First blog

The behaviourist approach studies cause and affect from a sientific perspective. Learners generally like or dislike the experience of learning which will impact on the methods of learning for future cases.

Will generalizing have any effect on the context to e-learning?

Generalizing the context of e-learning can either be a very positive effect to learning or the opposite a very negative effect for the learners. If the learners have had a positive experience using e-learning then they will be using the tools and the system to its full capacity, therefore increasing the learning chances. Although if learners have had a bad experience using e-learning for educational purposes, the behavourist approach would assume that they will not use this as a learning tool due to their bad learning experience.

If the learners are generalizing and not using the e-learning tools for quality learning I believe operant conditioning should be excersised. Reinforcement, punishment and feedback will need to be embedded into the students to create a positive learning context. Reinforcement will encourage learners to do the good things they are doing to occur more often as it is acceptable, and feedback will allow them to understand what is expected from them through the e-learning context. 

Burns, R. 1995, The Adult Learner at Work, Business & Professional Publishing, Sydney.