Learning Essay

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Scenario 1: A teacher says, “Okay, everyone. You've done such a good job of turning in your homework this week that you don't have to do your assignment for the weekend. We'll do it Monday instead.” (a) What concept from behaviourism is the teacher attempting to apply in this case? The teacher in this scenario is using positive reinforcement in addition with the Premack principle, where the teacher is using a more desired activity (no assignment on the weekend) to serve as a positive reinforce for a less desired activity (Eggen & Kauchak, p 169). (b) What is the teacher's goal in making this statement? By using positive reinforcement the teacher’s goal is to increase the frequency or duration of the behaviour, (Eggen & Kauchak, p 169) which in this case is for the students to continue to hand in their homework consistently. To further support her goal the teacher uses the Premack principle to award students for their actions. Not doing their assignment for the weekend serves as a reinforcer for doing such a good job of turning in their homework. (c) What is the situation the students must be in, in order for the teacher's strategy to work? Explain. In order for the teachers goal to be met, the students need to be in the state of operant conditioning, which is a form of learning which an observable response changes in frequency or duration as a result of a consequence (Eggen & Kauchak 2010, p 167), in this case the consequence; event (stimulus) that occurs following a behaviour and that influences the probability of the behaviours recurring (Eggen & Kauchak 2010, p 167) is the teachers removal of doing the assignment on the weekend, to enhance the behaviour of handing in homework more frequently. Scenario 2: Suppose a teacher has a classroom rule requiring students to raise their hands before speaking, and further suppose that a student speaks without

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