After reading Mutonen, Gruber and Lehtinen (2017), consider your own program or discipline. How are cognitive capacities evaluated behaviorally (e.g., in counseling we expect certain skills that demonstrate openness to feedback and empathy)? How accurate does it feel? Anything missing? How might you change the current evaluation system, given the emphasis on metrics?
Great question, Rachel and Preeti. I will continue that line of thought in the example provided on counseling and the skills expected. The Masters counseling students complete a practicum and internship either in a school or higher education setting, and as part of the experience are evaluated. The rubric contains dispositions, counseling skills, program organization/implementation/delivery/assessment, and professional development. The Counseling Skills section is very easily identifiable as behaviorist- "demonstrates effective reflection of feeling", "demonstrates establishment of realistic, appropriate, and attainable counseling goals with students". However, the Dispositions section, which are the more cognitive capacities, such as "flexibility", "awareness of own impact on others", "motivation" do not have evaluative behaviors listed. It leaves a lot of room for interpretation on the part of the evaluator. This could be seen as a deficiency in the evaluation process- how do we as evaluators stay unbiased? Are our evaluations accurate? How do we measure "openness to new ideas"? But also, counseling is a very nuanced thing, it's not a hard science, and sometimes you can just pick up on when someone cannot empathize and relate to others in the way that needs to happen. Gatekeeping isn't as easy as a behavioral checklist. So, I definitely see both sides. As far as changing the current evaluation system, I'm not sure I would or that I have enough knowledge now of how to do so. It's super important to set clear standards and expectations from the beginning and consult with others.
ReplyDelete- Dana Brookover
According to Merriam and Bierema (2014), behaviorism is very prominent in adult education practice. The presence of behaviorism is indicated when adult educators use behavioral objectives that are linked to learning outcomes or objectives, competency-based curricula, or instructional design models. Additionally, what has become known as “evidence-based practice wherein quantifiable, systematic, and observable ‘outcomes’ are used as markers of learning and in turn are used to structure learning activities is a behavioristic-orientated model permeating adult basic education…” (Merriam & Bierema, 2014, p. 27). Adult basic education (ABE) instructional programs are typically provided at the 0-8th grade levels. Behaviorism is also evident in adult career and technical education programs. For example, adult vocational education focuses on adults acquiring skills for a specific occupation, teaching those skills from basic to expert levels, and expecting the adult students to demonstrate their competency in performing those skills (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). Does this sound familiar? Recall the Dreyfus model on page 10 of the Making Social Science Matter book. In an article by Stuart Dreyfus, the model is referred to as the “The five-stage model of adult skill acquisition” (Dreyfus, 2004). In my experience working in the adult education field I believe that behaviorism is well established and will be around for a long time to come. I don’t see any need to change its current application in ABE or vocational education. However, I also believe there are limits to the application of behaviorism to some adult education initiatives. For example, those adult education initiatives that involve self-directed learning (SDL), i.e., “when individuals take the initiative , with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying…materials for learning, choosing and implanting appropriate learning strategies, and evaluating those learning outcomes” (Merriam & Bierema, 2014, p. 63). Consequently, SDL as an adult learning concept goes against the behaviorist view of adults as passive and dependent learners (Swanson & Holton, 2009, p. 197).
ReplyDeleteDreyfus, S. E. (2004). The five-stage model of adult skill acquisition. Bulletin of science, technology & society, 24(3), 177-181.
Merriam, S., & Bierema, L. (2014). Adult learning: Linking theory and practice. San Franciso, CA: John Wiley & Sons.
Swanson, R. A., & Holton, E. F. (2009). Foundations of human resource development. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Cat here. I’m trying to answer the prompt well, but I’m struggling a little. In the example, are we saying that the skill is the cognitive capacity, and empathy is the observable behavior? Let me try to restate it: we look for instances of the behavior as evidence of the cognitive capacity - - do I have this right? (So if someone demonstrates empathy, they “have” the skill.) I honestly just want to make sure I have it down. Thanks for letting me get that out.
ReplyDeleteThere’s a reason I’m a little freaked out about behaviorism. It always makes me think of the piano-playing chicken at Knott’s Berry Farm. You fed a quarter into a box that had a plexiglass front (for viewing - or “peeping,” as it were). A chicken would strut in, peck at the keys of a toy piano, and PRESTO: chicken feed poured out of a chute. By the way, I just wasted time Googling this. It seems the chicken was named “Henny Penny.” And if you remember my last name, well … you know it’s personal now.
Fast forward to 2016: when Bruner died, my sister-in-law said of her former teacher, “He was significant because he liberated us from the violence of behaviorism.” Her comment stuck with me. It seems I’ve been conditioned to fear behaviorism.
But I also agree with Dr. Reich, who once reminded us that behaviorism is “so baked in to schooling” – that we may not be fully aware of its presence. School mathematics is rife with it, really. And it’s not all bad. Teachers who understand that “practice does not make perfect. It makes permanent,” understand the harmful consequences of, say, drill without understanding. That sort of thing. I'll think more on this before Tuesday's class ...
Yingying-
ReplyDeleteWell, it certainly does not feel accurate to me.
First of all, what is cognitive capacities? How many “objectives” in terms of cognitive capacities are there? Problem-solving? Creativity? Working memory? ... If the theories/literatures don’t give well enough explanation, the measure can lead to unintended results, therefore, insufficient and unreasonable decisions.
I enjoyed how behaviorists “visualize” abstract concepts, “simplifies” experimental process by treating human mind as the “Blackbox”, focuses on the outside so concepts are “objective” and “measurable”. To be honest, I enjoyed it for quite some time.
But, the more I read and critic myself in our class, the more I feel missing in this type of mechanism of thinking. Is the “outcome” the ultimate important and only thing we want to know? Can we really ignore the “Blackbox”? I hope I didn’t go extremes. I hope to learn more from your presentation.
I come from a field that is so overwhelmed with behaviorism that I don't even know where to begin. Specifically, the governmental adult education of criminal justice in a practitioner "training academy." I can't help but first jump to the old "knock on the desk" to emphasize the importance of remembering a fact (for a later test question) that is ripe in many adult training environments.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, I am trying to remember that behaviorism has a good place as well as a dangerous place in learning. I can remember it being called "muscle memory" by some instructors. There were some cognitive skills that required demonstrative outcomes in order to show that learning was achieved. If you look at the DCJS (Department of Criminal Justice Services) for the State of Virginia, you can see that the "performance objectives" are clearly behavioristic. If you can check off the boxes, then you must "know" the material.
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Compulsory Minimum Training Standards and Performance Outcomes
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https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/law-enforcement/manual/standards-performance-outcomes/law-enforcement-officers/legal-issues
Example: Performance Outcome 6.12.
Subdue a resisting suspect and place in a prone position.
Training Objectives Related to 6.12.
1. Given a practical exercise, demonstrate proper methods of subduing and placing a resisting suspect in a prone position.
Criteria: The trainee shall be tested on the following:
6.12.1. Demonstration of safe contact and initial control.
6.12.2. Demonstration of decentralization to prone position with minimal risk of suspect injury.
6.12.3. Demonstration of stabilization in prone position for cuffing procedure.
6.12.4. Demonstration of bringing a handcuffed person to his or her feet.
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In the above random sample, the "learning" might not be actually in the student who "demonstrates" knowledge... especially based on the critique of the behavior. Because of this type of training, there are many repetitive behavioral teaching types that reinforce with physical "reminders" to make a student have to "demonstrate" the material. Example: "if you're not going to be smart, you're going to be strong" tactics from others. Military might call some of the tactics "positive reinforcement." The behavior / learning is imposed through suspect tactics.... some of the material that is learned in Adult Ed is not just simply out of repetition rather than cognition.
Behaviorism definitely has its place in counseling and counselor education. Certain theoretical frameworks or counseling models have central tenets that are expected to be displayed when used with students or clients. This question immediately made me think of my experience as a supervisor to masters counseling students; this week, students were asked to follow a counseling rubric while in-session with a client. In certain counseling instances, there are certain protocols – sometimes rubrics - that must be followed, especially when someone is believed to be a danger to themselves, or even to others (when conducting suicide lethality or assessing the possibility of domestic or intimate partner violence). Counseling sessions are so nuanced – no one session is exactly like another – so counselors are assessing the behaviors of others, and having their assessment assessed as a result (were all these questions answered? What specifically helped you determine this client was not “high risk?”). Essentially, students will be graded on what they displayed in the session. However, intuition also plays an essential role in the counseling profession; knowing to trust your gut feeling, having a sense that something is not being shared. Though this a component of counseling, I am not sure how this could be operationalized or quantifiably measured.
ReplyDelete-Erin Hanley
The area of Education and Disability is heavily influenced by behaviorism. When learning to become an special educator at Longwood College, we spent numerous weeks on Blooms Taxonomy and how to create activities and rewards to change students behaviors and learning. We also spent a great deal of time working on behavior change programs for those students who may have emotional concerns. I always felt a bit like a trainer versus a teacher. the article mentioned that University professors care more about students developing a "distinctive way of thinking, not detailed knowledge or professional skill." I think education programs in some degree are missing the mark not to foster teaching teachers how to engage learners in thinking not just meeting some arbitrary objective or goal for a state score. BUT... if i reverse my thinking, then how do we measure or quantify students. It cannot always be a subjective measure and there is information that the learning objectives provide. Struggling a bit with this. I may have missed the mark because I don't feel as a teacher I relied on solely on any one theory but rather extracted what was needed for the individual I was teaching.
ReplyDeleteThe more I learn about behaviorism, the more I see it in everyday life and my discipline. In counseling, there is a movement towards “competency”, which are often outlined in knowledge, skills, and awareness in various areas (e.g., multiculturalism, spirituality, group work). Competency, for me, implies an ability to demonstrate skills consistently or meet objective (behavioral) minimum requirements. Yet how do we know someone has “awareness” unless through outward demonstration, whether it be on self-reported questionnaire or minor behavioral cues we read? Additionally, counseling programs can come under legal action for gatekeeping procedures that expel students from counseling profession, so behavioral practices gain credibility and importance. Counseling programs use disposition measures to assist. I found this interesting quote in a counseling admissions article: “The increasing role of dispositions in teacher education is due in large part to standards adopted by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Educators (2008) that emphasize the importance of behaviors reflecting professional attitudes and belief systems that promote learning and student development” (Redekop & Wlazelek, 2010, pg. 3). On the other hand, behavioral assessment isn’t the end all, be all. I strongly believe, like Erin, in the role of intuition, learned through experience, but existing inwardly and separately from behavior. Looking forward to digging into this tonight.
ReplyDelete-Rachel