The topic is “Noncontingent reinforcement
(specifically attention) also known as fixed-time delivery of
attention, implemented by teachers”
The problem is: Providing
positive reinforcement (attention) every five minutes may still be difficult to
implement for teachers.
Project problem statement: “The proposed study will examine
the extent to which three different lean schedules of noncontingent
reinforcement (NCR) (attention function), without extinction, implemented by teachers,
influence on-task behavior among school-aged
students in a classroom setting.”
Operant conditioning theory will be used as the
theoretical framework for the prosed study.
Studies have shown the
effectiveness of NCR using intervals ranging from 10 seconds that
were progressively increased to every five minutes on average. The aim of
thinning the schedule of reinforcement is to achieve time intervals that are more
practical in natural settings. Providing reinforcement every five minutes may
still be difficult to implement for teachers or parents. Finding new methods of
thinning NCR schedules warrants further investigation.
Instructions:
1.
Primary Orientation
Provide an introduction to the review of scholarly literature,
an argument for conducting the review, and a primary theoretical (and practice)
orientation. Suggested length 3-4 paragraphs.
–
Note
that you must identify a specific theoretical orientation and frame the topic and
problem in that theoretical orientation. It is not sufficient to say
“behaviorism” and talk about consequences. Be as specific as possible. Present
a logical, concise, scholarly explanation of how the topic will be approached
from the theoretical orientation.
2.
Efforts to Address the Problem
Provide a synthesized review of the scholarly literature to
expose, explain, and analyze previous scholarly efforts to address the problem.
Suggested length 7-10 paragraphs.
Focus on literature
that is directly related to your topic and problem. Work from general to specific,
and problem to potential solution. Think of this section as an opportunity to
give the reader a brief history of the recent and relevant research in this
area, so that they can understand how you arrive at the questions you will
present in the next section.
Some tips for this
section:
·
Do
organize by some theme (dependent variables examined; independent variables
used; research designs; outcomes) that makes sense to show the gap that leads
to the research questions
·
Do
include review of literature related to all parts of your proposed research
questions (e.g., if you are proposing to look at NCR implemented by teachers, you
need to show literature in both NCR and teacher impemented interventions, and how they
intersect)
·
·
Don’t
include extensive literature on information that is not directly related (e.g.,
prevalence and epistemology data on autism)
·
Don’t
raise the same points repeatedly – each sentence and each paragraph should
present new information
·
After
writing this section, write a reverse outline, which is one topic sentence for
each paragraph. Make sure the flow of information is logical and that each
paragraph aligns with the topic sentence for that paragraph. Revise as needed.
3. Synthesis of the Evidence
Provide a logically organized and synthesized review and
analysis of the literature in close alignment with the topic, problem, and gap.
Suggested length 3-4 paragraphs. This section should include a very tightly framed analysis of the
literature reviewed in the last section.
References: NO websites, at least 6 references must be within the last 5 years.