Transmission-reception (Behaviourist) model of education

 

Learning is a relatively permanent change in acquisition of knowledge, understanding or behavior. There are three ways of learning; they’re Transmission, Reception and Construction.

This article will discuss in detail about the student evaluation in transmission - reception model based on behaviorist theory.

Behaviourist view of learning

    According to behaviorism, “learning is nothing but expressing appropriate behaviour in response to the information received from the environment”.

    In classroom teaching - learning process, the Behaviorist model can be explained as, students receiving knowledge based information from the teacher, and the outcome is in the form of student behaviour.

    So learning here is being taught. The teacher gives the students the concept and knowledge while students are only receiving it purely. The teacher is very active, while students remain passive.

    In brief, the learning model advocated by behaviorist, treats learning as a mechanical process of transmission - reception. Hence the knowledge acquired by students will remain only informational or not become functional.

Student evaluation in transmission reception model based on behaviorist theory.

    Transmission reception is the model of learning where there is a transmission of knowledge from external source [teacher] to the receiver [students].

    Transmission is sending and receiving messages, knowledge, signals, which includes no scope for creativity, rigidity and generally method of teaching is Lecture method.

    So in transmission reception model, assessment of student’s learning is done by employing Product assessment approach and not by Process assessment approach.

Assessment in behaviorist model of education.

    Learning assessment done based on the transmission reception model, evaluates only the information knowledge of student and hence it is narrow in nature as it does not evaluate the learning outcome comprehensively.

    Here the importance is given to assess how much students were receiving the information transmitted by the teacher.  But the way how learning took place, the skills, abilities, attitudes and values are not assessed. The nature of assessment is Summative.

Drawbacks of assessment based on transmission reception model.

• It is narrow in nature, as it does not assess the learning outcomes, but only the informational knowledge.

• It is product assessment approach but not a process assessment approach.

• The product assessment approach does not attempt to assess the proficiency achieved in pertinent skills, development of desirable attitudes and values.

• Give emphasis for summative assessment and not for formative assessment.

• This approach of assessing student learning mainly attempts to evaluate student’s ability to memorize and retain rather than their understanding.

• It does not encourage students to develop higher order cognitive abilities like critical thinking, problem solving, creative thinking, etc.

• Here the learning achievement is only the informational knowledge, but no other elements of personality development are evaluated.

• The product approach of assessment does not drive pupils for further learning.

• Assessment is only about the success of teaching process.

• Students are passive listeners, so proper assessment of achievement is not possible.

• No continuous assessment of the learner.

• Psychological aspect of learner and co scholastic achievement are given least importance.