script for personal TOL
“New types of learning suggest that there are new ways to learn, new open minded approaches to make it possible for the majority of individuals to develop a deep understanding of content” (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000). I believe the main goal of education is to teach students the essential tools they will need to be functioning adults in society and become global citizens. Learning and understanding in school is at the forefront of this idea. “Learning means transferring. Students learn and understand when they are put in a position to learn far more, on their own, then they can ever learn from just teachers” (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, pg. 44). Education will foster ideas in students that they control their own future and can pursue their own goals. Through learning students will be able to apply their accumulation of knowledge and communication effectively with the outside world. I believe that learning means that students are understanding the content they are learning, not memorizing facts. Learning is obtaining usable knowledge and applying it to the real world (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000).
Student directed learning and developing skills allow students to be successful when they can take charge of their own learning. I believe a classroom is more successful where students feel they have control over what they are learning and how they are learning it. Metacognition helps students learn to take control of their own learning by defining these learning goals and monitoring their own progress (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000, pg. 11). When they are in control and are in charge of their own progress, students learn. The more that the learning process is turned over to the students, the more they learn. According to Bransford, Brown, & Cocking (2000), “Learning is enhanced when teachers pay attention to the knowledge and beliefs that learners bring to a task” (pg.11). I think it is important that teachers use pre-existing understandings students have and break those down so students can engage in new concepts and become more active learners; instead of passively not engaging in the curriculum. In order to increase learning, assessments must be given to make sure thinking is visible and changing. “These assessments need to be authentic and connected to the real world, outside of school so you can see the use of knowledge in the real world” (Shepard, 2000, pg. 7). Progress through learning is made when a student can receive feedback and can adjust their thinking and expand their thoughts on a topic.
Students truly learn when instruction is centered around them and they are motivated to learn. As a high school teacher motivation is always something I am striving towards with my students. In order for them to really learn there has to be motivation present. It always seems that students are asking “will this be on the test,” and are not entirely motivated about understanding the content, just memorizing and are truly not learning. Jones & Jones (2016, pg. 221) describes that motivation = expectation x value x climate. According to Jones & Jones (2016, pg. 222), “This model suggests that the extent to which people become actively and productively involved in an activity is based on whether they believe they can be successful, the degree to which they value the rewards associated with successful task completion, and the quality of relationships within the task setting during the time the people are engaged in the task.” When expectations are high, value is placed on the material, and the climate students are learning in are placed together the motivation to learn can increase. I believe ensuring that all three of these facets are present in a classroom truly enhances learning for students.
I believe each child deserves a chance to reach their full potential and learns best through strong relationships and a positive classroom environment with their teachers and peers. I believe the classroom environment is one of the most pivotal parts of learning for a student. Students have to feel a sense of family or community to best learn. When they trust their teachers and peers, a system of support develops that encourages risk taking to learn new ideas. According to behaviorism learning can trigger responses with the environment. “Learning happens through interactions with the environment and the environment shapes behavior. If a student has a negative emotional experience with school then there will be fear associated with school” (Moore, 2011). Students need to feel accepted and nurtured in their learning environment to truly understand and learn. I believe a classroom needs to differentiate instruction and set high expectations for students, all students, which allows them to grow academically and socially. Learning will be hindered if it is approached the same for every individual. Not every person learns the same so in order for learning to occur different strategies must be used to engage all members of the classroom. Learning can even include different styles including: linguistic, logical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, musical, visual/spatial, naturalistic, and kinesthetic. “Teachers can treat students differently on the basis of the teacher’s experience with each student and to remain alert for what works. When differentiating among students, craft knowledge trumps science” (Willingham, 2009, pg. 163). There is not a correct solution for what everyone's learning will look like, providing multiple strategies is necessary for learning to occur.
Learning occurs in many different ways for the many different types of learners that exist. Many factors go into how learning occurs and how it is processed by each learner. The environment in which learning is experienced can change how material is processed and what is actually understood in the context of learning. There needs to be high expectations, value placed on what is being taught, and a productive climate in order of learning to occur.
References
Bransford, J. L., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind,
experience, and school (Expanded Edition). National Academy Press.
Jones, V. F., & Jones, L. S. (2016). Comprehensive Classroom Management: Creating
Communities of Support and Solving Problems. Pearson.
Moore, J. (2011). Behaviorism. The Psychological Record, 61(3), 449-463.
doi:http://dx.doi.org.proxy2.cl.msu.edu/10.1007/BF03395771
Shepard, L. (2000). The role of assessment in a learning culture. Educational Researcher,
29(7), 4-14.
Wiggins, G. T., & McTighe, J. (2005). Chapter 2: Understanding understanding. In
Understanding by design. (Vol. Expanded 2nd ed). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Willingham, D. T. (2009). Why don't students like school?: A cognitive scientist answers
questions about how the mind works and what it means for the classroom. San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass.
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You raise several important points about learning and education, many of which align with what I, as B.F. Skinner, have emphasized throughout my work. I agree that the environment plays a crucial role in shaping how students learn; however, I would caution against vague terms like “deep understanding” or “metacognition” if we cannot operationally define and measure them. I maintain, based on experimental evidence, that learning happens when behavior is systematically shaped by reinforcement contingencies—whether those are approval, tokens, or natural outcomes in the environment.
Student-directed learning and motivation are frequently discussed, but it’s important to remember that a student’s sense of “control” or “ownership” over learning actually reflects the specific reinforcement history and contingencies arranged by the teacher or environment. For example, as I explained in interviews, children feel “free” when their actions bring rewarding consequences, but the behavior is always under some form of environmental control, whether from teachers, peers, or the materials themselves. Successful instruction consists of gradually shifting that control away from the teacher and toward the natural reinforcers embedded in the learning process—just as we want students to read for the pleasure of reading, not just for a teacher’s approval.
If you’d like to take this further, tell me to hit Your Thoughts and write which path you want to take. After you save your reply, hit Continue with AI, choose me again (B.F. Skinner), and ask more questions about the chosen topic. We could discuss (1) how reinforcement and classroom management work in practice, (2) the limitations of student “choice” and “motivation” from a behaviorist standpoint, or (3) how programmed instruction and technology can be used to optimize learning outcomes. Or, you can suggest another direction entirely! What would you like to explore next?
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I invite you to read and comment on the interviews where B.F. Skinner talks more about his work. One is with Alex Steinberg and the other is with John M. Whiteley. Both can be found in this document: https://writingpartners.net/documents/7839
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Programmed instruction and technology optimize learning outcomes by structuring the environment so students receive immediate, consistent feedback and reinforcement for each correct response. This means learning materials are broken down into small, manageable steps, with frequent checks for understanding. Technology—such as teaching machines or modern learning software—can deliver these contingencies reliably, allowing students to progress at their own pace and ensuring each behavior is reinforced before moving forward. In my view, this process minimizes wasted time, frustration, and the variability in teacher delivery, making learning more efficient and effective for a greater number of students.
It’s important to note, as I argued in my interviews, that the goal is to transfer control from artificial reinforcers (like tokens or approval) to the natural consequences inherent in the material—such as the satisfaction of reading or problem solving. Programmed instruction is the bridge: it starts with clear, observable goals, provides constant feedback, and gradually shifts reinforcement to the intrinsic rewards of learning itself. By leveraging technology to manage individualized pacing and feedback, we create an environment more responsive to differences in learners, and we eliminate much of the punishment and ambiguity still common in classrooms. What would you like to focus on next: specific examples of technology in programmed instruction, the transition from external reinforcement to natural consequence, or the limitations of this approach? Choose Your Thoughts, save, and continue the conversation!
Please Note: Everything in this comment is AI-generated. It is made up to sound like B.F. Skinner.
I invite you to read and comment on the interviews where B.F. Skinner talks more about his work. One is with Alex Steinberg and the other is with John M. Whiteley. Both can be found in this document: https://writingpartners.net/documents/7839
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Certainly—if you want specific examples of technology and programmed instruction in a high school English classroom, I would advise constructing lesson activities where feedback and reinforcement are immediate and tightly connected to the learning behavior. For instance, use digital learning platforms that present short reading passages, then ask specific comprehension or analysis questions, providing instant feedback for each response. This allows the student to see right away whether their answer was correct and, if not, to try again, which aligns with how programmed instruction should shape learning behavior.
Additionally, you might consider customizing vocabularies or grammar drills into “modules” with increasing complexity, similar to what a teaching machine or software does. The key is to reinforce each correct answer, perhaps by advancing the student in the program, unlocking new reading material, or offering positive acknowledgment. Over time, as I noted in my interviews, you should aim to phase out these artificial reinforcers and let students experience the natural consequences of improved comprehension and analytical ability—such as being able to participate in deeper discussions or succeed on authentic tasks. Would you like to look more at designing such modules, the process of fading reinforcement, or how to ensure intrinsic motivation grows as a result? Tell me your preference and we’ll continue!
Please Note: Everything in this comment is AI-generated. It is made up to sound like B.F. Skinner.
I invite you to read and comment on the interviews where B.F. Skinner talks more about his work. One is with Alex Steinberg and the other is with John M. Whiteley. Both can be found in this document: https://writingpartners.net/documents/7839
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