Capstone Paper Outline

Intro:
1. Purpose: Provide an argument for a classroom model that if followed, will aid students’
long term cognitive and behavioral growth.
2. Thesis: An overreliance on behaviorism has upset the balance between the
implementation of teaching strategies in the classroom, leading to a decrease in
students’ intrinsic motivation. Moving away from standards based on extrinsic motivation
will benefit students’ long term cognitive and behavioral growth.

Subheading 1: Learning Theories & Strategies

Evidence: Skinner (behaviorism), Glasser (choice theory, five basic needs), Dewey
(progressive), constructivism (Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky)
Tie Back: Learning theories are effective in keeping students engaged and help them learn.
Teachers implementing strategies in their classrooms are creating avenues for their students to
find success and instill quality traits.

Subheading 2: The Drawbacks of Behaviorism

1. Positive/negative reinforcement
Evidence: Token economy, Operant conditioning, teachers get desired effects
Tie Back: Tokens in the form of good grades, awards, etc. are what should be the most
important focus in the classroom. However, teachers still don’t want that to be the driving focus
because it will contribute to the detriment of others self-esteem and could limit the motivation of
the student if they begin to lose interest. Punishment makes more sense to get rid of bad
behaviors, but exceedingly relying on rewarding positive behaviors will take away potential from
the student.
2. Internal vs. external motivation
Evidence: Kohn- students need to take more action in their own learning (less extrinsic
motivation), promote curiosity and cooperation, conditioning & extinction
Tie Back: By overusing methods of external motivation, teachers are negatively affecting
students’ internal motivation. Teachers need to promote students’ own learning in order for them
to take control over their own learning and remain engaged over a long period of time. By
relying on extrinsic motivation, teachers are making it more likely for students to seek rewards in
larger numbers the longer they are exposed to these types of rewards. The fact that it will take
more to get the same amount of work completed is prohibiting students from growing.

Subheading 3: Classroom setups

1. Montessori Model supports Constructivism
Evidence: Project based learning, not taught directly, freedom, develop based off of their
own intrinsic motivation
Tie Back: Serves as a branch of progressive education. However, the drawback is that
this is really only effective for younger learners. It establishes a base and by working individually
and in groups, they are able to be in control of their own development. They also have more
freedom in choosing what they use and how they want to learn.
2. Need to develop sense of community
Evidence: Humanistic factor, fostering student-teacher relationships (Harman, Bruce,
Kordinak), Social, interaction between students, group work, etc
Tie Back: Students want to be supported. By catering to a sense of community, students
will be more engaged and will have their innate social needs and feeling of belonging (Glasser)
fulfilled.

Subheading 4: Outside the U.S.

1. Need higher percentage of teachers
Evidence: Japan (interview with Dr. Brown), highly structured, if student has difficulty
(LD, runs into issues, etc) an assistant in the classroom goes immediately to help. The teacher
will walk around and monitor students working. If a student’s issue is too problematic, they are
taken out of class to another room and are given more time with person to person instruction.
Tie Back: Addressing individual needs of students will help prevent students from feeling
disenfranchised. Also, by removing students who are getting behind, the rest of the class can
continue to move ahead and keep on pace.
Possible Counter: lack of funding → payoff worth it?
Evidence: **Need to find info on this
2. Economic & Social Factors are huge influences
Evidence: (int with Dr. Brown) India & Dubai
India: India Rising Global Diplomacy Institute (D.C.), Students in cities have greater access to
education, and those who excel intellectually are given great opportunity. However, for students
in slums, it is fairly difficult for them to get access to education.
Dubai: Made significant progress with the way traditions are changing for women
Tie Back: Other countries are getting things done, but it all depends on the population and the
customs and expectations set by the country.

3. Demands from students

Evidence: Interview with Dr. Brown, Finland and other countries have gone the route of
lessening outside demands (homework), **Want to get more research on this

Subheading 5: U.S. Education System

1. Current Gov stance (Trump Administration) is moving towards segregation
Evidence: (Guirguis and Pankowki) President Trump’s model of privatizing education
may not cater to the developmental needs of all students. They stated in their research:
The skill of a teacher’s perception in recognizing and accommodating various
learning styles for a diverse group of students may not be routinely exercise[d]
in charter and private school settings as they will most likely be composed of an
academically homogeneous type of student body. (107).
 Tie Back: While private schools and homogenous populations may help certain
populations of students succeed academically, it will prohibit their progress socially. American
classrooms need to remain as integrated as possible in order to support diversity and teach
students ways to succeed in real world situations.

2. U.S. is focusing too much on the big picture, PISA rankings

Evidence: Research completed by Saxena and Sell regarding where the United States
stacked up against other countries on the 2011 TIMSS and 2012 PISA revealed that the
instructional hours United States students are spending in school may not be the problem due
to a lack of correlation, despite lawmakers’ beliefs (8-9).
Tie Back: If U.S. wants to go up in rankings, we need to commit to it. The education system
needs to be reevaluated. Due to federalism, it is likely more important for states to identify
where they are falling short and identify ways they can improve, then report this data to the
federal government. States such as Oklahoma, Mississippi, and West Virginia are going to have
more work to do than others that have kept schools updated. Can’t expect instant results, but
change will happen over time.

Conclusion:
1. Teachers need to be willing to adapt & change
2. Over reliance on behaviorism (& instant gratification?)
3. Need to find a way to cater to diverse population, constructivism?