Critical Discussion Paper Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critical Discussion Paper - Dissertation Example magic spell a wide array of pedagogical techniques and tools atomic number 18 available, this paper discusses the three major ones, viz. use Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Mastery Learning, Direct instruction and General case programming. The strengths and weaknesses of each of these strategies are highlighted. ABA is right away a vast treasure trove of theory, images and models and has evolved through systematic research and refined theories (Graziano, 1971 Maurice, Green & Luce 1996). It is a scientific breaking down of skills and tasks into small, manageable, distinct components which are taught in a hierarchical fashion. This approach establishes a relationship between the antecedent, appearance and consequence. Behavior change and improvement is attempted through reinforcers such as positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, differential reinforcement of other behaviors, non contingent reinforcement and differential reinfo rcement of selection behaviors (Cooper et al., 1987 Fischer, Iwata, & Mazaleski, 1997). Rewards are used to reinforce desired behaviors, redirect or discourage inappropriate behaviors. ABA is now acknowledge as the most effective type of therapy for children with Autism and related disabilities (Lovaas, 1987 McEachin, Smith, & Lovaas, 1993 Maurice, Green, & Luce, 1996). Over the past thirty years, several gibibyte published research studies have documented the effectiveness ofABAacross a wide cross naval division of populations, interventionists, settings and behaviors. The various ABA techniques in use are the ABC method or discrete trial instruction, behavior chains and backward chaining, high probability requests, behavioral contracts etc. The major strengths of this approach are that it facilitates identification, observation and measurement of behavior. ABA is structured and highly sequential. Alternative explanations are ruled out which fosters unambiguous, clear instruc tion. Problem behaviors butt end be easily and effectively countered through a wide array of interventions. Measurement on the cogency of the learning approach is easy and replication is also possible. The downside of ABA is that a behavioral intervention emphasizes control and only utilizes reinforcers such as punishment. Each of the three schools of thought humanist, behavioral and cognitive, has merits and shortcomings and may not work substantially in all situations (Tomei, 1998). The humanistic approach of Maslow and Rogers suffer from absence of clear design or command in the classroom. There are also structural constraints in the information to be delivered. Behaviorism uses rewards for learning and this might discourage the student from learning for its own sake. Individual student attention span may also be impacted. The cognitive perspective featuring the age stages propounded by Piaget and Erikson, does not clearly explain the attainment and movement from one stag e to the next and how the various stages are linked to maturation. Lack of social check is also a clear weakness. Mastery Learning is based on the concept of achieving mastery over one concept or skill before moving on to the other. The major positives of this technique are that it is highly scientific and the tasks are structured and ranked, according to the level of difficulty. It ensures that the student masters a concept before moving on