• Director's Note
• Get Training Materials
• Sessions This Week
  • In the Classroom: Applications of Operant Conditioning & Effects of Aversive Stimuli
  • In the Library: Summarizing Operant Conditioning (continued)
  • In Practice: Applied Behavior Analysis Project
• Training Checklist
• Next Week's Sessions

Director's Notes

Welcome to your fourth week at the Institute. I hope everyone is settling into the course.

I have graded the first 2 quizzes. Most did very well. As some of you I am sure have discovered, the answers are now available so you can review your quizzes. We had a glitch this week with quiz 3 which contained some questions that contained content from the previous edition but that were not removed from the current edition's test bank. Some of you emailed about this and I responded. For everyone else, just want to let you know that I will review the quizzes and give credit for those that were not covered in the text this week. I have also read and sent responses to everyone who submitted a pretest. These gave me a good idea of where people are at the outset of the course. .

This week we continue our discussion of behaviorism by focusing on applications of operant conditioning as well as the impact of aversive stimuli on learning and behavior. Our library session this week will also continue last week's session by asking you to evaluate your partner's summary of operant conditioning using a feedback sheet I provide. Your in practice session this week will ask you to embark on an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Project. This project is ongoing for quite a few weeks as it is difficult to change a behavior of significance in a very short period. Please review the course schedule to note the due dates for the ABA Project. You will have portions of your ABA Project to turn in this week so I can monitor your progress throughout the length of the project.

Our objectives this week (please read this as "likely questions on the quizzes for this week") are to:

1. Explain some key educational applications of operant principles to education: behavioral objectives, programmed instruction, contingency contracts, mastery learning, Keller's PSI, CAI.
2. Formulate behavioral objectives
3. Identify critical omponents within an objective
4. Identify different levels of objectives in Bloom's taxonomy
5. Distinguish between high level and low level objectives
6. Discuss the usefulness and effectiveness of behavioral objectives
7. Experience programmed instruction designed by Skinner
8. Distinguish between linear and branching PI/CAI programs
9. Describe components of mastery learning
10. Describe how the components of mastery learning are consistent with shaping
11. Describe elements of the Keller Plan
12. Identify the components of Applied Behavior Analysis (other terms for ABA also used)
13. Describe functional analysis
14. Identify and describe uses of operant conditioning with individuals and groups, such as token economy, group contingency, coaching
15. Identify and discuss evidence related to the effectiveness of objectives, PI, CAI, PSI, and ABA (read the chapters to find out about all these acronyms)

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Materials

Each week this section will provide you with any necessary material that will be essential for you completing sessions.

Task #1:
Download the Theory Summary Feedback Sheet you will use in Session 2 (in the library) this week. Read more about how you will use this in Session 2 this week.

• Email your Director;
• Email the Mentor;
• Email other interns.
• Refer to the Course FAQ.