When looking over the resources for this week in Using Technology With Classroom Instruction That Works I read about a lot of strategies that I have either used myself or assigned for my students to use. I did read about some I did not know existed, however. For example, I did not realize that Microsoft Word had a research tool. I can see how this would help students (and myself) greatly!!
As I read through some of these strategies I was thinking of how behaviorism fits into the grand scheme of it all. In particular, Ms. Powell's Effort Rubric deals with student effort and, in a sense, behavior (Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski, & Pitler, 2007). Students rate themselves on items such as how they feel they take class notes, how well they pay attention, participation, homework, and studying. That is then turned into a grade for the week. I like this because students are being reinforced in one way or another and they have the chance to change that behavior if they so choose. This is something I may implement in my classroom because I am curious to see exactly how my students feel about their effort. I need to be more proactive about student effort. Each student knows I believe they can do it but they have never really been pushed hard enough to improve on their own. I want them to WANT to improve!
Another strategy that I feel deals with behaviorism is giving students a choice for a multimedia project. Students receive reinforcement after they complete their project and receive a grade on it. It then allows the student a chance to either choose the same type of multimedia for the next project or choose something that maybe they will do better at. If a student received negative feedback on a particular project, they are less apt to choose that same venue again. I do like giving the students a choice and have done that in the past more because most of my students do not have these applications at home to complete the project. There are also no computers at school for them to access on a regular basis.
Another strategy I found dealt with behaviorism is that of web resources. Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski, & Pitler gave a list on pages196-199 in their book of web resources where students can go and play games that test and practice skills. These games give the students immediate feedback, either positive or negative, on their level of skills that they possess in certain areas. This immediate feedback allows the child to either feel intrinsically motivated when they receive positive feedback or allows them a chance to make a different choice if there is negative feedback. They will then change the way they go about completing the task or doing the skill. This is behaviorism at its finest! I have had the chance to use web resources with my intervention students, and while I do not think that doing this every week is a great idea, it is a nice change for the students (and for myself).
Lastly, I liked the communication strategy. This strategy gives a group of students the opportunity to work on a project at their own pace even if they cannot physically meet. They access programs such as Google Docs or Your Drafts to collaborate on a project. Each student provides feedback to the other members of the group and behaviors are changed as feedback is provided. If a student is upset at another student because they have not added their share of the information and mentions it to that student, then the student in question is more likely to add their share of the project. If a student is doing exceptionally well on their share of the project and the others praise that student for their efforts, then that student will more than likely continue to excel in that particular area.
All of these are examples of how some of the strategies we read about in this week's resources correlate with the principles of behaviorism.
Hi Lyndsay,
ReplyDeleteIsn't it awesome to learn about new tools? Now to find the time to check them all out...
It sounds as though your teaching of effort will lead to student intrinsic motivation. What an excellent lifelong lesson you will be teaching your students. I am not sure when I learned that hard work pays off, but it is a lesson I use and exemplify each and every day.
The inequity in school technology amazes me. We have some computers in the classrooms and a few Smart boards, but not nearly as many as some neighboring districts.
Technology, just like everything else we have access to, is a tool to be utilized to best educate our students. The main difference with between technology and other tools is that students need to know how to use technology in their futures for just about any occupation. Do you agree we must use and assign the students to use it so our students can someday be competitive in their futures? In elementary school we have students on the computers every day. They learn and use basic skills that will be scaffolded with formal technology instruction in the middle schools.
Hey Lyndsay and Lynne,
ReplyDeleteLike both of you I really enjoyed this weeks resources and will probably use the activity with Excel charting effort and achievement to examine the correlation.
That being said, I don't know if I completely agree with Lynne's comment about intrinsic motivation. I agree that hard work pays off and that teaching students to put in maximum effort is something we all should do. What I disagree with is that it is catagorized as "intrinsic motivation."
I view intrinsic motivation as something I do because I want to do it. For example, I love photography so I take courses and try to learn the skills and techniques so I can use them. Not so I can get a good grade. Those two things may both happen but they are not the same thing.
I'm not proposing that it is inappropriate to teach students the connection between their effort and their achievement. But ultimately isn't the bottom line of that activity to show the students that if they work hard, they can get a good grade?
I struggle with how to help students become more intrinsically motivated. Not so focused on grades. Any suggestions?
Hi Christine,
ReplyDeleteIntrinsic motivation is defined in dictionary.com as personal satisfaction derived through self-initiated achievement. An example listed is that intrinsic motivation is the motivation that comes from inside the performer. When students use a rubric to learn about the effects of effort they begin to internalize how their effort is effecting their achievement. At first students may need extrinsic rewards to reinforce their effort. According to the behaviorist theory positive reinforcement will increase the probability of the effort to occur again. Once students understand that their effort increases their achievement they may become intrinsically motivated to put forth effort for their own personal satisfaction. The intrinsic motivation may not be grades, but a feeling of accomplishment, pride and success. Does that make more sense?
I find that when I use technology, especially when I let them choose the form of multimedia project, that students are intrinsic motivated to learn. Students usually go up and beyond what I would expect of them or any rubric. I too believe that intrinsic motivation is not about a grade but about the end project.
ReplyDeleteLyndsay,
ReplyDeleteI loved your post about using Google Docs. I agree that it is an amazing tool for students to use and I love that I can see who has contributed to the project and when the contribution was made. I have used Google Docs in my class multiple times and have seen exactly what you are describing with students reminding each other to do their part and the praise the students give each other. A similar set-up to use is a wiki. Have you used those in your classroom yet? I have received great feedback from my students after they completed their first wiki.