May 28, 2015
Behaviorism In Instructional Design For eLearning: When And How To Use It
How to write about the “benefits” of behaviorism when it is the learning approach that has received the most criticism? Behavioristic theories may sound out-of-date as, nowadays, everybody involved in Instructional Design for eLearning seems to favor constructivism. The incorporation of social media into eLearning course design has also opened new e-ways toward social learning, keeping “behaviorism” somewhere at the far end of the corridor, a scapegoat to blame for whatever we, as ”eLearning experts,” find not constructive enough. Then, why universities still bother teaching about behaviorism? Is behaviorism as old-fashioned as we consider it to be and by no means applicable in today’s digitalized world? In this article, I’ll try to give you some tips on how behaviorism can be applied in today’s Instructional Design for eLearning, and to explain for what type of eLearning activities it is more appropriate.
by Marisa Keramida (M.Ed.)