Update 1: Positive Reinforcement in Teaching

The positive reinforcements seems a very clear and easy to understand concept of behaviorism: whenever the students makes some progress, teachers reward this behavior, making it more likely to occur again in the future (Skinner, 1968). For example, good grades or stars for completed tasks. The positive reinforcement is widely used in teaching as a motivational tool. According to Skinner, positive reinforcement produces better outcome: “Where positive reinforcement builds up behavior, negative reinforcement seems to break it down”.

Also, through applying different tools, like social modelling or reinforcement teachers can enhance student’s creativity (Kaycheng, 2017) and achieve better results.

E. T. Pas conducted a study to establish a link between student patterns of behavior and teacher classroom management and obtained the following findings: “Classrooms with noncompliant students had teachers who used the most disapproval and reactive behavior management” (E. T. Pas at el, 2015). Thus, teachers should employ effective tools of classroom management, providing students with positive reinforcement when it’s appropriate

Positive reinforcement can be an effective learning tool when used appropriately.

At the same time overusing positive reinforcement may result in lowering of its motivational power. As the students get used to the stimuli, they develop habituation (a decrease in a response to stimuli after the stimuli are repeated too often), so teachers should use the positive reinforcement appropriately.

Source:

Skinner, B.F. (1968). The technology of teaching. East Norwalk, CT, US: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

Kaycheng Soh (2017). Fostering student creativity through teacher behaviors.Thinking Skills and Creativity. Volume 23.Pages 58-66

Elise T. Pas, Anne H. Cash, Lindsey O'Brennan, Katrina J. Debnam, Catherine P. Bradshaw(2015). Profiles of classroom behavior in high schools: Associations with teacher behavior management strategies and classroom composition. Journal of School Psychology. Volume 53, Issue 2.