Applying Learning Theories db 2 BEHAVIOUR APPROACH

Part 1

Discuss the following:

• How did behaviorism become such a dominant theoretical basis for education and training in the United States?
• What do you think is changing in the way people think about others and their learning?
• Why do you think that there seems to be so many lecture courses in schools and in training? Is this good or bad?
• How might consideration of theories in the instructional design process affect such courses?
• Do you think that a tendency to use a behavioral approach in learning and teaching might have something to do with an instructor’s desire to keep control over the classroom and the learning pace and activity? Why or why not?
• How do behaviorists make the logical transition in their thinking from experiments on pigeons, rats, dogs, and apes to conclusions about human learning?

Illustrate your discussions with examples.

Part 2

The scientific or positivist philosophy of education argues that knowledge can be discovered and constructed scientifically. Positivists assume that people can discover the truth about the world and that everyone needs to work toward knowledge of the same, ultimate truth, regardless of the topic or field of study. Discuss the following:

• In what ways does behaviorist theory support this philosophy?