DOCUMENT RESUME ED 104 859 SP 009 097 AUTHOR Bart, William M., Ed.; Wong, Martin R., Ed. TITLE Psychology of School Learning: Views of the Learner. Volume I: Environmentalism. INSTITUTION MSS Information Ccrp., New York, N.Y. PUB DATE 74 'NOTE 249p. AVAILABLE FROM MSS Information 'orporation, 655 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10021 ($6.25 paper, $12.00 cloth, 20 percent discount on orders of $200.00 or more) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.76 HC-$12.05 PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS Behavioral Objectives; Computer Assisted Instruction; Educational Philosophy; *Educational Psychology; *Environmental Influences; Higher Education; *Learning; *Learning Specialists; Reinforcement; Teacher Education ABSTRACT This document is the first of three volumes presenting essays from three schools of thought regarding learning. Volume one consists of readings from psychologists, philosophers, and learning theorists concerning the view that the learner isa product primarily of environmental factors. The list of essays includes the following:(a) "Ideas and Their Origin," (b) "The Free and Happy Student," (c) "The Technology of Teaching," (d) "Treatment of Nonreading in a Culturally Deprived Juvenile Delinquent: An Application of Reinforcement Principles," (e) "Production and Elimination of Disruptive Classroom Behavior by Systematically Varying Teacher's Behavior," (f) "Learning Theory Approaches to Classroom Management: Rationale and Intervention Techniques," (g) "A Token Reinforcement Program in a Public School: A Replication and Systematic Analysis," (h) "Educational Technology: New Myths and Old Realities," (i) Computerized Instruction and the Learning Process," (j) "Teaching Machines: A Review," (k) "Instruction and the Conditions of Learning,a (1) "Mastery Learning and Mastery Testing," (m) "Student Evaluation and Promotion of Learning," (n) "Behavioral Objectives: A Close Look," (o) "Why Behavioral Objectives?," (p) "Hereditary, Environment, and the Question 'How?'" (q) "Reflections on a Decade of Teaching Machines," (r) "The Classroom as a System," and (d) "The Behaviorally Engineered Classroom: A Learner-Sensitive Environment." Authors include B. F. Skinner, John Locke, Samuel Mayo, Anne Anastasi, and others. (JS) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION A WELFARE -PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS COPY. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF RiGKTED MATER' H BEEN GRANTED BY EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS SEEN REPPO LUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM TI'E PERSON OR ORGANIZATION OR.GIN AT HG IT MIN TS OF VIEW OR OPIMIONS STA 'EC, 00 NOT NECESSARILY F.EPRE TO ERIC AND ANIZATIONS OPERATING SEN OFFICIAL NATIONAL INST1' uTE OF UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE NATIONAL IN. EOU..TKIN POSITION OR POLICY SinnOF EDUCATION FURTHER REPRO. DICTION OUTSIDE THE ERIC SYSTEM RE. WIRES PERMISSION OF THECOPYRIGHT. OWNER PSYCHOLOGY OF SCHOOL LEARNING: Views of the Learner VOLUME I: Environmentalism (First of a Two- Volume Series) Edited by William M. Bart, Ph.D. Martin R. Wong, Ph.D. X University of Minnesota ti MSS Information Corporation 655 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10021 2 This is a custom-made book of readings prepared for the courses taught by the editors, as well as for related courses and for college and university libraries.For information about our program, please write to: MSS INFORMATION CORPORATION . 655 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10021 MSS wishes to express its appreciation to the authors of the articles in this collection for their cooperation in making their work available in this format. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Bart, William M comp. Psychology of school learning. Volume I. 1. Learning, Psychology ofAddresses, essays, lectures. I. Wong, Martin R., joint comp. II. Title. LB1055.B33 370.15'2 74-13235 ISBN 0-8422-5200-2 ISBN 0-8422-0447-4 (pbk.) Copyright © 1974 by MSS Info: nation Corporation All Rights Rriserved CONTENTS ENVIRONMENTALISM Introduction 5 Ideas and Their Origin JOHN LOCKE 27 The Free and Happy Student B. F. SKINNER 34 The Technology of Teaching B. F. SKINNER 38 Treatment of Nonreading in a Culturally Deprived Juvenile Delinquent: An Application of Reinforcement Principles ARTHUR W. STAATS and WILLIAM H. BUTTERFIELD... 55 Production and Elimination of Disruptive ClassroomBehavior by Systematically Varying Teacher's Behavior DON R. THOMAS, WESLEY C. BECKER and MARIANNE ARMSTRONG 73 Learning Theory Approaches to Classroom Management:Rationale and Intervention Techniques HARVEY F. CLARIZIO and STEPHEN L. YELON 84 A Token Reinforcement Program in a Public School: A Replication and Systematic Analysis K. D. O'LEARY, W. C. BECKER, M. B. EVANS and R. A. SAUDARGAS 93 Educational Technology: New Myths and Old Realities ANTHONY OETTINGER and SEMA MARKS 104 Computerized Instrut,tion and the Learning Process RICHARD C. ATKINSON 125 Teaching Machines: A Review CHARLES S. MORRILL 140 Inst uction and the Conditions of Learning ROBERT M. GAGNE 153 Mastery Learning and Mastery Testing SAMUEL T. MAYO 176 Student Evaluation and Promotion of Learning JAMES H. BLOCK 183 Behavioral Objectives: A Close Look ROBERT L. EBEL 199 Why Behavioral Objectives? MARTIN R. WONG 204 Heredity, 'i:nvironment, and the Question "Flow?" ANNE ANASTASI 208 Reflections on a Decade of Teaching Machines B. F SKINNER 220 The Classroom as a System MARTIN R. WONG and JOYCE M. WONG 230 The Behaviorally Engineered Classroom: A Learner-Sensitive Environment LANNY E. MORREAU 235 INTRODUCTION Educational systems emanate from theway the builder of the system views the learner. The actual behaviors of each teacher in each classroom stem directly from her/hisassump- tions about what learners are like andhow learning occurs- -assumptions that one makes basedon an overall view of what kind of being the human animal is. Educational learning theories are applicationsof psy- chological theories. Each theory advocates a different kind of treatment for the facilitation oflearning in people. The roots of psychological theories inturn, stem from basic philosophical views of the human animalthat are traceable back to the original thinkers about thecondition of and makeup of the human animal. It is possible to place most of thesepositions rough- ly on a continuum that would stretch froma belief that the human animal is a perfect bud that will blossominto a per- fect being if left alone togrow uninjured and unimpeded by the vissicitudes of the environment,to a belief on the other end of the continuum, that everythingan adult human was, is, or ever will be, is determined by the kinds of in- teractions that person has with his environment. BEST COP/ AVAILABLE 5 Obviously, there are few philosophers, psychologists, or learning theorists whose beliefs would put them on the ex- tremes of either end of this imaginary continuum. Neverthe- less, it is possible to break the continuum roughly into three different sections and to place different theorists into one of the three without doing too much injustice to most. This set of readings is based on that assumption. The three sections that follow each contain theorists and practitioners that in our judgment belong for the most part to that segment of the theoretical continuum. It is our belief that many problems in the schools may oot emanate from questionable starting views of the learner. We have assembled these readings in order to give the student at least a superficial view of each of the positions. It is the hope that this superficial view will stimulate a closer examination of the leader's own philosophical viewpoint and that this will lead to a greater understanding of self and of actions directed toward learners. We have titled the two ends cf the continuum Nativism -- which stresses the innate capacities of the learner -- and Environmentalism -- which stresses the part played by envi- ronmental factor. in learning. The middle segment of the 6 continuum has been titled Interactionism. Brief synopses covering each of the threesections and introductions to some of the theorists andpractitioners whose works are contained herein follow,as a guide to the structure of the rest of the book. I. Nativism A nativist orientation to school learningexpresses the view that there are structures innate to theindivid- ual which precede experience and which allowus to adapt to reality. Nativists would accept the view thata variety of behaviors (e.g., languagecompetency, percep- tual capabilities, intellectual processes)are under the control of genetic components. A. Arnold Gesell Gesell, who is a medical doctor, has positeda series of stages of development that humanspass through. He posits that the stages alternate witha stage manifesting behavioral equilibrium followinga stage manifesting be- havioral disequilibrium followed bya stage manifesting behavioral equilibrium and soon. For example, he posits that a 4 year old will tend to be vigorousand expansive in his actions, whereas a 4-1/2year old will tend to be troubled, seemingly neurotic and introspectiveand a 5 7 year old will tend to be smooth, consolidated, and balanced in his behavior. Understandably, Gesell views IQ as an important variable. Ir his contention that there are seven stages of development marked by certain age intervals, there is allowed r ik,r certain age deviations but the sequence is compile! with by all youngsters. To discipline a youngster, he suggests that teachers be aware of the behaviors that characterize the stage of development of the child and discipline the child accord ingly. For example, to discipline a 4 year old, one may want to use tricks, number., or whisper commands as well as suggest