ErinMcNally

KIN4123
CBASPaper

Feedbackisoneofthemostinfluentialfactorsinlearning,andoftenmorepowerfulthanthe
qualityandquantityofinstruction.(Voerman2012)
Whenwethinkaboutclassroominstructionweoftenthinkabouttheskillsorthecontent
thatstudentsneedtolearn.Whilethecontentandthenewskillsthatstudentslearnisimportant
wemustalsorememberthattheenvironmentinwhichstudentslearncanalsoimpactsuccess.In
educationresearch,feedbackandreinforcementaregenerallyseenasimportanttoolstoenhance
learningandmanagebehaviorofstudents.(Voerman2012)Whenchildrenhavebeen
systematicallytaughtwhattodo,educatorsspendmoretimeengagingwithchildrenaround
learningappropriatesocialbehaviors,andlesstimemanaginginappropriateanddisruptive
behavior.Researchalsoshowsthatprovidinganenvironmentthatincludesfeedbackand
reinforcementwillincreasethemodalitiesforlearning.(Voerman2012)
Irecentlyhadtheopportunitytoobserveaphysicaleducationteacherandhowheutilizes
feedbackandreinforcementinhisclassroom.ReneSoliz,aUTSAgraduate,hasbeeninthefield
ofeducationfor7years,teachingoneyearatPershingElementarySchool,andtheother6

yearsatWestwoodTerraceElementarySchool.Mr.Solizwasapleasuretoobserveashehas
manyofthequalitiesIhopetohavewhenIgraduateandworkinthefield.
Duringmy45minuteobservationofMr.Solizsbehaviorduringhislesson,Ifound
several
findingsrelatedtofeedbackandreinforcement.ThebehaviorcategoriesIcalculatedmost
frequentlyweretheamountofreinforcementheappliedtohislesson,andstudentinstruction.
Throughouthisclasshespentanoverallaverageof47%givingfeedbackandreinforcementto
hisstudents.Outofthatpercentage31%ofitwaspositivereinforcement.Thebehavior
categoriesIcalculatedtobelessfrequentwashisOrganizationat6%,andKeepingControlat
6%.FromthesecalculatedpercentagesIcanconcludethatthereasonthatMr.Solizsbehavior
intheOrganization,andKeepingControlCategorieswerelower,duetothefactthathehas
establishedroutineswhichenablehimtospendlesstimemanagingtheclassandmoretime
givingreinforcement,andinstructiontohisstudents.
Myotherfindingsincludethepercentagesofspecificandgeneralinstruction.Ifoundthat
Mr.SolizshowedmorebiastowardsSpecificInstruction37%,thanGeneralInstruction4%.
DuringtheclassIwasobservingtheywereworkingonbattingoffatee,whichrequiresavarious
amountofstepsinordertocompletetheskill.Givingspecificinstruction,andindividualizingthe
problemsforeachstudent,everyoneinMr.Solizsclasswereabletocompletetheskill

correctly.Healsomentionedtomethatsportsthatrequiremorespecificmovementrequire
generalinstruction,butthenalsorequirefurtherspecificinstructiontoindividualizetheproblems
tomakeeachstudentsuccessful.
Asafutureeducatoritwillbemyjobtotakeintoaccountthelearningstylesofthe
studentsrepresentedintheclass.
Thisalsomeansprovidingdifferenttypesof
opportunitiesto
visuallyseethematerial,hearthematerial,interactwiththematerial,manipulatethematerial
andengageinactivitiesthatallowstudentstoincorporatemovementrelatedtothematerial.By
givingthestudentsawaytoseeandlearnmaterialthatincorporatesmultiplemodalitieswill
allowincreasesinsuccessforallstudents.

InmyobservationofMr.Solizsclasses,hisestablishedroutine,andencouraging,and
positivereinforcementmethodsarewhatbringshimthemostsuccessinhisclasses.He
understandsthevaluethatphysicaleducationhasinthelivesofthestudentsheteaches,and
lovestheworkhedoes.Asacoachandteacheritwillbemyjobtoprovideanenvironmentthat
willappealtoallmystudentsandathletes,whileensuringthatIamadheringtostatestandards
anddistrictexpectations.TobeasuccessfulteacherIwillneedtounderstandmylearningwill

notstopatgraduation.Iwillcontinuetolearnandgrowtofindthetypeofinstructionthatwill
yieldthegreatestsuccess.Teachingstyleisnotdefinedbyhowyoufeelisthebestwaytoteach,
orwhatyouhavedoneyearafteryear,butwhatisthebestwaytoteachyourstudentsinaway
thatcreatesandensuressuccess.

TallyTotals:

SpecificPositive
Reinforcement

GeneralPositive
Reinforcement

SpecificNegative
Reinforcement

GeneralNegative
Reinforcement

15

SpecificTechnical
Instruction

GeneralTechnical
Instruction

KeepingControl

Organization

25

SpecificPositive
Reinforcement

GeneralPositive
Reinforcement

SpecificNegative
Reinforcement

GeneralNegative
Reinforcement

22%

9%

6%

10%

GeneralTechnical
Instruction

KeepingControl

Organization

Total=68

PercentageTotals:

SpecificTechnical
Instruction

37%

4%

6%

6%

1. Specificpositivereinforcement:whenaninstructorpositivelyreinforcesasingleplayeror
student.
2. Generalpositivereinforcement:whenaninstructorpositivelyreinforcestheteamorclass
3. Specificnegativereinforcement:whenaninstructornegativelyreinforcesasingleplayeror
student
4. Generalnegativereinforcement:whenaninstructornegativelyreinforcesateamorclass
5. Specifictechnicalinstruction:whenaninstructorinstructsaplayerorstudent
6. Generaltechnicalinstruction:whenaninstructorinstructstheteamorclass
7. Keepingcontrol:whenaninstructorhastocorrectmisbehaviororotherbreachesofdiscipline,
otherthanclassorgamerelatedbehaviors
8. Organization:whenaninstructorinstructsplayersorstudentsconcerningorganizationalchores
(e.g.,pickupbatsortakeaparticularformation)

Determinethefollowingratios:

Totalnumberofbehaviors:totalnumberofminutesobserved=68:45
Numberofpositivereinforcements:numberofnegativereinforcements=21:11
Numberofspecificpositivereinforcements:numberofspecificnegativereinforcements=15:4

WorksCited

1.Voerman,Lia."TypesandFrequenciesofFeedbackInterventionsinClassroomInteractionin
SecondaryEducation."Elsevier.N.p.,2012.Web.