BEHAVIORISM

Learning Scenario:

Elementary school students are learning how to type, correctly using a standard keyboard. Students are taught sections of the keyboard at a time without labeled keys. They are given prompts and interactions where they need to key in specific characters. As they master the section of the keyboard being taught, they are awarded points and their level increases. Once a section is mastered, they are given a new section of the keyboard to learn and apply. After each level, the students would be given feedback on which keys they missed and those keys would “light up,” so they could see where they need to focus more attention or commit keys to memory. Eventually, they would level up and master the entire keyboard and be prompted to use more challenging and less frequently used keys by memory.

Stimulus: Learning new keys in each level is the stimulus.

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Response: Students would need to memorize and apply specific keys before learning more and “passing” the game.

Positive reinforcement: The positive reinforcement is the points earned per activity/ using keys correctly, eventually leading to the next level.

Pros: Behaviorism lends very well to gamification, which captures attention and has easily built-in incentives.

It is also easily standardized. An instructor or classroom can get a quick snapshot of how well his or her students are doing and feedback can often be automatic without the individualized responses required in other learning scenarios.

Cons: Learners may have vastly different backgrounds or even objectives in a course, workshop, or other environment. A behaviorist approach is a much more one-size fits all approach.

A behaviorist approach may lack the synergy a more social or individualized approach could provide.

References:

Landers, R.N., Bauer, K.N., Callan, R.C., & Armstrong, M.B. (2015). Psychological theory and the gamification of learning Gamification in Education and Business, 165-186.