EDF5684 · Concepts and principles of learning

Overview

This unit defines the basic elements involved in a scientific analysis of behaviour, and introduces you to several principles that have been discovered through such an analysis. In this unit, you will learn about two functionally distinct types of behaviour, respondent and operant, and discuss how the environment influences each type of behaviour. In addition, you will gain an in depth understanding of core concepts and principles in behaviour analysis, including reinforcement, extinction, punishment, motivation, stimulus control, and stimulus equivalence. Throughout the unit, you will be challenged to apply these concepts and principles to analyse complex human behaviour in real world settings.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. define and provide examples of respondent and operant conditioning
2. define and provide examples of reinforcement, punishment, operant extinction, motivation, and stimulus control
3. teach conditional discriminations and stimulus relations using match-to-sample and stimulus equivalence procedures
4. compare and contrast discrimination, generalisation, and maintenance
5. define and provide examples of contingency-shaped and rule-governed behaviour
6. define and provide examples of derived stimulus relations

Workload

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Usually, you can expect to engage with: • 12 hours of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities, plus 33 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous directed learning activities and the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study OR • 45 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous directed learning activities and the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study^ ^ International students studying in Australia are not permitted to undertake this scheduled learning delivery mode. Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.