JOSEPH BAYANI SALIMBANGON

Med – CULTURAL EDUCATION

Behaviourism is really centered on stimulus response and conditioning. We all heard

growing up that “practice makes perfect,” and in behaviourism, that is the goal. It is through a
balance of several different types of conditioning and reinforcement that educators try to
encourage learning, promote interest in the subject, and maintain appropriate classroom
behaviours. The book of Elliot and Busse (1991) indicate that rewarding students aids the
reinforcement of good classroom behaviours and creates an atmosphere conducive to
learning. Punishments like loss of privileges can be effective as well, but really the positive
approach will create students more willing to try again.

However, it is critical that students are not conditioned to the point that they lose
understanding. I have had first-hand experience in the classroom when teaching mathematical
formulas. Sometimes we work so hard with students to help them understand how to solve the
formula that we miss the part where they are to understand why the formula works. When
educators realize this has taken place, it is important that they back up and try again, this time
explaining the “why” of the formula.

In Skinner's punishment idea the goal is to reduce the negative behaviour

from reoccurring. Punishment involves the administration of an unfavourable stimulus or the
loss of a privilege to reduce the probability of the undesired behaviour to reoccur
In positive punishment the teacher gives a student extra responsibilities to stop the student's
undesired behaviour. In negative punishment the teacher takes away something the student
values, for example, the student's recess time or time the student enjoys doing some activity.
I think Skinner's theory does have some limitations. The behavioural practices he discusses are
aimed at the teacher controlling the student. I believe that it does not give the student the
opportunity to learn and think about governing their own behaviours. The student should learn
self-control and how he can manage himself better in situations or offer options to the student
so he learn to choose to modify their own behaviour over time.
 Having punishment to students / Children need positive role models to imitate and
learn from. Vygotsky's social construction emphasizes the importance of social and cultural
learning. He stresses the importance of collaborative learning, mentoring and scaffolding.

My concern is that students exposed to reinforcement and punishment exclusively may

internalize these right and wrong behaviours into their own thoughts. Then they may think of
themselves as their behaviour. Then they adopt attitudes about themselves as being good or
bad .This pattern evolves over time and spills into their microsystems. Family members, peers
and teachers perceive them as good or bad as well. This good or bad label sticks to the child
and then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I realize that the big role of the mother is essential in nurturing the child because we are
building blocks of learning at the early ages which led them to be a better person.
The cognitive development of Jean Piaget is the best one for the students learning
processes
First is SCHEMA, Schema is a cognitive structures by which individual
intellectually adapt to and organize their environment; meaning this is the period of the
children were they gather information based on their own observation through their sight &
hearing. A child takes information from their surroundings base of their ability to determine
objects which they can identify and figured out.

2nd is Assimilation, which means process of fitting a new experiences into an existing or
previously created cognitive structure or schema; meaning what they saw it might compared to
smaller one is also a dog.

3rd is Accommodation, which means process of creating new schema; meaning the
thinking level of the child increased because he/she can identify objects that has same
structure. Last is Equilibrium, which means achieving proper balance between assimilation and
accommodation; meaning the cognitive learning of the child based on the objects and
experiences should be properly handled their learning process.

Sociocultural theories of development and education emphasize the influence of

society, social institutions and interactions on learning and cognitive development. As one of
the most prominent sociocultural theorists, Vygotsky saw a strong relationship between
thought and speech: As a young child’s language skills develop, egocentric speech contributes
to cognitive development and learning. Preschool children’s self-talk is a mental rehearsal of
thinking and problem solving. As children get more mature, egocentric talk is replaced by inner
speech. And as people get more proficient at tasks, inner speech is replaced by sophisticated
thoughts.

Vygotsky also recognized the importance of social interactions for learning. According to
Vygotskian theory, “a responsive social world provides assistance on tasks that are within the
Zone of Proximal Development” (Pressley & McCormick, 2007. p. 156). Zone of Proximal
Development (ZPD) can be described as the range of tasks that can be accomplished only with
help from others. Through social interactions with peers or adults, the child learns how to
accomplish the task that was otherwise too difficult for them. Scaffolding is a concept that
develops within ZPD, and it can be described as supporting the learner as needed but
withdrawing support as the learner becomes more competent. For example, if a student needs
to learn how to use a toothbrush, the teacher will first have to break the task into steps that the
child can learn easily. The process of breaking down the task into steps is called task
analysis. For example, the steps to brushing one’s teeth might include walking to the sink,
turning on the water, putting the brush under the water, putting toothpaste on the brush,
opening one’s mouth, bringing the brush up to the mouth, and so on. Once the task analysis is
done, the teacher teaches the student the first step. If the student has a lot of difficulty with
one step, the teacher may need to break that step down even further. With each step taught,
the teacher may scaffold the student’s learning. For example, the teacher may need to scaffold
the step where the child physically brushes their teeth. First, the teacher may need to hold the
child’s hand to guide their tooth brushing movements. Later, the teacher may only need to tap
the child’s arm to remind them to move the toothbrush. Eventually, the teacher may need to
verbally prompt the child: “Brush your teeth! ….Good job!” Once the child knows this step and
all the steps of the task, the teacher will be able to verbally tell the student to perform the task:
“Go brush your teeth,” and the child will be able to do it.

An educational theory that places emphasis on the learner, teacher’s role acts as
facilitator of development from sensory motor where the child is unaware that if an object is
not seen it still exist; pre-operational where the child need concrete physical situation and is
unable to conceptualize in the abstract (e.g. to see, hear, feel in order to understand
something); concrete where the child create logical structure to explain his/her environment
and lastly formal operations where the child cognitive structures are like an adult and include
conceptual reasoning which focuses of the mind and its effect on learning. Another psychologist
who aspired in learning relates to social constructivism is Lev Vigotsky where He emphasized
the effects of one’s environment like our own family, friends, tradition and background.

I realized that these theories have used for many years as principles of teaching and
learning integrate in different subjects especially from elementary pupils, particularly John
Piaget’s theories are useful in child growth while his cognitive structures develop. At present, as
modern technologies rise up, modern constructivism created according to Jerome Bruner which
he incorporate the social and cognitive aspects which he introduces the Five E’s. Engage – let
the pupils interested the lesson discussed (e.g. defined, ask question); Explore – use their
inquiry to drive the process, by engaging question let them to analyze one problem and make a
concrete solution; Explain – teacher determine their level of understanding by giving activity;
Elaborate – make connections out from their inquiry relate from actual learning; Evaluate – give
assignments, quiz or group discussion to measures their learning.

We discussed about Gagne’s conditions of learning has a structured pattern to follow in

order to enhance and easy to discussed with the children. Comprehensive patterned through
cognitive approach of Gagne’s theory. As we read his principles of various teaching criteria is
differ from the traditional way but comprehensive one. There 9 events of instructional in
teaching proper:

1. Gaining attention – to catch the attention of learner by creative motivation in

attractive ways.

2. Informing the learner of the objective – to know the learner proper information
of what was presented so that learners aware of the discussions.

3. Stimulating Recall of prior learning – recalls the previous lesson and makes
connections at present topics.

4. Presenting Stimulus – by giving some activity related to the topics or give

definitions of topics discuss.

5. Providing learning guidance – provides visual presentation that suits their topics
and realistic demonstration.

6. Eliciting Performance – make an activity out of group and let answer on the
board to show their output.

7. Giving feedback – let the teacher make a constructive correction whenever they
are wrong or appreciate their works.

8. Assessing performance – let individual pupils answer the activity to measures

their comprehension, quiz and oral recitation and motivate their answer.

9. Enhancing retention and transfer – give more drill in order to practice their
acquired learning.

After our discussion, we make our own lesson plan based on Gagne’s Conditions theory
of we enable to finish and show our presentation in the class in different topics. Every group
demonstrate their output based on assign topics. It is very interesting activity for us who
practices teaching. We may able to give our capacity to teach.

I believe that the teachers are the key of all the output of the students. Shaping their life
is the best key in order to called a teacher.