Teaching behavior analysis with behavior analysis: The evolution of the teaching science lab at the University of North Texas

ABSTRACT

Institutions of higher education have been increasingly encouragedto employ evidence-based practices in the classroom.Many faculty members continue to rely on more tradi- tional instructional methods, even those who arewell versed in evidence-based teaching techniques. We describe the evolutionand current status of a system that uses behavior analysis (BA)to teach BA. Changes over time in the system are described as results of several environmental factors.The system was recently revised and currentlyexists as the teaching science lab (TSL). The TSL is an example of how faculty memberscan integrate both teaching and research responsibilities while incorporating several behavioral technologies into undergraduatecourse design. Future directions of the TSL are discussed withrespect to the use of evidence-based practice in the college classroom.Lastly, the resources necessary to maintain such a systemand the barriers to success are described.

KEYWORDS:

• College teaching
• constructional approach
• precision teaching
• problem solving
• systems
• undergraduate

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express a special thanks to those members of the teaching science lab who were instrumental to the most recent redesign initiatives: Awab Abdel-Jalil, Kristen Adams, Owen Adams, Brennan Armshaw. Darren Bandy, John Barnes, Kyle Caldwell, Erica Foss, Robby Goodhue, Brenda Guerrero, Mariah Hope, Ashley LiCausi, Rachel Metras, Lucero Neri-Hernandez, and Tomas Urbina.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Statement regarding ethical issues

The studies have been approved by the appropriate institutional research ethics committee and have been performed in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Notes

1. Exploratory logs, course syllabi, and other course materials can be obtained by contacting the first author.