Controversy Concerning the use of Constructivist and Behavioral Principles In Teaching Children with Disabilities

The conceptual framework for this qualitative study will be based on multiple theories. The theories are Constructivism, Behaviorism, Operant Conditioning, Social Learning Theory, and Disability Learning Theory. Constructivism is a theory on learning, which suggests that people acquire knowledge by experiencing things and in conjunction with knowledge that they already possess (McLeod, 2015). Constructivism learning theory explains how we learn and acquire knowledge. It says that people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences (Schunk 2016). Two of the main contributors to Constructivism are Lev Vygotsky (1978) - A Behaviorioralist and Jean Piaget (1957) - A Developmentalist.  Jean Piaget focused on children passing through different developmental stages in life. Lev Vygotsky focused more on culture and social environment affecting cognitive development (Schunk 2016). Behaviorism refers to a psychological approach which emphasizes scientific and objective methods of investigation. The approach is only concerned with observable stimulus-response behaviors, and states all behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment (McLeod, 2017). Behaviorism is primarily concerned with observable behavior, as opposed to internal events like thinking and emotion. Behaviorism emphasizes the role of environmental factors in influencing behavior, to the near exclusion of innate or inherited factors. This amounts essentially to a focus on learning. We learn new behavior through classical or Operant Conditioning (collectively known as 'learning theory'). Operant Conditioning (Skinner 1938) is a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. Through this theory an individual makes an association between a particular behavior and a consequence, and B. F. Skinner believed that the best way to understand behavior is to look at the causes of an action and its consequences. According to this principle, behavior that is followed by pleasant consequences is likely to be repeated, and behavior followed by unpleasant consequences is less likely to be repeated (Skinner 1938). Social Learning Theory, Albert Bandura (1977) - agrees with the Behaviorist Learning Theories of classical conditioning (learning through association and also known as Pavlovian conditioning, Watson 1924) and Operant Conditioning (learning through rewards and punishment for behavior, Skinner 1938). However, he adds two important ideas: (1) Behavior is learned from the environment through the process of Observational Learning. Bandura (1977) believes children observe the people around them behaving in various ways and the individuals that are observed are called models (family, teachers at school, characters on TV); and the children encode their behavior, and at a later time they may imitate (copy) the behavior they have observed. (2) Mediating processes occur between stimuli & responses - Observational Learning could not occur unless cognitive processes were at work. These mental factors mediate (i.e., intervene) in the learning process to determine whether a new response is acquired. Therefore, individuals do not automatically observe the behavior of a model and imitate it. There is some thought prior to imitation, and this consideration is called mediating or mediational processes. This occurs between observing the behavior (stimulus) and imitating it or not (response). Disability Theory according Creswell (2012) is a view by researchers using a Disability Interpretive Lens. That is, to view disabilities as a dimensional difference and not as a defect. Creswell (2012) writes, “Disability studies can change our basic assumptions about identity, ideology, language, politics, social oppression, and the body. Ideas about the capacity, limitations, experiences or needs of disabled people are socially constructed and will continue to change. As researchers, we are ethically bound not to exclude people with disabilities; insight into their lives benefits us all. Disability studies don’t directly impact my study on volunteers, but it’s clear that this type of exploration and understanding strengthens a society that values human rights”.

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