PLE Post 9: Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulation

How might self-efficacy and self-regulation contribute to the intervention plans you use in your case study?

Elementary Education Case Study:
You engage your third grade students in cooperative learning activities at least twice a day, changing heterogeneous group members once every four weeks.  You have agreed upon routine procedures that your classroom community uses within their small groups, including the roles and responsibilities of group members.  Lately, you have noticed that one small group always seems to have difficulty grasping material and completing their project in an acceptable manner.  You observe this group carefully and find that Lisa seems to be the catalyst for their problems.  She gets angry with others if she does not get the job she wants and refuses to do her part in contributing to the group's learning.  She constantly interrupts others in her group.  She does not pay attention when her group prepares for class presentations. 

According to Ormrod in Educational Psychology: Developing Learners, Social Cognitive Theory is "a perspective that can help us understand what and how people learn by observing others and how, in the process, they begin to take control of their own behavior" (p. 323).  Social Cognitive Theory assumes that individuals with high self-efficacy and the ability to self-regulate will be able to control their behavior and therefore will be able to behave in an appropriate, productive manner.  Self-efficacy refers to individuals' expectations about their ability to successfully complete tasks or attain certain goals.  Self-regulation involves the goals people set for themselves, the way in which people monitor and evaluate their own cognitive processes and behaviors, and the consequences people impose on themselves for successes and failures.

In this elementary education case study, I worry that Lisa is acting out because she is attempting to avoid the academic task at hand.  As a part of Lisa's behavioral intervention plan, I would first identify the reason behind the misbehavior.  If I determine that the misbehavior is in fact an avoidance of the academic task, I will take measures to boost Lisa's self-efficacy in regards to group work.  In assigning Lisa a role within her group, I will make sure that Lisa has the skill set required to complete the role task.  I will then ensure that Lisa understands what measures she must take to fulfill her role within the group.  Once she fully understands her responsibilities, I will encourage her and help her realize that she is capable of successfully carrying out those responsibilities.  In implementing these strategies, I hope to that Lisa's self-efficacy for group projects will increase.  If Lisa believes that she can successfully fulfill her role and contribute to the group, I predict that her "acting out" behaviors will dramatically decrease.

In this elementary education case study, Lisa is prone to angry outbursts during cooperative group work activities.  For this reason, as a part of Lisa's behavior intervention plan, I will work with Lisa on emotional self-regulation.  I will help Lisa deal with her frustrations in a socially appropriate manner.  Because I want Lisa to be able to regulate her emotions and her behavior at school and at home, I will hold a conference with Lisa and her parents to develop a plan for addressing this issue.  During the conference, we will discuss the fact that Lisa is in control of behavior.  I want Lisa to realize, that even when she becomes frustrated or upset, she can still behavior in an appropriate, respectful manner.  In this ARTICLE, Ida Florez emphasizes three strategies that can help children learn to self-regulate.  These strategies include: modeling, using hints and cues, and scaffolding.  After making Lisa aware that she can regulate her emotions and behaviors, I will help Lisa develop her self-regulation abilities by modeling self-regulation, providing her with cues when I feel she is "outburst-prone," and scaffolding.  To model self-regulation, I will demonstrate appropriate behavior even when I feel upset or overwhelmed.  To further help Lisa learn to self-regulate, I will provide Lisa with simple directions, gestures, and touch to guide her behavior, emotions, and attention.  Because I want Lisa to be able to regulate her behavior and emotions on her own, I will gradually withdrawal my supports and guidance as Lisa improves her self-regulation skills (scaffolding).  Hopefully, these measures will prove successful and will result in a happy, effective cooperative learning group.

PLE Post 8: Behaviorism and Constructivism

Consider your CSEL intervention case study. Are there tools from a behaviorist view for either encouraging productive behaviors or discouraging undesirable behaviors that you could apply to the case? What are they?

Now, compare the interventions that you have identified above with what you think might work from a cognitive or constructivist viewpoint (you may need to Google for ideas but it's okay to just speculate based on your prior knowledge). How do they compare to behaviorist tools? What are the benefits of each theory, and what are the deficits? Which theory might play a larger role in how you determine classroom management?

The Elementary Education Case Study:
You engage your third grade students in cooperative learning activities at least twice a day, changing heterogeneous group members once every four weeks.  You have agreed upon routine procedures that your classroom community uses within their small groups, including the roles and responsibilities of group members.  Lately you have noticed that one small group always seems to have difficulty grasping material and completing their project in an acceptable manner.  You observe this group carefully and find that Lisa seems to be the catalyst for their problems.  She gets angry with others if she does not get the job she wants and refuses to do her part in contributing to the group's learning.  She constantly interrupts others in her group.  She does not pay attention when her group prepares for class presentations. 

To answer the first part of the prompt, yes.  The case study above describes a behavior problem.  If I were to take a behavioral approach to this behavior problem, I might implement Applied Behavior Analysis.  Applied Behavior Analysis is "a systematic application of behaviorist principles in education settings (Lecture)."  ABA operates under two assumptions: "behavior problems result from past and present environmental circumstances AND modifying a learner's present environment will promote more productive responses (Lecture)."  To utilize ABA in the Elementary Education Case Study, I would carefully observe and operationally define Lisa's problematic behaviors.  I would also carefully observe and note the instances in which Lisa exhibits appropriate behavior.  I would then determine one or more effective reinforcers.  These reinforcers might include verbal praise, discrete praise (passing Lisa a note), candy, stickers to go in an incentive chart, free time, computer time, eating lunch in the classroom, being line leader, etc.  In ABA, it is crucial to identify effective reinforcers.  What may be reinforcing to one student may not be reinforcing to another.  Implementing reinforcement strategies will increase Lisa's appropriate behaviors.  To address Lisa's inappropriate behavior, I might resort to punishment or extinction strategies.  When Lisa interrupts her group members, I might "punish" her by taking away 5 minutes of her recess time (negative punishment) or by having her complete an extra assignment (positive punishment).  In using ABA as Lisa's behavior intervention plan, I would also explicitly communicate desired behaviors to Lisa.  I would be sure to measure the frequency of undesired and desired behaviors before and after treatment to determine the effectiveness of my intervention strategies.  If my records indicate little or no progress, I would reevaluate and alter my reinforement and punishment methods.  If the behavior intervention plan proved successful, I would gradually "phase out treatment after desired behaviors are occurring regularly."  To learn more about ABA, visit Education.com.  This webpage breaks down ABA by focusing on the meaning of "Applied," "Behavior," and "Analysis." 

In constructivist learning theory, learners construct new knowledge by building on their previous knowledge and understanding.  In addressing Lisa's problematic behavior through a constructivist approach, I might try to better understand where Lisa is coming from.  How did Lisa learn to exhibit this problematic behaviors?  Experiences at home?  The need for attention?  The realization that disruptive behaviors sometimes allow her to escape classroom tasks?  In creating an intervention plan based on constructivism, I would attempt to help Lisa reconstruct some of her knowledge and assumptions.  I would want her to know that she can get what she wants, to a degree, without interrupting, displaying anger, pitching fits, etc.  Like my behaviorist approach, this constructivist approach involves replacing inappropriate behaviors with appropriate behaviors to achieve the desired outcome.  The ABA strategy provides detailed methods to acheive this goal.  The constructivist strategy is much more ambiguous in nature.  I really like that the constructivist approach respects the fact that Lisa is a complex individual who requires a complex, thoughtful intervention plan.  However, I think that ABA offers a more practical solution to Lisa's situation. 

In dealing with classroom management issues, I feel that the behaviorist approach will oftentimes prove most effective.  Problem behaviors are easily observable and identifiable.  I can quickly deliver reinforcement or punishment based on the type of behavior exhibited by the student. 

PLE Post 7: Metacognitive Skills

Consider a lesson plan you might use.  Which metacognitive skills/abilities are involved as students gain facility/knowledge in this domain?

According to SpringerReference.com, "Metacognitive skills are strategies applied consciously or automatically during learning, cognitive activity, and communication to manipulate cognitive processes before, during, or after a cognitive activity.  Examples are executive function processes such as verbal mediation, self-regulation, planning, judgment, and self-monitoring." 


For this post, I will focus on a Read-Aloud lesson that focuses on developing students' comprehension skills by helping them develop and practice metacognitive strategies.  I actually observed one of my friends conduct this lesson in her first-grade classroom this past fall.  This lesson activity reflects the first grade reading standard, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.3, "Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details."

For this Read-Aloud, the teacher selected the children's book, Officer Buckle and Gloria, by Peggy Rathmann.

In conducting the Read-Aloud, the teacher facilitated the utilization and development of the metacognitive skills necessary for comprehension in her students.  I will now list some of the techniques she used throughout the Read-Aloud to accomplish this facilitation. 

• Introduction:  The teacher introduced the book by relating the book to the theme of the week, "community."  She asked her students to think of some people they know who work for and within the community.  Students responded saying, "police officers," "teachers," "mailmen," "librarians," "firefighters," "the mayor," etc.  The teacher also asked students to predict what they thought the book would be about.  She communicated to her students that the connections they made to the book and their predictions would help them to better comprehend the content of the book.  Making connections and predictions are metacognitive skills that enhance comprehension. 
• Making Connections and Hand-Signaling:  Before I observed this lesson, the teacher had explicitly taught students to make connections while reading.  Throughout the Read-Aloud I observed, students continually made connections between the text and the illustrations and their real-life experiences.  Students indicated that they had made a connection, by forming the letter, "C," with their hands.  When the teacher realized, from the hand-signals, that several students had connections to share, she called on them individually and had them explain their connection.  The students were all so eager to form connections and share their connections with their classmates.  The ability to make connections to a text while reading is a crucial metacognitive skill.
• Visualizing and Hand-Signaling:  Prior to my observation, the teacher had explicitly taught her students to visualize or to make "mind-movies" while reading or listening to a text.  When students had a "mind-movie" to share, they held up one of their hands in the shape of a "V" (visualization).  Just as in the case of "connections," students could not wait to share their "mind movies."  The ability to visualize while reading a text is a metacognitive skill that greatly enhances comprehension.  It was so much fun to hear the creative, "out-there" mind-movies that some of the children came up with.  
• Questioning to Monitor:  Throughout the Read-Aloud, the teacher posed questions to her students to ensure that her students were listening to and understanding the story.  She continually explained to her students why she was asking these questions, "Asking questions helps us to make sure we understand the text.  We don't want to read the whole book and then realize we didn't comprehend anything!  We must ask questions throughout the reading to check or to monitor our comprehension."  In explicitly teaching questioning techniques to her students, this teacher is helping her students develop yet another important metacognitive skill relating to reading comprehension.  
• Reflection:  After finishing the story, the teacher initiated a class discussion about the characters, the setting, and the main events.  This reflection also included how the students felt about the story overall.  Did they enjoy the story?  How did they feel about the characters?  What would life be like if they were one of the characters?  In reflecting on the major events, the setting, and the characters in the story, students are making further connections to the story.  These deeper connections strengthen comprehension.  Therefore, reflection and discussion allow students to further develop their reading comprehension metacognitive skills/strategies.  

I was amazed at the students' abilities to apply metacognitive comprehension skills before, during, and after reading/listening to Officer Buckle and Gloria .  After taking Reading Education 430, I realize the importance of explicitly teaching comprehension strategies to even the youngest of readers.  "Kindergartners Can Do It, Too! Comprehension Strategies for Early Readers," by Anne E. Gregory and Mary Ann Cahill, outlines some of the strategies I mentioned in this post.  This article is a wonderful resource for those intending to teach the primary grades!