Behaviourist

Behaviourist theory discussed in Chapter 2 Review of Literature is identified by Ally (2004) as producing “observable behaviour that indicates whether or not the learner has learned something” (p. 7). Features that Ally associated with Behaviourist theory were used to examine assessment tasks Margot had written as support material for teachers. These were found in the VCE Assessment Handbook Information Technology 2007-2010 VCAA (2006b): “I wrote the Assessment Handbook” (CTrans-428), and she had created many of the exemplar activities published on the VCAA website. The examples of online instructional materials presented in Table 4.13 below are taken from the VCE Assessment Handbook Information Technology 2007- 2010.

Table 4.13 Margot: Features of Behaviourist Theory Features of Behaviourist Theory

Ally (2004) expected in online instructional material

Online Learning Assessment Activity Advice VCE Assessment Handbook Information Technology

2007-2010 VCAA (2006b)

“Learners are informed of learning expectations so they can assess their own performance” (p. 7).

“Schools must provide students with clear written details of both the VCAA rules . . . specify the work that a student must do to . . . for Graded Assessment” (p. 4).

“Testing is integrated into learning experience to ascertain achievement and provide feedback” (p. 7).

“ It is important that students know what is expected of them in an assessment task. This allows them to understand during the teaching and learning stage what they are expected to know” (p. 53).

“Material is sequenced usually from simple to complex, to promote learning” (p. 7).

“The teacher plans a sequence of teaching and learning activities that will develop pre-task knowledge and skills . . . (p.54)”.

“Feedback allows learners to monitor their own progress and determine an action” (p. 7).

“Feedback provides students with important advice about which aspect . . . of knowledge they need to learn and in which key skills they need more practice” (p. 51).

The teacher advice found in the VCE Assessment Handbook Information Technology 2007-2010 VCAA (2006b) was examined for evidence of the four variations of Behaviourist Theory identified by Burton, Moore and Magliaro (2004) as Respondent learning, Operant conditioning, Observational learning and Methodological behaviourism. Examples of Operant conditioning and

Observational learning were found in data collected from Margot and these are presented in Tables 4.14 and. 4.15

4.3.2.1.1 Operant Conditioning

The second sub-category of Behaviourist learning theory is outlined in the Review of Literature Chapter 2 as Operant conditioning. A tutorial reflecting this theory would havean automated sequence of cues, operands and consequences in line with a stated educational goal. From Burton, Moore and Magliaro (2004) the consequences of a learning activity would be monitored

(observed) and the cues repeated in a feedback loop known as ‘schedules of reinforcement’ (p. 11). The sample approaches to VCE course work material found in the VCE Assessment Handbook Information Technology (2007-2010) VCAA (2006b) showed no evidence of automated sequences of cues/signals-operands-consequences and none of the type automated educator control described. The material did however show strong evidence of three associated sub-procedures of the ‘cue-operand-consequence’ sequence. These are identified by Burton, Moore and Magliaro (2004) in the Review of Literature as complex learning, problem solving and transfer. The examples of advice to teachers for creating online instructional materials are presented in Table 4.14 below.

Table 4.14 Margot: The Antecedents (cues or signals), Operands Consequences Sequence Features of Operant Conditioning

Burton, Moore and Magliaro (2004 expected in instructional material)

Features in the Online learning assessment activity created by Margot

Information Technology VCE Study Design VCAA (2006a) Complex Learning:

“chained behaviours . . . through practice and contiguity, the consequence [of one learning step] takes on a dual role and becomes the stimulus [for the next step] mechanism as relying on the learner building associations based on the simplest unit they have learned in an environment which provides contiguity and utilizes repetition” (p. 12).

“Create a guide for individual users wishing to establish a permanent connection to the Internet for the first time outlining software they should install, procedures they should follow and issues they should be aware of” (p. 83).

Problem Solving:

“tactical readjustment to changes in the environment . . . [a] trial and error experience . . . controlling the sequence of material, monitoring the student’s progress and providing appropriate help results in the learners ability to generalize (respond the same way to similar stimuli) and discriminate (respond differently to varied stimuli)” (p. 12 ).

In the case of a networked information system set up for a medical centre- “Write an algorithm to represent the prototype design”

(p. 82).

Transfer :

“involves the replication of identical behaviours from [one] task . . . to a new task that has similar elements”

discriminate and to generalize as inversely related and as central in the processes that enable learning to be adapted and transferred to other environments” (p. 12).

In the case of a networked information system set up for a medical centre- “compare and contrast software designed to the same design specifications . . .test software to enable a medical practice to store data on its patients” (p. 82).

4.3.2.1.2 Observational Learning

The third sub-category of Behaviourist Learning Theory is Observational learning. It is based on the idea that new behaviour can be learned by observing the behaviour of others. Burton, Moore and Magliaro (2004) note this is also known as vicarious learning and derives from Social Learning Theory where learners observe “other people’s behaviour and its consequences for them” (p. 12). Margot’s descriptions of student-student and student-teacher interactions while collaborating in forums and building WIKIs evidenced observational learning as did her references to learning materials. Examples are presented in Table 4.15 below to illustrate the components of observational learning: attention, retention, motor reproduction and motivation.

Table 4.15 Margot: Components of Observational Learning Features of Observational

Learning Burton, Moore and Magliaro (2004) expected in

instructional material

Features of Observational Learning in Margot’s Descriptions of Online Interactions with Students

Attention

observers sensory capacity (perceptual set) . . .

“Learners should be told why they should take a lesson so that they can attend to the information throughout the lesson” (p. 11).

Margot speaking to a teacher about creating a WIKI. “And I went through the whole thing and she didn’t understand a word. I said, “But the kids know what it is and they want one.” I said, “Okay, I’ve set you up one,. So, I got the kids in class and I showed them it, and they immediately understood” (CTran-498).

Retention

“response patterns and how they are represented in memory in symbolic form” (p. 12).

Margot speaking to a student “I said, “Here, you're on the controls. You're the pilot” So he set up all the different things for forums, for all the different stuff that you have in Renaissance [History] and . . . I said, “Do you need some forums on this stuff? . . . And kids contributed” (CTran-501).

Motor reproduction

“organisation of responses on the basis of feedback” (p. 12).

“Also, with the MOODLE thing I can see… okay, this girl, . . . she signed-up; she got onto it occasionally, but she didn’t stay on for very long, rarely contributed. I said to the teacher, “She’s not contributing; she’s not doing well at all. Because the teacher was so illiterate in computer stuff that I gave her that feedback, and she can go back to the class and talk to the kid about her learning . . . . So, we were able to focus in on the kid that way, and that was where that was wonderful.”

(CTran507) Motivation

evaluative judgments that learners make about what they have learned and how it will affect their performance (p. 12)

Margot describing 24 hour communication with students “I had a look at those logs; 3 in the morning, 2 in the morning, and you don’t do that; you don’t have any idea until you look at those MOODLE logs just what is happening ” (CTran-505).

As noted in the Review of Literature Chapter 2, these components of observational learning are also closely related to elements identified in the theory of Symbolic Modelling, where learning results from watching live or filmed performance or descriptions of performance and of the

consequences. Symbolic Modelling is discussed in greater detail in Cross Case Analysis Chapter 5 where McLuhan’s (1967) concept of electronic media as an extension of the human nervous system is considered under the heading of a Constructivist Learning Theory.

In summary the instructional material and learning environments described and praised by Margot do exhibit features associated with Behaviourist Learning Theory, especially those which promote complex learning, problem solving and the capacity to transfer learned skills and knowledge to new situations. In the next section Cognitive Psychology Learning Theory (CPLT) was used to examine online learning material created by Margot.