Education
as a Science
The application
of Operant Conditioning in education is simple and
direct. “Teaching is the arrangement of contingencies
of reinforcement under which students learn” (Skinner,
1965). When children learn randomly and results are
blatant. Our children should be taught directly.
EasyChild
shows parents how to create the structure and then
implement it.
In the Technology
of Teaching (1968), Skinner addresses shaping as
a foundation to instruction in educational settings.
Operant Conditioning learning has been adopted in
developing direct instructional reading programs.
These models shape the behavior using programmed
feedback. The scope and sequence is developed around
an instructional technique of model, lead, practice,
and test. Carnie and Sibert describe the process
of reading in their book, Direct Instruction Reading
(1979). Their approach to reading philosophy and
programs are based on experimental research of a
federally funded ten year study called Project Follow
Through, which evaluated several learning approaches
to reading. The ten year study compared Operant Conditioning
learning to a Piaget Language approach (Carnie & Sibert,
1979). Only students in a direct instruction approach
performed basic skills, cognitive and affective measures.
Prospects
are good for success when programs have a foundation
in learning principles. For instance, California
chooses comprehensive reading programs that do not
support research. Sacramento refuses to adopt any
programs based on Operant Conditioning learning and
purges all material influenced by this research.
There are current legal battles between publishing
companies whose programs were developed in accordance
with the finding of the Project Follow Through. California
will not acknowledge the efficacy for these programs
and perhaps a result, California children have some
of the lowest reading scores in the nation.
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