Behaviorism in Education: The Legacy of B.F. Skinner

Jul 4, 2024

59:14

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Education News Headline Roundup

Book bannings and classroom content updates from around the U.S.:
- From the Guardian: In Florida, a children's book titled "Ban This Book" by Alan Gratz, which ironically addresses the issue of book banning, was itself banned by the Indian River county school board.
- From the AP: In Oklahoma, the state Supreme Court ruled unanimously that local school boards, not the state Board of Education, have the authority to decide which books are available in public school libraries. This decision overturned attempts by the state Board of Education to remove certain books from Edmond Public Schools' library.
- Oklahoma public schools are now required to keep and teach from a copy of the Bible in every classroom in grades 5-12. Teachers are being encouraged to provide Biblical instruction due to the book’s “substantial influence on our nation’s founders and the foundational principles of our Constitution.” Oklahoma’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters stated that teachers in non-compliance could lose their licenses. In related news, Louisiana also became the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom.
- The American Library Association reports “the number of titles targeted for censorship surged 65% in 2023 compared to 2022.
We recently hosted a discussion on legacy admissions and “side door,” donation-motivated college admissions when we discussed the Varsity Blues scandal on this podcast; now, a bill passed by the California state Assembly may bring financial penalties to private higher education institutions for giving admissions preference to children of alumni and donors.
The University of Colorado Boulder is retiring remote exam proctoring and monitoring technology Proctorio, citing low usage after a return to in-person instruction post COVID-19 pandemic. CU Boulder is not the first university to experience student pushback (hear our discussion of the statement on Proctorio issued by the Union of Students in Ireland in episode 102).

Behaviorism in Education: The Legacy of B.F. Skinner

In this episode, we investigate the life and work of B.F. Skinner, the pioneering psychologist who transformed our understanding of behaviorism and left deep marks on classrooms, schools, and methods of instruction. Discover how Skinner’s theories on behavior modification, reinforcement, and punishment continue to influence modern education and classroom management.

Highlights:

Early Life and Influences: Learn about Skinner's journey from aspiring writer to groundbreaking psychologist, influenced by the works of Ivan Pavlov and John B. Watson.
Operant Conditioning: Understand the principles of operant conditioning and how Skinner's research with rats and pigeons laid the foundation for behaviorist approaches in education.
The Skinner Box and Other Oddities and Experiments: Explore the development of the operant conditioning chamber, famously known as the "Skinner Box," and its role in studying animal behavior. Be sure to stick around for a discussion of… (checks notes…) war pigeons?
Educational Impact: Join a discussion of how Skinner's theories have shaped modern educational practices, including the use of positive and negative reinforcement, token economies, and programmed instruction.
Controversies and Criticisms: Delve into the ethical debates surrounding behaviorist techniques and their application in both educational and social contexts.
Legacy in Education: Katie and Chelsea Reflect on Skinner's lasting impact on educational technology and teaching methodologies.

Discussion Questions:

Has Skinner’s focus on observable and measurable behaviors had an overall positive or negative impact on formal educational systems?
How much behavior modification is too much when it comes to classroom instruction, and what are the ethical implications of applying behaviorist principles in schools?
With new research questioning the efficacy of extrinsic rewards, how do we reconcile Skinnerian approaches to motivation in modern education?