Learning Theories
The Brain - B.F. Skinner
The Brain - B.F. Skinner
Burrhus Frederic Skinner (1904-1990)
IST:520 Term 2
Week 2 Objectives
- Explain how current research helps us understand learning and the human brain.
- Explain Operant Conditioning and B.F. Skinner's role.
- Analyze how B.F. Skinner's research affects educational and parenting practices.
- Compare and contrast incidental learning with Operant Conditioning.
1. Reading assignments
Gredler, M. E. (2009). Learning and Instruction, Theory into Practice, 6th Edition. Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall: New Jersey
Abbreviation: LITP
Merriam, S.B. (Ed) (2008). Third Update on Adult Learning Theory: New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco.
Abbreviation: 3RDALT
Abbreviation: NEWALT
2. Presentations / Lectures
Abbreviation: LITP
- Chapter 3. The Human Brain
- Chapter 4. Skinner
Merriam, S.B. (Ed) (2008). Third Update on Adult Learning Theory: New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco.
Abbreviation: 3RDALT
- Chapter 5. Teaching with the Brain in Mind
Abbreviation: NEWALT
- Chapter 8. The Brain & Consciousness: Sources of Information
- Chapter 3. Informal and Incidental Learning
2. Presentations / Lectures
- The Human Brain, B.F. Skinner's Operant Conditioning, and Informal and Incidental Learning
- Week 2 Lecture Notes
- Guthrie/Homework/Flipped Classroom (available from Virtual Office Hours)
- Week 1 Summary- Gredler (available from Virtual Office Hours)
- Learning Theories Virtual Office Hours- Feedback and discussion of Guthrie, Skinner, Schumann's neurochemistry, motivation, constructivism and applications in the classroom and in training.
2. Learning outcomes. Different functions of the brain
- Explain how current research helps us understand the brain and learning.
- Explain Operant Conditioning and Skinner's role.
- Analyze how Skinner's research affects educational and parenting practices.
- Compare and contrast incidental learning with Operant Conditioning.
3. Writing assignment. Forum 2. The brain
Forum 2:
Step 1
Based on what you have read about the brain this week, and to the best of your ability, discuss how looking a results of brain research might impact a training or educational issue you may be concerned with. Be brief but succinct in your response.
Step 2
Respond to the person who posted before you. You also are welcome to respond to any other comments that you would like to.
Fischer, (2016)
Classmates,
Charlie Rose Brain Series and the Great Mysteries of the Human Brain.
Biology is now thought as a tool. The function and brain activity will offer new insights and advancements for patients suffering from chronic disease such as Depression, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson Disease. The brain can recover from damage.
Conscience is it not understood. How does it produce our likes and dislikes? Appreciation of scents, tastes, images, poetry, memory, creativity, and awareness. What factors influence a person’s intelligence.
In training, we learn what we can see before us, yet there is much more to learn that is unseen. We learn by pushing our trainee’s boundaries to go from the known to the unknown. “Studies with both rats and humans indicate that stimulating environments can lead to cerebral changes throughout the lifespan.” Autopsies citing the reading indicated that are more synaptic connections in university graduates who had led more stimulating lives.
Growth, “a dramatic increase in the numbers of dendrites and synapses” whether designing training modules for a combat soldier or a support contractor, for example, it appears the most effective training places trainee's in stimulating environments resulting in more synaptic connections. To measure these changes when conducting training would permit further development and refinement to better enable trainees to reach their full potential.
The brain is not hardwired. It changes, and grows not in size but in development.
Dana
Reference:
01- the great mysteries of the human brain. Charlie Rose. https://youtu.be/X4A60HFLWSA
Charlie Rose Brain Series and the Great Mysteries of the Human Brain.
Biology is now thought as a tool. The function and brain activity will offer new insights and advancements for patients suffering from chronic disease such as Depression, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson Disease. The brain can recover from damage.
Conscience is it not understood. How does it produce our likes and dislikes? Appreciation of scents, tastes, images, poetry, memory, creativity, and awareness. What factors influence a person’s intelligence.
In training, we learn what we can see before us, yet there is much more to learn that is unseen. We learn by pushing our trainee’s boundaries to go from the known to the unknown. “Studies with both rats and humans indicate that stimulating environments can lead to cerebral changes throughout the lifespan.” Autopsies citing the reading indicated that are more synaptic connections in university graduates who had led more stimulating lives.
Growth, “a dramatic increase in the numbers of dendrites and synapses” whether designing training modules for a combat soldier or a support contractor, for example, it appears the most effective training places trainee's in stimulating environments resulting in more synaptic connections. To measure these changes when conducting training would permit further development and refinement to better enable trainees to reach their full potential.
The brain is not hardwired. It changes, and grows not in size but in development.
Dana
Reference:
01- the great mysteries of the human brain. Charlie Rose. https://youtu.be/X4A60HFLWSA
Reply from peer. Forum 2. The brain
Dana,
I was fascinated by the information I learned from the Charlie Rose interviews. It seemed that there is so much more to accomplish in this field, however, the potential of curing some diseases by learning more about the brain and finding solutions is promising and hopeful.
I agree with you that being able to measure changes in the synaptic connections for trainees’ brains would give us a great advantage to further develop special training. There is so much potential in the information collected that could revolutionize the way people learn and the way information is delivered.
Stimulating and comfortable environments that encourage learning seem to be more present in schools these days. In my school growing up in Damascus, we had white (which turned gray by the end of the year) walls, desks, and the board. No pictures, nothing attractive about the classroom. In the classroom where my kids learn today, there are colors, comfortable group seating, book shelves, posters and so much more. I do sometimes wonder if it could be too stimulating. It is exciting to see what the future holds in the study of the brain.
Classmate
I was fascinated by the information I learned from the Charlie Rose interviews. It seemed that there is so much more to accomplish in this field, however, the potential of curing some diseases by learning more about the brain and finding solutions is promising and hopeful.
I agree with you that being able to measure changes in the synaptic connections for trainees’ brains would give us a great advantage to further develop special training. There is so much potential in the information collected that could revolutionize the way people learn and the way information is delivered.
Stimulating and comfortable environments that encourage learning seem to be more present in schools these days. In my school growing up in Damascus, we had white (which turned gray by the end of the year) walls, desks, and the board. No pictures, nothing attractive about the classroom. In the classroom where my kids learn today, there are colors, comfortable group seating, book shelves, posters and so much more. I do sometimes wonder if it could be too stimulating. It is exciting to see what the future holds in the study of the brain.
Classmate
4. Response to peer. Forum 2. Corpus callosum
Dear Classmate,
The fact that you would refrain from trying something unproven in your experience in your actual teaching or instruction is admirable. If it is not OK to seek to apply that which we are able to understand and relate to in our studies and are able to inculcate within our thinking; however, then what are we doing all this (studying) for? To convey that the responsible path is the one that only involves hands on collaboration with experts in the field we are studying seems far too limiting.
The strength of your argument lies in the ethical nature of your stated concerns – to cognitively maintain an ethical approach; to not be tempted to use subliminal tricks on students to shortcut the path to learning – as one example. Your focus on the latter part of your Forum 2 response on the flat bundle of neural fibers about 10 cm long beneath the cortex [1] in the eutherian [2]brain [3] (or corpus callosum) is also noteworthy.
As I look more into various aspects of the corpus callosum, it was interesting to learn that until the 1990’s, the corpus callosum was long considered different in size between men and women. Owing to advanced analytical techniques of computational neuroanatomy developed in the 1990s, sex related differences in the corpus callosum were clear and that they correlated with cognitive performance in certain tests and that the midsagittal corpus callosum cross-sectional area is, on average, proportionately larger in females. Score 1 for the fairer sex!
The more I am learning about the corpus callosum, the more intriguing I find your stated hypothesis… with words to the effect that ambidextrous subjects use both hemispheres of their brain more evenly and, as a results have a more developed corpus callosum which leads to less cognitive dissonance, allowing ambidextrous individuals to adapt to new ideas quicker and learn anything new faster than their non ambidextrous counterparts.
My son, Max, has long been considered right-handed, over the course the past year, he has steadfastly focused on practicing a balanced use of his right AND left hand with so much success that, at times, he now believes he was born left handed and forced to use his right hand. I believe Max was always ambidextrous. Since his maternal grandfather and paternal grandparents were “lefties” – it appears that the genetic probability of Max being other than right handed is certainly plausible.
Given that Max has been ahead of the learning curve for academic subjects, his seemingly well balanced across all subjects, with no as yet readily identifiable performance gaps – seems to be on the pathway towards affirming your corpus callosum hypothesis.
Sincerely, Dana
Links:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_cortex
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutheria
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain
The fact that you would refrain from trying something unproven in your experience in your actual teaching or instruction is admirable. If it is not OK to seek to apply that which we are able to understand and relate to in our studies and are able to inculcate within our thinking; however, then what are we doing all this (studying) for? To convey that the responsible path is the one that only involves hands on collaboration with experts in the field we are studying seems far too limiting.
The strength of your argument lies in the ethical nature of your stated concerns – to cognitively maintain an ethical approach; to not be tempted to use subliminal tricks on students to shortcut the path to learning – as one example. Your focus on the latter part of your Forum 2 response on the flat bundle of neural fibers about 10 cm long beneath the cortex [1] in the eutherian [2]brain [3] (or corpus callosum) is also noteworthy.
As I look more into various aspects of the corpus callosum, it was interesting to learn that until the 1990’s, the corpus callosum was long considered different in size between men and women. Owing to advanced analytical techniques of computational neuroanatomy developed in the 1990s, sex related differences in the corpus callosum were clear and that they correlated with cognitive performance in certain tests and that the midsagittal corpus callosum cross-sectional area is, on average, proportionately larger in females. Score 1 for the fairer sex!
The more I am learning about the corpus callosum, the more intriguing I find your stated hypothesis… with words to the effect that ambidextrous subjects use both hemispheres of their brain more evenly and, as a results have a more developed corpus callosum which leads to less cognitive dissonance, allowing ambidextrous individuals to adapt to new ideas quicker and learn anything new faster than their non ambidextrous counterparts.
My son, Max, has long been considered right-handed, over the course the past year, he has steadfastly focused on practicing a balanced use of his right AND left hand with so much success that, at times, he now believes he was born left handed and forced to use his right hand. I believe Max was always ambidextrous. Since his maternal grandfather and paternal grandparents were “lefties” – it appears that the genetic probability of Max being other than right handed is certainly plausible.
Given that Max has been ahead of the learning curve for academic subjects, his seemingly well balanced across all subjects, with no as yet readily identifiable performance gaps – seems to be on the pathway towards affirming your corpus callosum hypothesis.
Sincerely, Dana
Links:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_cortex
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutheria
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain
Reply from peer. Forum 2. Corpus callosum
Dana,
I am reminded of those now infamous words from that indomitable Spanish fence, Inigo Montoya, who said,
"I know something you don't know.
[And what is that?]
I... am not left-handed."
I have employed the Montoya foil more than once to win a bar bet (pool, shuffleboard, darts, etc...).
Thank you for your thoughtful response.
Classmate
I am reminded of those now infamous words from that indomitable Spanish fence, Inigo Montoya, who said,
"I know something you don't know.
[And what is that?]
I... am not left-handed."
I have employed the Montoya foil more than once to win a bar bet (pool, shuffleboard, darts, etc...).
Thank you for your thoughtful response.
Classmate
5. Writing Assignment. Forum 3. Digital society
Classmates,
With technological advancements, there seems to be a growing tendency for individuals spending a significant amount of time on media devices communicating electronically, surfing the internet, playing games, interacting with online acquaintances (and so on) to the point where these online activities become more important than spending time in person with family and friends in close proximity.
I first became aware of the effects of what one might term “the Operant Conditioning of Advancing Technology (OCAT)” in 1993-1995 when stationed on the two by half mile islet in the Republic of the Marshall Islands call Kwajalein (often simply called “Kwaj”).
Not long after being stationed at Kwaj, a good friend of mine (who also worked for MIT/LL and would later become my boss) told stories of the old days (back in the 60’s and 70’s) when the BLUE GLOW coming out of everybody’s home was lights from saltwater aquariums. In those early days Kwaj residents gathered nightly to socialize on the beach, on their porches (there was no internet, no personal computers – in fact there was not even any television). Residents could snorkel or scuba dive in the Kwaj lagoon (a mere 45 second walk from my home) and catch sea critters and bring them back and enjoy watching them in their home's saltwater aquarium. Getting saltwater to fill and maintain the tanks was easy as the non-drinking water plumbed into Kwaj homes was straight from “the lagoon.”
During the 90’s, Kwajalein had two television stations (Armed Forces Radio Television Station and CNN). Although there were personal computers, there was limited internet connectivity. From the 90s until present day at Kwaj, the BLUE GLOW coming from the residence homes is now from the television and personal computers. The residence now mostly keep to themselves at night, locked up tightly in their home, with minimal socialization like they did in the old days.
Socializing and gathering with neighbors and friends significantly decreased over the years.
Skinner’s Concept of Negative Utility, well cited by others in the forum posting, as well as Rule-Governed Behavior, are two phenomenons that are descriptive of the decline of face-to-face socialization on Kwajalein.
Dana
With technological advancements, there seems to be a growing tendency for individuals spending a significant amount of time on media devices communicating electronically, surfing the internet, playing games, interacting with online acquaintances (and so on) to the point where these online activities become more important than spending time in person with family and friends in close proximity.
I first became aware of the effects of what one might term “the Operant Conditioning of Advancing Technology (OCAT)” in 1993-1995 when stationed on the two by half mile islet in the Republic of the Marshall Islands call Kwajalein (often simply called “Kwaj”).
Not long after being stationed at Kwaj, a good friend of mine (who also worked for MIT/LL and would later become my boss) told stories of the old days (back in the 60’s and 70’s) when the BLUE GLOW coming out of everybody’s home was lights from saltwater aquariums. In those early days Kwaj residents gathered nightly to socialize on the beach, on their porches (there was no internet, no personal computers – in fact there was not even any television). Residents could snorkel or scuba dive in the Kwaj lagoon (a mere 45 second walk from my home) and catch sea critters and bring them back and enjoy watching them in their home's saltwater aquarium. Getting saltwater to fill and maintain the tanks was easy as the non-drinking water plumbed into Kwaj homes was straight from “the lagoon.”
During the 90’s, Kwajalein had two television stations (Armed Forces Radio Television Station and CNN). Although there were personal computers, there was limited internet connectivity. From the 90s until present day at Kwaj, the BLUE GLOW coming from the residence homes is now from the television and personal computers. The residence now mostly keep to themselves at night, locked up tightly in their home, with minimal socialization like they did in the old days.
Socializing and gathering with neighbors and friends significantly decreased over the years.
Skinner’s Concept of Negative Utility, well cited by others in the forum posting, as well as Rule-Governed Behavior, are two phenomenons that are descriptive of the decline of face-to-face socialization on Kwajalein.
Dana
Reply from peer A. Forum 3. Digital society
Dana,
When I left home after college, and through my various moves, my mom would always ask me what my neighbors were like. I would usually tell her that I don't really know them except to wave hello or on rare occasions chat about the weather, the local schools, or something else innocuous. She would wonder at the differences between her life and mine in that regard - both her childhood and adulthood. Part of this is due to our different personalities, but I don't think I'm alone in my experience for my socioeconomic class today.
Now, many of us are additionally staying in the home more. It's as much Farmville and World of Warcraft as much as it is Jessica Jones or How to Make a Murderer. At least the latter can lead to social discussions, as I expedience in the workplace. Several coworkers use their breaks to talk about their favorite shows or the latest movies.
I do think our social activities have changed, but not necessarily for the worse. Meetup.com allows us to find out of the house social activities, just not necessarily with our immediate neighbors. I see lots of people hanging out in groups at local coffee houses. I lead a knitting group that meets weekly and have made dear friends that way. I also see lots of people jogging together and shopping together.
What I am saying is that I think for many people the socializing is still occurring. We're just having to drive to get there. I think the negative reinforcement comes in, if I am using the term correctly, when people play the more individual based games, where they're not interacting with anyone. There will always be some people who prefer to be on their own. However, the little rewards in Farmville hook you. You have to harvest this to get that, and the next thing you know, hours have gone by.
I don't know what if anything this says about modern society or what it bodes for the future. I do hope it doesn't mean we won't care about other people. However, I think there are more pressing social ills than World of Warcraft. I could go on and on about what I think those are!
Classmate
When I left home after college, and through my various moves, my mom would always ask me what my neighbors were like. I would usually tell her that I don't really know them except to wave hello or on rare occasions chat about the weather, the local schools, or something else innocuous. She would wonder at the differences between her life and mine in that regard - both her childhood and adulthood. Part of this is due to our different personalities, but I don't think I'm alone in my experience for my socioeconomic class today.
Now, many of us are additionally staying in the home more. It's as much Farmville and World of Warcraft as much as it is Jessica Jones or How to Make a Murderer. At least the latter can lead to social discussions, as I expedience in the workplace. Several coworkers use their breaks to talk about their favorite shows or the latest movies.
I do think our social activities have changed, but not necessarily for the worse. Meetup.com allows us to find out of the house social activities, just not necessarily with our immediate neighbors. I see lots of people hanging out in groups at local coffee houses. I lead a knitting group that meets weekly and have made dear friends that way. I also see lots of people jogging together and shopping together.
What I am saying is that I think for many people the socializing is still occurring. We're just having to drive to get there. I think the negative reinforcement comes in, if I am using the term correctly, when people play the more individual based games, where they're not interacting with anyone. There will always be some people who prefer to be on their own. However, the little rewards in Farmville hook you. You have to harvest this to get that, and the next thing you know, hours have gone by.
I don't know what if anything this says about modern society or what it bodes for the future. I do hope it doesn't mean we won't care about other people. However, I think there are more pressing social ills than World of Warcraft. I could go on and on about what I think those are!
Classmate
Reply from peer B. Forum 3. Digital society
Dana,
Your description of your personal experience in Kwaj could probably be generalized to what is happening in many places around the world. Technology has become one of those items in society that have changed many aspects of our lives. I am not talking about just today, technology since the time of rocks to be used as tools. We are changing and evolving with time, science, technology, etc.
I commend your unbiased report. We do not know if these changes are good, bad, or somewhere in the middle. Change is inevitable and we cannot foresee its aftermath until later. I also feel that with all change comes good and bad. That is just the nature of our world.
Classmate
Your description of your personal experience in Kwaj could probably be generalized to what is happening in many places around the world. Technology has become one of those items in society that have changed many aspects of our lives. I am not talking about just today, technology since the time of rocks to be used as tools. We are changing and evolving with time, science, technology, etc.
I commend your unbiased report. We do not know if these changes are good, bad, or somewhere in the middle. Change is inevitable and we cannot foresee its aftermath until later. I also feel that with all change comes good and bad. That is just the nature of our world.
Classmate
Reply from peer C. Forum 3. Digital society
Dana,
Your post was very intriguing. I do agree that social media and electronics have stripped society from certain positive elements that were present in the past. I think we have yet to see the full effect of social media and its negative consequences on our society.
I also want to play the devil’s advocate and mention some of the positive effects of social media that I get to experience. I have a large family and all our family members live in many different spots of the world. I have a family member on almost every continent and if it weren’t for Facebook, emails, and other social media, I would have lost contact with many of them. Through Facebook I was able to reconnect with childhood friends and I feel a bit closer to them via a screen even though thousands of miles separate us.
I believe everything in moderation is acceptable. The key is to have an active conscious on what is acceptable and what is excessive. Parents and educators have a tougher job today in reaching the young generation with all the electronics devices out there that could lead to negative behavior. If we start at a young age to emphasize the importance of quality time and we lead by example, hopefully we can instill positive habits about the use of electronics.
Classmate
Your post was very intriguing. I do agree that social media and electronics have stripped society from certain positive elements that were present in the past. I think we have yet to see the full effect of social media and its negative consequences on our society.
I also want to play the devil’s advocate and mention some of the positive effects of social media that I get to experience. I have a large family and all our family members live in many different spots of the world. I have a family member on almost every continent and if it weren’t for Facebook, emails, and other social media, I would have lost contact with many of them. Through Facebook I was able to reconnect with childhood friends and I feel a bit closer to them via a screen even though thousands of miles separate us.
I believe everything in moderation is acceptable. The key is to have an active conscious on what is acceptable and what is excessive. Parents and educators have a tougher job today in reaching the young generation with all the electronics devices out there that could lead to negative behavior. If we start at a young age to emphasize the importance of quality time and we lead by example, hopefully we can instill positive habits about the use of electronics.
Classmate
Response to Peer's Post Forum 3. Skinner
Regarding Skinner
Classmate,
Your confusion or skepticism regarding operant conditioning is well stated. Why do people continue with an activity that causes pain? I presume that there must be some benefit (or benefit’s) being met at the expense of producing an undesired outcome (or outcomes), which certainly could include causing pain.
Regarding Our Digital Society:
For those of us frustrated in having to make the most of the cypher social worlds we often find ourselves immersed within, I recommend repeating the following paraphrase from your well-chosen words near the end of your Forum 3 posting:
“I surrender to the conflict of what is being 'left behind of human contact” in online communications by compensating for it by providing as much warm human contact in my online communications as possible.”
Your above “I surrender” statement reads like the first of a 12 Step program in dealing with our increasingly digital society’s dysfunctions. Nicely done!
Dana
Classmate,
Your confusion or skepticism regarding operant conditioning is well stated. Why do people continue with an activity that causes pain? I presume that there must be some benefit (or benefit’s) being met at the expense of producing an undesired outcome (or outcomes), which certainly could include causing pain.
Regarding Our Digital Society:
For those of us frustrated in having to make the most of the cypher social worlds we often find ourselves immersed within, I recommend repeating the following paraphrase from your well-chosen words near the end of your Forum 3 posting:
“I surrender to the conflict of what is being 'left behind of human contact” in online communications by compensating for it by providing as much warm human contact in my online communications as possible.”
Your above “I surrender” statement reads like the first of a 12 Step program in dealing with our increasingly digital society’s dysfunctions. Nicely done!
Dana
Reply from Professor Donald Fischer, Ph.D. Forum 3. Digital Society
Looking at Dana's comment as well as the readings, people continuing in painful situations are probably being rewarded/reinforced often enough that they keep at it. This is the gambling addiction. This is why bad golfers keep at it. Having a good round once in awhile or feeling the result of a good hit or sinking a long put once in awhile is very powerful. When done in a laboratory, it is variable-ratio reinforcement. When done in the real world, it is intermittent reinforcement.
With respect to drugs, alcoholism, sexual addiction or binge eating disorder, reward/reinforcement happens immediately and constantly so these kind of addictions take priority over other aspects of life where reinforcement is not predictable or is not as strong (i.e., there is less of an opiate release). Fischer, (2016).
Payne- Journal 2. The brain
"Dr. Journal,
“The Great Mysteries of the Human Brain” video, narrated by Charlie Rose and co-hosts Gerald D. Fischbach, John Searle, Cornelia Bargmann, Tony Movshon, and Eric Kandel.
John Searle asked the question, “how does the human brain produce consciousness?”
Cornelia Bargmann stated the fact that we currently don’t know how many different types of brain cells we have. Synapses are thought of as a set of instructions for the brain.
Eric Kandel pointed that there have not been new drugs or major advancements in the past twenty years for patients suffering from depression and schizophrenia.
Gerald D. Fischbach is researching how the brain rebuilds new synapses in the brain. Nerve cells are building blocks of the brain. When blood flow is cut off in the brain the nerve cells die, unlike the cells in a muscle in our leg.
In many ways, the brain seems like our universe and the synapsis seems like the stars.
From the selected presentations, readings, and videos it seems the consciences is that neuroscience can be thought of being as being as flexible and mysterious as our galaxy. We do not know all the factors involved or just how complex the brain is. How and why it works the way it does.
The scanned images of synapses look like the bright stars in our galaxy. Our galaxy is forever growing and expanding, so it seems learning about our brain holding an untold number of capabilities.
For example, several thousands of years ago there may have been a human looking up in the sky and thinking I see a big white moon, a bunch of stars, and several planets so that is what we have up there in the sky.
In the movie, titled Dark Matter (2007) the character provides an explanation of what dark matter is. Think of a mountain only covered with snow at the highest peaks. At night we can see the snow on the mountain peaks.
Now think about the galaxy filled with mountains floating around with snow on the highest peaks. We can’t see the lower portion of the mountain at night because it is dark, however we may be able to see the snow covered peaks. The point is that just because we can’t see the entire mountain in the dark it doesn’t mean that it is not there.
Back to our brain, just because we are not aware of the capabilities of our brain that doesn’t mean that we are limited to what we have seen.
Dana
“The Great Mysteries of the Human Brain” video, narrated by Charlie Rose and co-hosts Gerald D. Fischbach, John Searle, Cornelia Bargmann, Tony Movshon, and Eric Kandel.
John Searle asked the question, “how does the human brain produce consciousness?”
Cornelia Bargmann stated the fact that we currently don’t know how many different types of brain cells we have. Synapses are thought of as a set of instructions for the brain.
Eric Kandel pointed that there have not been new drugs or major advancements in the past twenty years for patients suffering from depression and schizophrenia.
Gerald D. Fischbach is researching how the brain rebuilds new synapses in the brain. Nerve cells are building blocks of the brain. When blood flow is cut off in the brain the nerve cells die, unlike the cells in a muscle in our leg.
In many ways, the brain seems like our universe and the synapsis seems like the stars.
From the selected presentations, readings, and videos it seems the consciences is that neuroscience can be thought of being as being as flexible and mysterious as our galaxy. We do not know all the factors involved or just how complex the brain is. How and why it works the way it does.
The scanned images of synapses look like the bright stars in our galaxy. Our galaxy is forever growing and expanding, so it seems learning about our brain holding an untold number of capabilities.
For example, several thousands of years ago there may have been a human looking up in the sky and thinking I see a big white moon, a bunch of stars, and several planets so that is what we have up there in the sky.
In the movie, titled Dark Matter (2007) the character provides an explanation of what dark matter is. Think of a mountain only covered with snow at the highest peaks. At night we can see the snow on the mountain peaks.
Now think about the galaxy filled with mountains floating around with snow on the highest peaks. We can’t see the lower portion of the mountain at night because it is dark, however we may be able to see the snow covered peaks. The point is that just because we can’t see the entire mountain in the dark it doesn’t mean that it is not there.
Back to our brain, just because we are not aware of the capabilities of our brain that doesn’t mean that we are limited to what we have seen.
Dana
Reply from Professor Donald Fischer, Ph.D.
In line with what you are expressing, here is a video that could lead you to think of the universe as part of a bigger brain and that everything no matter how big is a small part of something else.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D05ej8u-gU
I am trying to find a video I saw a long time ago that starts way out in space, homes on a spot that becomes earth, then drills through a leaf to molecules, atoms and through to a space that looks like the universe all over again. This one, the Inner Universe, is close. Fischer, (2016).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vnA_KIojLg
Payne- Journal 3. Skinner and Operant Conditioning
This journal entry should focus on what you read and learned and think about B.F. Skinner and Operant Conditioning. Again, this is not a report!
This journal entry should focus on the behaviorists, Skinner and Operant Conditioning. You should write on applications you can take from the readings. How would you use this information (or not) in your practice as a designer of instruction and learning activities.
This could be the basis for your forum entry for the week.
Please label the entry with your name, Journal 3, Skinner and Operant Conditioning
Dear Journal,
Of the many revealing elements in Chapter 4 (B.F. Skinner’s Operant Conditioning) in our text book, Learning and Instruction Theory Into Practice, the Section titled “The Nature of Complex Learning” is of particular interest (pages 112-116).
What appeals most is the phrase in first sentence: “temporal relationship between a response and a consequence” (Skinner, 1953, 1963b). What are the most effective way or ways to motivate (myself or) others to accomplish a task which is new and/or not a task that is something that, left to our own devices, one would typically not do? For example, how do I most effectively motivate my son to not only pick up his room, but keep his room pretty much neat and orderly at all times?
The “ideal” is to motivate with the type of method(s) and reinforcement(s) that makes “the subject” want to accomplish that which is being sought after as a behavior as well as sustain that behavior on their own volition.
In his opening paragraph, the author concludes with four factors for acquiring behavioral patterns: (1) shaping, (2) schedules of reinforcement, (3) the concept of negative utility, and (4) rule-governed behavior.
(1) Shaping:
“The importance of shaping is that it can generate complex behaviors that have an almost zero possibility of occurring naturally in the final form.” (Skinner, 1963a) With shaping, performance is not left to chance like making one’s way through a maze… where success is a function of trial and error where random, incorrect responses can occur.
With shaping, I can purposefully develop instructional design approaches that incrementally takes the learner from something basic to something far more complex, so complex that they otherwise could not readily have achieved on their own. Shaping is one of many strategies for shaping behavior. What this concept does not do for me; however, is provide “the how.”
For example, what are the incremental steps most effective in motivating my son to not only clean up his room, but keep it neat and orderly most of the time. While is is important to have a behavioral modification strategy, it is equally important to have effective “tactical” means to employ that strategy. As with most things of importance, the devil is in the details.
(2) Schedules of Reinforcement:
Them meaning and implementation behind this section is not so clear. My take-a-way is that when one randomly checks on performance and/or behavior’s being “couched” (such as random inspections of my son’s room for overall orderliness), the subject is more likely to sustain the desired behavioral modification than if I check on a routine basis and/or perhaps not hardly at all.
At West Point, for example, Cadets are subject to no-notice inspections of everything from there personally grooming and regulatory wear of everything they wear (24/7), as well as every square inch of their living quarters.
I am told that is only takes a time or two “to get busted” before one learns that by far the easiest and least painful thing to do is to get into the habit (and sustain the habit) of keeping everything “dress-right-dress” at all times.
(3) The Concept of Negative Utility:
This section makes a negative twist on the variable-ratio schedule concept introduced in the Schedules of Reinforcement section.
In simplistic terms, a gambler only has to win once in a great while to sustain motivation to sustain an addictive behavior that can be destructive in so many ways. “Every winning play is reinforcing, but they do not occur often and eventually the gambler exhausts his or her resources.”
The author also relates negative utility to drug addiction “where greater amounts of the substance are required to provide escape from the symptoms of withdrawal (negative reinforcers) while the general physical and emotional state of the individual deteriorates.”
Another example of this concept is when a learner does not do their homework and then scores hi marks on a related test. This is a kind of negative reinforcement of a risky behavior where the learner is not penalized for failure to study. Continuation of this pattern could certainly lead to skipping of more homework and a corresponding failure to learn, and eventually poor test scores.
(4) Rule-Governed Behavior:
“People Often do what others tell them to do – they follow advice.” (Skinner, 1987, p. 21) The author states that individuals follow advice or rules is that following advice in the past produced reinforcing consequences.
The author makes an important distinction between rule-governed behavior and contingency governedbehavior. With contingency governed behavior (like learning to drive a car) the learner acquires skills by directly experiencing the consequences of his or her actions.
The author states that with contingency governed behavior, “behavior is more effectively executed” than with rule government behavior (where someone is verbally telling one what to do). The author further writes that the immediate feedback from contingency governed behavior increases likelihood of future responses whereas with rule-governed behavior, the likelihood of future responses is undetermined. For example, telling my son that he must always make his bed and straighten up his bed every morning before going to school (rule-governed behavior) has far less likelihood of occurring on a consistent basis than with other behavior modification approaches To Be Determined (TBD).
It is this TBD behavior modification approaches that I look forward to learning more about, assimilating and placing into practice.
Dana
Of the many revealing elements in Chapter 4 (B.F. Skinner’s Operant Conditioning) in our text book, Learning and Instruction Theory Into Practice, the Section titled “The Nature of Complex Learning” is of particular interest (pages 112-116).
What appeals most is the phrase in first sentence: “temporal relationship between a response and a consequence” (Skinner, 1953, 1963b). What are the most effective way or ways to motivate (myself or) others to accomplish a task which is new and/or not a task that is something that, left to our own devices, one would typically not do? For example, how do I most effectively motivate my son to not only pick up his room, but keep his room pretty much neat and orderly at all times?
The “ideal” is to motivate with the type of method(s) and reinforcement(s) that makes “the subject” want to accomplish that which is being sought after as a behavior as well as sustain that behavior on their own volition.
In his opening paragraph, the author concludes with four factors for acquiring behavioral patterns: (1) shaping, (2) schedules of reinforcement, (3) the concept of negative utility, and (4) rule-governed behavior.
(1) Shaping:
“The importance of shaping is that it can generate complex behaviors that have an almost zero possibility of occurring naturally in the final form.” (Skinner, 1963a) With shaping, performance is not left to chance like making one’s way through a maze… where success is a function of trial and error where random, incorrect responses can occur.
With shaping, I can purposefully develop instructional design approaches that incrementally takes the learner from something basic to something far more complex, so complex that they otherwise could not readily have achieved on their own. Shaping is one of many strategies for shaping behavior. What this concept does not do for me; however, is provide “the how.”
For example, what are the incremental steps most effective in motivating my son to not only clean up his room, but keep it neat and orderly most of the time. While is is important to have a behavioral modification strategy, it is equally important to have effective “tactical” means to employ that strategy. As with most things of importance, the devil is in the details.
(2) Schedules of Reinforcement:
Them meaning and implementation behind this section is not so clear. My take-a-way is that when one randomly checks on performance and/or behavior’s being “couched” (such as random inspections of my son’s room for overall orderliness), the subject is more likely to sustain the desired behavioral modification than if I check on a routine basis and/or perhaps not hardly at all.
At West Point, for example, Cadets are subject to no-notice inspections of everything from there personally grooming and regulatory wear of everything they wear (24/7), as well as every square inch of their living quarters.
I am told that is only takes a time or two “to get busted” before one learns that by far the easiest and least painful thing to do is to get into the habit (and sustain the habit) of keeping everything “dress-right-dress” at all times.
(3) The Concept of Negative Utility:
This section makes a negative twist on the variable-ratio schedule concept introduced in the Schedules of Reinforcement section.
In simplistic terms, a gambler only has to win once in a great while to sustain motivation to sustain an addictive behavior that can be destructive in so many ways. “Every winning play is reinforcing, but they do not occur often and eventually the gambler exhausts his or her resources.”
The author also relates negative utility to drug addiction “where greater amounts of the substance are required to provide escape from the symptoms of withdrawal (negative reinforcers) while the general physical and emotional state of the individual deteriorates.”
Another example of this concept is when a learner does not do their homework and then scores hi marks on a related test. This is a kind of negative reinforcement of a risky behavior where the learner is not penalized for failure to study. Continuation of this pattern could certainly lead to skipping of more homework and a corresponding failure to learn, and eventually poor test scores.
(4) Rule-Governed Behavior:
“People Often do what others tell them to do – they follow advice.” (Skinner, 1987, p. 21) The author states that individuals follow advice or rules is that following advice in the past produced reinforcing consequences.
The author makes an important distinction between rule-governed behavior and contingency governedbehavior. With contingency governed behavior (like learning to drive a car) the learner acquires skills by directly experiencing the consequences of his or her actions.
The author states that with contingency governed behavior, “behavior is more effectively executed” than with rule government behavior (where someone is verbally telling one what to do). The author further writes that the immediate feedback from contingency governed behavior increases likelihood of future responses whereas with rule-governed behavior, the likelihood of future responses is undetermined. For example, telling my son that he must always make his bed and straighten up his bed every morning before going to school (rule-governed behavior) has far less likelihood of occurring on a consistent basis than with other behavior modification approaches To Be Determined (TBD).
It is this TBD behavior modification approaches that I look forward to learning more about, assimilating and placing into practice.
Dana
Reply from Professor Donald Fischer, Ph.D.
Great input. Fischer, (2016).
Links: Exploring the human brain. Skinner, and informal learning
The Following Links are provided by Professor Donald Fischer PhD.
The Human Brain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4A60HFLWSA
This is long video but I think you’ll enjoy it. Make some popcorn and watch in sections if you get antsy.
More brain sites
http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology/brain/index.html
The human brain in a Flash presentation – walks you through the structure of the brain with rollover explanations.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/brain.htm
From the Discovery Channel - you only need to look at those parts that are of interest to you.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/
The Secret Life of the Brain – look at the 3-dimensional tour of the brain. You can view the others if you wish but do be sure to click on the ‘choose an Episode’ dropdown list to see the choices. I toured the one on the Adult Brain, well, because I thought I might learn something.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YV_RISZslM (This is a replacement link.)
Although this article focuses on how we use our brain to make economic decisions, I found it to be a rather entertaining way of looking at how we do make decisions.
http://www.onelife.com/evolve/brain.html
This is a lengthy but interesting article. You can select only the areas of interest to you or read the entire article.
http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/a/fluid-crystal.htm
This is the brief article I referred to in the lecture.
Skinner
For a brief Davidson film on Skinner that differentiates between Pavlov’s theory and that of Skinner:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWumhfu7HPc
The video is short and contains a clarifying diagram and explanation..
This is my favorite video. It shows Skinner actually training a pigeon and I think it lays out the theory simply. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm5FGrQEyBY&feature=related
The following links are FYI only – not required but may be of interest.
For a glimpse into the early years of behaviorism, you may want to examine this website.
http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Psych/rwozniak/behaviorism.html
Informal and Incidental Learning
Here is some more information on informal learning:
http://www.infed.org/biblio/inf-lrn.htm
The Human Brain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4A60HFLWSA
This is long video but I think you’ll enjoy it. Make some popcorn and watch in sections if you get antsy.
More brain sites
http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology/brain/index.html
The human brain in a Flash presentation – walks you through the structure of the brain with rollover explanations.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/brain.htm
From the Discovery Channel - you only need to look at those parts that are of interest to you.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/
The Secret Life of the Brain – look at the 3-dimensional tour of the brain. You can view the others if you wish but do be sure to click on the ‘choose an Episode’ dropdown list to see the choices. I toured the one on the Adult Brain, well, because I thought I might learn something.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YV_RISZslM (This is a replacement link.)
Although this article focuses on how we use our brain to make economic decisions, I found it to be a rather entertaining way of looking at how we do make decisions.
http://www.onelife.com/evolve/brain.html
This is a lengthy but interesting article. You can select only the areas of interest to you or read the entire article.
http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/a/fluid-crystal.htm
This is the brief article I referred to in the lecture.
Skinner
For a brief Davidson film on Skinner that differentiates between Pavlov’s theory and that of Skinner:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWumhfu7HPc
The video is short and contains a clarifying diagram and explanation..
This is my favorite video. It shows Skinner actually training a pigeon and I think it lays out the theory simply. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm5FGrQEyBY&feature=related
The following links are FYI only – not required but may be of interest.
For a glimpse into the early years of behaviorism, you may want to examine this website.
http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Psych/rwozniak/behaviorism.html
Informal and Incidental Learning
Here is some more information on informal learning:
http://www.infed.org/biblio/inf-lrn.htm