What is Behaviorism and how can it
be Utilized in art schools?
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| Highly directed class for Behaviourism |
Behaviorism is a tenet based on
the idea, that behavior can be learned without involvement of the mind. But
how can this principle be used in art education?
Behaviorism is a theory expounded
by the psychologist B F Skinner, who argued that cause and effect is what
controls behavior, not the mind or reasoning. The keyword to Behaviorism is
“conditioning” or “training.” The story about Pavlov’s dogs illustrates this
idea.
All About Pavlov’s Dogs
Pavlov noticed that his dogs
salivated at feed time at the smell of food. He decided to explore this
reaction and accompanied feed time with the ringing of a bell. This he did over
a long period, which is what conditioning requires. One day, he rang the bell
but did not bring food. The dogs continued to salivate. Through this, Pavlov
learned that the dogs had made a mental association between the sound of the
bell and the experience of food. The dogs had “learned” a response through
conditioning to a particular stimulus, in this case, the bell.
Classical Conditioning and
Operant Conditioning
There are two sides to the
Behaviorist Approach:
Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Classical conditioning is simply
about conditioning through a neutral stimulus. Nothing else is involved. An
example of this is the sound of the bell in schools or and other educational
institutions that encourages the automatic response of pupils to go to class.
Operant Conditioning means
reinforcing a particular behavior through punishment or reward. An example of
this is to give someone a treat if they behave or to berate bad behavior.
In both Operant and Classical
conditioning, Behaviorism is all about behavior only, and not about the
Cognitive thought processes of the higher brain. This can come in useful in a boisterous art class of young learners.
Basic Colour Mixing Exercise for Highly Directed Learning
Different Levels of Learning
Bloom’s Taxonomy illustrates the
pyramid of learning. The lowest tier is simply to recall. This can be seen in
young children who recite the colors of the rainbow. The pinnacle of Bloom’s Taxonomy is
evaluation. This means being able to reflect upon the information and formulate
a fresh view.
In the context of art education, the
Behaviorist model for learning is teacher-directed, pedagogic and concrete. It
is all about “do as I say.” This involves the lower levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. This might be applied to basic colour mixing or learning about vanishing points.
The more gifted learner who is at the top of the learning pyramid might not
benefit from a Behaviorist-dominated lesson. Exploring art techniques is one example.
Appropriate use of Discipline in Art Lesson Plans
The behaviorist view in terms of
teaching includes highly-structured lesson plans. Strategies include approaches
such as lectures, demonstrations on mixing tones and directed instruction on applying varnish. This can help keep the class in order and encouraging desired behavior. This will preserve
healthy teacher pupil boundaries. The Behaviorist approach to teaching is easy
to evaluate, for it is structured, directed and concrete.
When the Behaviourist Approach
is Appropriate Within Art Class
The Behaviorist approach might be
best suited to a class of young or less able learners, for the objectives are
clear and are easy to measure. This form of teaching might also be necessary
for moving things along, keeping to deadlines such as exams, discouraging
late-comers and people texting during art class (which I have experienced). The Behaviorist approach might
also be appropriate for a class full of unruly teenagers, but a different
approach might be needed if a pupil is at risk of becoming excluded.
Behaviour Management in Art Class
The Behaviorist approach is only
one theory that can be applied to teaching and learning. More able students
might become fidgety if too much Behaviourism is applied, the gifted student for instance. There are other
approaches that can be used such as the Cognitivist or Humanist approach, but
no lesson plan can work if it is completely Behavioural-free. A little
discipline helps keep the lesson structured and moving along.
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