Assessing student learning effectively is often complicated by relying on ambiguous proxies such as grades, quiz scores, or assumptions about students' internal states, such as what they feel, think, ...

In classrooms across the country, students are mastering their ABCs, solving equations, and diving into science. But one essential life skill–behavior–is not in the lesson plan. For too long, ...

In Jarek Janio’s Inside Higher Ed opinion column, “Beyond ‘Grit’ and ‘Growth Mindsets,’” Janio argues that, to promote better student learning, college instructors should ignore questions about ...

Operant conditioning, sometimes called instrumental conditioning or Skinnerian conditioning, is a method of learning that uses rewards and punishment to modify behavior. Through operant conditioning, ...

Have you ever wondered exactly why people do what they do? According to a school of thought known as behaviorism, it all comes down to the patterns of learning we've acquired through associations, ...

Childhood is a time of growth, learning, and development. Your child is increasing in height and weight, learning new physical and social skills, and laying the foundations of adulthood. If you have ...

Operant conditioning is a theory that explains how behaviors are influenced by their consequences or results. It’s often used today to help people adopt new behaviors or change old habits. If you’ve ...