Behavior Analysis for Effective Teaching

Vargas, Julie S.

doi:10.4324/9780203119303

Cited by 48 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Chaining is the act of breaking complex activities into simpler behavior links, reinforcing those behavior links, and then stringing those learned behavior links back together into the desired complex behavior chain [13,17]. When the learned complex behavior (the skill) becomes automatic through reinforcement, deliberate practice, and repetition, the learner's full attention can then be focused on performing the complex task, in any environment, with an expectation of success [5,13,20]. Operant learning with deliberate practice is not a new concept and has been used in a variety of human athletic and performance activities successfully enhancing performance in football lineman, golfers, pole-vaulters, and dancers [7,14,19], but to our knowledge, a program that takes advantage of these concepts and uses them for orthopaedic skill training has not been tested before.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Teaching Simple Surgical Skills Using an Operant Learning Program More Effective Than Teaching by Demonstration?

Levy

McKeon²

2016

Clinical Orthopaedics &Amp; Related Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background A surgical procedure is a complex behavior that can be constructed from foundation or component behaviors. Both the component and the composite behaviors built from them are much more likely to recur if it they are reinforced (operant learning). Behaviors in humans have been successfully reinforced using the acoustic stimulus from a mechanical clicker, where the clicker serves as a conditioned reinforcer that communicates in a way that is language-and judgment-free; however, to our knowledge, the use of operant-learning principles has not been formally evaluated for acquisition of surgical skills. Questions/purposes Two surgical tasks were taught and compared using two teaching strategies: (1) an operant learning methodology using a conditioned, acoustic reinforcer (a clicker) for positive reinforcement; and (2) a more classical approach using demonstration alone. Our goal was to determine whether a group that is taught a surgical skill using an operant learning procedure would more precisely perform that skill than a group that is taught by demonstration alone. Methods Two specific behaviors, ''tying the locking, sliding knot'' and ''making a low-angle drill hole,'' were taught to the 2014 Postgraduate Year (PGY)-1 class and first-and second-year medical students, using an operant learning procedure incorporating precise scripts along with acoustic feedback. The control groups, composed of PGY-1 and -2 nonorthopaedic surgical residents and first-and second-year medical students, were taught using demonstration alone. The precision and speed of each behavior was recorded for each individual by a single experienced surgeon, skilled in operant learning. The groups were then compared. Results The operant learning group achieved better precision tying the locking, sliding knot than did the control group. Twelve of the 12 test group learners tied the knot and precisely performed all six component steps, whereas only four of the 12 control group learners tied the knot and correctly performed all six component steps (the test group median was 10 [range, 10-10], the control group median was 0 [range, 0-10], p = 0.004). However, the median ''time to tie the first knot'' for the test group was longer than for the control group (test group median 271 seconds [range, 184-626 Conclusions Operant learning occurs as the behavior is constructed and is highly reinforced with the result measured, not in the time saved, but in the ultimate outcome of an accurately built complex behavior. Level of Evidence Level II, therapeutic study.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Teaching Simple Surgical Skills Using an Operant Learning Program More Effective Than Teaching by Demonstration?

Levy

McKeon²

2016

Clinical Orthopaedics &Amp; Related Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Second, he states that behavior analysts consider children passive agents to be manipulated. Third, he asserts that behavioral methods are used in educational settings only to generate obedience (see also Miltenberger, 2007;Vargas, 2009). Fourth, Kohn states repeatedly that a behavioral approach is used to change behavior without concern for its causes or motives (see also, Carr, 1977Carr, , 1993.…”

Section: Unconditional Parenting: Weaknessesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marketing Behavior Analysis Requires (Really) Different Talk: A Critique of Kohn (2005) and a(Nother) call to Arms

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Behavior analysis has a lengthy history of misrepresentation by both academic and popular-press authors, and several suggestions have been offered regarding how best to market behavior analysis. Although behavior analysts have made some advances in such marketing, significant obstacles remain. One obstacle is Kohn's (2005) book, Unconditional Parenting, which argues against adopting a behavioral approach to parenting. A related obstacle is that there have not been any behavior-analytic replies to Kohn, nor have there been any objections to Kohn by non-behavioral authors. These latter points are disappointing given the nature of Kohn's inaccurate statements (e.g., that the behavioral approach entails that parental love is made contingent on appropriate child behavior). This paper provides a critique of Kohn by noting his misrepresentations of behavior analysis and discussing their potential sources. This paper also discusses the marketing of behavior analysis in the context of Kohn. Despite his attacks against behavior analysis, we describe how Kohn's general views on parenting actually could be strengthened by considering an accurate description of behavior-analytic principles and philosophy. By providing such a description, we hope to improve future characterizations of behavior analysis by non-behavioral authors. That is, in addition to discussing other marketing techniques, we emphasize the need for behavior analysts to engage the interests and passions of popular-press authors, but with considerable attention given to our language.

show abstract

“…Esses arranjos especiais de estímulos antecedentes e consequências para o ensino de uma nova habilidade são chamados contingên-cias instrucionais (Vargas, 2009). Pode ser utilizada como situação antecedente, em uma contingência instrucional, a apresentação de estímulos verbais que descrevem contingências ausentes no momento do ensino -regras -com o objetivo de preparar o aprendiz para contingências de reforço que ele poderá encontrar no futuro (Skinner, 1989).…”

Section: Considerações Finaisunclassified

“O Espião”: A behavior-analytic perspective on the design of educational board games

Perkoski¹,

Souza²

2015

PAC

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Behavior Analysis for Effective Teaching

Cited by 48 publications

References 0 publications

Is Teaching Simple Surgical Skills Using an Operant Learning Program More Effective Than Teaching by Demonstration?

Is Teaching Simple Surgical Skills Using an Operant Learning Program More Effective Than Teaching by Demonstration?

Marketing Behavior Analysis Requires (Really) Different Talk: A Critique of Kohn (2005) and a(Nother) call to Arms

“O Espião”: A behavior-analytic perspective on the design of educational board games

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About