Behaviourist Techniques

This post references the articles by Anderson, Fudge, and the video by White. 

The Fudge et al. (2008) article outlines research that attempts to increase the internal and external validity of the behaviourist practice of using the Color Wheel class management system (CWS). The authors fully disclose the limitations of their study from the beginning which weakens the validity of many of the results they produce from their study. They state that “The current study provides strong empirical evidence that the CWS caused increases in OT behavior. The current study does not show that the CWS is more effective that the independent, group-oriented, response-cost system” (p 589). So the Color Wheel system is effective, but perhaps no better than other behavior management systems. Nevertheless, this type of research is difficult but important and I believe their results, though still weak in internal and external validity, add to the growing body of research concerning this behaviourist practice. Incidentally, the most salient ramification of their study might be the reassertion of the importance of research design in conducting experiments.

The color wheel is a visual representation signifying expectations at any given time. I see this as essentially a primary/elementary tool. Students with special needs could have an individual wheel, the transitions could be indicated by a chime or a change in the intensity or type of light in the room, or by a rearrangement of seating. In a classroom with one-to-one computing or an effective BYOD policy, messages could be sent to individuals, certain programs/functions could be enabled/disabled at certain times, or color schemes could be manipulated remotely. For older students perhaps more subtle methods could be used. Different genres of music could indicate different expectations, for example. 

Emily White uses a variety of techniques in her class. My colleagues have done a great job summarizing and analyzing her methods, both behaviourist or otherwise, in previous posts. I will simply add my observations and the time in the film that they occurred. White uses visual tracking of goals, both class wide (0:24) and individual (0:58). She also utilizes checklists (2:03) and “next steps” (5:52) to help students monitor their own progress. The use of snapping (0:30 and 1:52) is a novel approach to group praise although she employs plenty of verbal praise (0:55 and 5:50), encouragement (4:10), and self praise (0:52 (‘Raise your hand if you are proud of yourself’)). She calls an individual’s name to get them on task at (0:39) but also uses check in a “Behaviour Box” (1:15) to encourage desired participation (in this case, sharing of work). She provides plenty of feedback, whether it be written (0:45), verbal (2:13), or leading questions (2:30). She provides time for students to share their work with the class (1:10) and facilitates peer work (5:40) and writer’s conferences (0:49 and 5:57). Finally, she uses music (4:51). Whether the music is a reward for some prior behavior or to indicate a certain set of class activities, similar to the colors of the Color Wheel class management, is unclear. I have used music in my class during partner or group work as a kind of noise reference. When it gets too noisy, I simply say ‘music’ and everyone tunes into it for a moment before continuing more quietly.

​Watching the video through the lens of behaviourism was instructive because it helps us see how these theories play out in the real world, one that most of us teachers will recognize as ordinary. The Anderson (2008) article, however, encourages us to think about how these theories and practices can translate into the online world. White’s use of self monitoring and feedback could easily translate to an online writing course, as could the sharing of one’s work with peers and the class. The writer’s conferences could conceivably be facilitated online, though resources and bandwidth still represent roadblocks to that ideal. 

​The three sources, the Anderson chapter, the Fudge et al. study, and the White video, all fit nicely together as Theory, Research, and Practice, respectively. It is our job as educators to utilize these three domains in the most effective way possible.