POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT AS A PRIME FACTOR IN TEACHING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS (A CASE STUDY OF SOME SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN IKORODU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF LAGOS STATE)

We are often talking about students reward for obtaining high grade or getting first position. We are regularly using reinforcement in our daily life in different forms. But mostly this term is used with motivation. Students motivation is the responsibility of both parents and teachers. Some of the high standard organizations are also following the reward system in the form of bonus or promotion to their employees. According to earlier researches both positive and negative reinforcement effects some one behavior. Reinforcement is the basic factor of operant conditioning theory proposed by Bhurus Fredric Skinner in 1953. Skinner was a psychologist from Harward University but their work play a significant role in both the fields of psychology and education (Weiten, Lloyd, Dunn & Hammer, 2009). In reinforcement the stimulus increases the probability that a preceding behavior will be repeated. Reinforcement is either negative or positive. Mostly positive reinforcement is the synonymous of reward. Reinforcement is subjective sometimes it works as a reinforcer for one person but not for others. Positive reinforcement effects our every day life and personality while on the other hand negative reinforcement effects the development of avoidance tendencies (Feldman ). Both reward and punishment are means of motivation and have significant effects on behavior. A study conducted by Green and Todd suggests that both positive and negative reinforcement effects students performance but positively reinforced students scored high and surprisingly some high grade performers of the class scored low during experiment (Wallace & Goldstein, 1997). Another study by Wheatley, at al, 2009 suggests that use of positive reinforcement is very effective and high impact technique to improve students behavior but it is important for teachers to establish a safe comfortable, supportive and pleasurable environment in the classroom. Conoray and their colleagues reported that creation of comfortable and positive classroom environment is the most powerful tool of teachers which increases children’s learning and decreases problem behavior from occurring. Positive reinforcement may be effectively used by the teachers to teach students appropriate behavior and social skills which they are lacking. Many teachers are using only praise as reinforcement effectively in their classes (Conroy, at al, 2009)

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