drill each student. If students drill themselves, they might make mistakes without being corrected immediately. The mistake might perpetuate itself. Computer drills provide learners immediate feedback. Mistakes are corrected immediately.

Computer drills remove psychological barriers in student drilling process. If students are drilled in class, it is quite humiliating for students to make mistakes in front of the class. Computer drills can remove this psychological barrier. No one knows that the learner makes a mistake, but the computer.

Computers never get tired. Students can practice and repeat a skill as many times as possible.