Behaviorism and Student Entitlement

Our topic this week, Traditional Learning Theories, provides an explanation of how learning occurs.  As I read each theory, I found myself applying the theory to the classroom learning enviornment.  Maybe because I have spent the majority of my life in a formal educational setting either as a student or instructor.  But whether you are a student or instructor, the gain of knowledge and its application is the goal for both parties.  Therefore, as a community college instructor and adult learner, having an understanding of how one learns is essential for success in the classroom, workforce, and individual growth. This formal learning enviornment requires the student and instructor to work congruently with each other in order for "true" learning to take place.  However, as I gained an understanding of each learning theory I began to question if Behaviorism was the root of entitlement attitudes seen in many classrooms today.

Behaviorism 

The Behaviorism learning theory is founded in Pavlov's dog experiment and Skinner's operant conditioning which emphasizes that learning is a change in behavior as the result of external stimuli being rewarded or removed.  For Behaviorists, learning takes place by controlling specific stimuli in the enviornment to elicit a desired observable behavior change.  Let's apply this to education.  Students are rewarded with good grades, for desirable demonstration of knowledge, skills, or behaviors but demeits or bad grades for undersirable demonstration of knowledge, skills, or behaviors.  This learning theory is inherent in adult learning and vocational education as specific learning objectives and skills are identified and then measured by competent demonstration (Merriam & Bierema, 2014).  The student learns that a desired outcome will receive reward and approval while an undesired outcome will receive negative reinforcement.  Controlling the external enviornment also provides feedback to the student as to how to modify the behavior to receive the desired outcome.  From the student perspective success is defined by good grades and the student desires that their acceptable behaviors be postively reinforced.  Additionally, the desire for approval and reward should motivate students to demonstrate the desired behavior.  But is that always the case?

Entitlement

Entitlement is the fact of having a right to something or the belief that one is inherently deserving of reward or privileges.  Students who present with this attitude expect the desired outcome of good grades but are not willing to put forth the necessary work to attain the good grade.  They expect the instructor to provide lecture notes, study guides, and even receive credit for participation instead of the student taking the responsibility to ask questions, take notes, and study themselves.  Therefore, the student continues to desire positive reward but without the motivation to actually do what is necessary to earn the reward.  Entitled students expect the instructor to modify their expectations to suit them. 

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 Conclusion

While Skinner's operant conditioning theory explains how desired behaviors and internal motivation are created through positive rewards, the consistent application over time may acutally create a sense of entitlement among students.  The consistent control of the external enviornment through rewards could have possibly created an attitude in which the desired outcome is perceived as expected not earned.  Having an understanding of how one learns and has learned is imperative for congruency between the student and instructor and ultimately success.

References:
Merriam, S.B. and Bierema, L.L. (2014). Adult learning: linking theory and practice. San Francisco, CA: Josssey-Bass.