REHB 503: Basic Behavior Analysis Preliminary Course ...

Instructor

REHB 503: Basic Behavior Analysis Preliminary Course Syllabus

Instructor Jason M. Hirst, Ph.D., BCBA Office: 313A Rehn Hall T: 618.453.8282 Email: hirst.jason@ Office Hours: By Appointment Online Chat: Wednesdays 7-8pm via SIUOnline

Required Materials

1. Cooper, J.O., Heron, T.E., & Heward, W.L. (2007). Applied Behavior Analysis (2nd ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

2. Behavior Development Solutions BCBA Exam Prep Program.

3. Dixon, M.R. (2014). PEAK Relational Training System: Direct Training Module. Carbondale, IL: Shawnee Scientific Press, LLC.

4. Additional readings made available on SIUOnline.

5. One invertebrate and container (Madagascar hissing cockroach is recommended) purchased from a pet shop or online.

A note about cockroaches Students are required to obtain an invertebrate organism from an exotic pet store or online source. The Madagascar hissing cockroach is strongly recommended. They are sturdy organisms that are ideal for those new to handling invertebrates, are easily trained, and are very clean. Although some students may be anxious about handling cockroaches at first, many find they enjoy working with them over time. If you strongly oppose to working with a cockroach, you might consider a hermit crab, but they are much harder to train.

Course Description and Objectives

This course provides instruction on the principles and foundations of the science of behavior analysis. Instruction will occur in a variety of forms including: 1) assigned readings from textbooks and other scholarly sources, 2) online, live or text-based discussion, 3) quizzes, 4) implementing principles of behavior with a live organism, and 5) scholarly writing assignments.

Objectives

? Describe the assumptions, characteristics, and goals of applied behavior analysis

? Apply behavior analytic procedures derived from basic learning principles to solve problems of social importance or improve conditions for dependent, or at-risk populations

? Become a more competent consumer of behavioral research ? Appreciate the complexity of causes and consequences ? Develop an ethic of social responsibility and citizenship

Course Format

This course is offered in an online format. However, the course is designed to maintain some of the interactive nature of an on-campus class. Basic concepts will be described in the assigned readings, either from text books or supplemental scholarly resources. Some didactic (lecture) instruction may be provided to clarify or supplement the readings. To foster interaction between students and the instructor, discussions are assigned, hosted on SIUOnline. The discussion forums are provided as a medium by which students can discuss content, ask questions, and receive feedback and clarification from peers or the instructor. The instructor will also be available for discussion live via text-based or group video conference throughout the semester. Finally, students will have the opportunity to see the principles of learning in action through operant training exercises with a simple, living organism.

Assignments

Assigned Readings Students are expected to complete all assigned readings. Supplemental readings provided on SIUOnline are just as important as the textbook.

Syllabus Quiz A syllabus quiz is available on SIUOnline. Students must take and earn 100% correct to continue with the class. The purpose of the syllabus quiz is to ensure that everyone understands and agrees to the terms contained therein.

Content Quizzes These are online quizzes on SIUOnline. There will be three (3) quizzes made available during the semester and are worth 20 points each. Questions will be multiple choice. Quizzes will primarily cover the material presented since the previous quiz (i.e., they are not cumulative), but older material may occasionally be tested either directly or indirectly. The quizzes are structured similarly to those on the BCBA exam as there may be more than one correct answer, but one answer is the best answer. The begin and end dates of the quizzes are specified in the course agenda. Quizzes must be completed by the end date specified with no exceptions. No extensions or make ups will be provided as the quizzes will be open and available for one full week. Plan accordingly.

Discussion Boards To facilitate interactive discussion like that in an on-campus graduate seminar, students will participate in an asynchronous discussion via discussion boards on

SIUOnline. For each topic, students are required to post a minimum of two discussion comments, each as a new thread in the appropriate discussion forum. In addition, students are required to respond to two other students' threads in a scholarly and meaningful way. Due dates for discussion are available in the course agenda. After the forum closes, students will not be able to post and any students who did not participate in the discussion will lose participation points.

The instructor will monitor the discussion boards and intervene to provide feedback or clarification as needed.

The required discussion activities are to be considered the bare minimum and students are by no means discouraged from using the discussion boards more than the minimum amount.

Operant Training Assignments During the semester, students will complete three training exercises with their invertebrate. Detailed instructions (task analyses) for how to complete the exercises will be provided on SIUOnline. To complete each exercise, students will video record their invertebrate completing the target task. Only the final result should be recorded. Once your organism reliably completes the task, you will record it one time. Videos should be brief (1-3 minutes). Students will receive credit for each assignment by uploading the videos. Students must follow the provided task analyses and be sure to collect data during the exercises as this data will be needed to complete a brief report.

Brief Report Students will write a report detailing the results of the operant training exercises. The reports must be written in APA (6th edition) style and follow the formatting and guidelines for reports in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. (ISSN)19383703/homepage/ForAuthors.html More details will be provided on SIUOnline.

BDS Module Assignments Students will complete several modules provided by BDS relevant to course topics. The Exam Prep program developed by BDS allows students to access additional resources and reinforces course content. To receive full credit, students must complete the assigned modules to 100% by the deadline. Students can do the modules as many times as necessary to achieve the criterion. Please purchase access to the modules (CBA Learning Module Series v8) for at least 6 months. Access can be purchased from:

Required modules: (due dates for module assignments TBD) Foundational Knowledge: 10, 11, 13-37, 43-46 Basic Skills: C, D, & E (all modules)

Final Project Students will implement one of the 184 PEAK programs with an appropriate individual. Students must seek instructor approval before beginning. The

results of this project will be presented in a scholarly format. More information about this project will be provided later in the semester.

Grading

Syllabus Quiz 1 @ 10pts Content Quizzes 3 @ 20pts Discussion Boards 14 @ 5pts BDS Module Assignments 4 @ 30pts Operant Training Exercises 3 @ 10pts Brief Report 1 @ 20pts Final Project 1 @ 40pts

10pts 60pts 70pts 120pts 30pts 20pts 40pts

Total

350pts

Grade Cutoffs A: > 90% (315-350) B: 80%-89% (280-314) C: 70%-79% (245-279) F: > 70% (0-244)

Note: A passing grade for this course is a B or above.

A note about being successful in this course Success in this course depends largely on putting forth a consistent effort both in class and between class meetings. Students who engage in the bare minimum effort are unlikely to be successful. Do not put off the assigned readings or attempt to complete assignments at the last minute. Rather, try to engage with the material a little bit each day, taking time also to review what you have read and learned previously. Ask questions! I am here as a resource to you.

Course Agenda

The agenda is a general guide to the course schedule and the instructor reserves the right to make changes to the agenda to accommodate unforeseen circumstances after providing students with due notice.

Week of: Readings

8/24

Welcome & Introduction

8/31

A Brief History of Behaviorism

Windholz (1997)

Watson (1913)

Watson & Raynor (2000)

Skinner (1950)

Assignments Due (by Friday @ 11:59pm) 8/28-Post an intro on SIUOnline Syllabus Quiz Discussion Board

9/7 9/14

9/21 9/28 10/5

10/12 10/19 10/26

11/2

Skinner (1953) Skinner (1969) Baer, Wolf, & Risley (1968) Applied Behav. Analysis (ABA) Ch. 1-5 Behavior, Selection, and Respondent Conditioning Catania (2012) Ch. 2-3 ABA Ch. 6-10

Operant Conditioning: Positive

Reinforcement

ABA Ch. 11, 13

Roane (2008)

Chance (1993)

Catania (2012) Ch. 15 Extinction ABA Ch. 21-22 Lerman & Iwata (1996) Additional readings TBA Discrimination/Generalization ABA Ch. 17-20, 28 Falcomata et al (2013) Mesmer et al (2007) O'Neil et al (1980) Slocum & Tiger (2011) Motivating Operations & Antecedent Control ABA Ch. 16, 23 Michael (1993) Fragale et al (2012) Lydon et al (2011) Vollmer & Iwata (1991) Wallace et al (2012) Fall Break

Negative Reinforcement

ABA Ch. 12

LaRue et al (2011) Additional readings TBA Punishment ABA Ch. 14-15 Capriotti et al (2012) Linscheid et al (1990) Rolider et al (1991) Donaldson et al (2013) Van Houten et al (1988)

Functional Behavior Assessment

ABA Ch. 24

Iwata et al (1984)

Lambert et al (2012)

Discussion Board Quiz 1 Discussion Board

Discussion Board Training Exercise 1 Discussion Board

Discussion Board

Discussion Board Training Exercise 2 Discussion Board

Discussion Board Training Exercise 3 Quiz 2

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