NPTNC1628: Week 2 Behaviorist Principles

NPTNC1628: Week 2 Behaviorist Principles

I find that I use a lot of positive reinforcement in my classes, in particular my Freshman Technology & Engineering Foundations course:

I allow a lot of flexibility in how students can complete projects using various tools and mediums. I believe this is allowing students to engage with some low level material reinforcement as we undertake bigger projects allowing them to better engage in the work. Although the book says to use this sort of reinforcement as a last effort, I find that giving the student tool agency is ideal when they’re producing project work and not learning a new tool. I have found this works with most students, and have had to re-evaluate how some students work only a couple times.

Outside of that I use a lot of gestures as well as generally positive reinforcement as I aid and observe my students in our labs. As we have gotten into digital modeling in my courses I give ample amounts of it via email or comments in online 3D models. I do find that a lot of my students are generally anxious about grades or work quality, and giving praise often helps ground them, make them realize that the process is the product in my class, and keep them moving.