Complete all three items before class. They activate the schemas you'll need for group activities.
Schacter, Gilbert & Wegner (2020). Psychology (3rd ed.). Worth Publishers.
Chapter 7: Learning — Sections on Classical & Operant Conditioning.
Focus: understand the vocabulary (US, UR, CS, CR, reinforcement, punishment) before class.
Classical Conditioning (2014) — Khan Academy MCAT series.
~10 min. Pause and rewind when the US/CS distinction is introduced.
How to Train a Brain (2014) — Crash Course Psychology #11.
~10 min. Covers classical and operant conditioning with memorable examples.
Submit answers via Mentimeter or Poll Everywhere before class. Results will be displayed at the start of the session for pair-share discussion.
Write 2–3 sentence responses and bring them to class. These seed your group discussions.
Reflect on an advertisement you've seen that pairs a product (neutral stimulus) with an appealing image (unconditioned stimulus). Explain how this reflects classical conditioning.
Social Constructivism link: Activates personal schemas as the starting point for collaborative meaning-making in class.
Based on your cultural background, share an example of how learning occurs through observation of elders or role models. How does this reflect observational learning theory?
Social Constructivism link: Frames learning theories within cultural diversity — critical for Vygotsky's emphasis on sociocultural context.
Pose one question about learning theories that you hope the class session will answer. Write it down — you'll share it during the introduction activity.
Social Constructivism link: Student-generated questions drive peer inquiry during class.
Build AI literacy before class. Arrive with critical impressions of AI capabilities and limitations ready to share with your group.
Time: ~15 minutes | Tools: ChatGPT / Claude / Copilot
"You are a psychology tutor. Please explain the difference between classical conditioning and operant conditioning, provide two examples of each, and indicate whether the following scenario is classical or operant: 'A student studies hard to avoid getting a bad grade.' Also, identify one limitation of each theory."
Document your answers to these prompts. Bring your journal to class — it will be used in the Introduction activity.
What did you already know that confirmed the AI's explanation? Where did your prior knowledge align with the AI output?
Did the explanation seem oversimplified? Were any nuances missing? Did the AI confuse extinction with punishment, or miss schedules of reinforcement?
Did the AI's examples all come from certain cultural contexts? Did it force examples into a Western framework? Consider whether the examples are universally relatable.
If you were the tutor, how would your explanation differ? What personal examples or culturally relevant scenarios would you use?
What can a human psychologist or instructor provide that AI cannot? Consider: nuance, ethical judgment, lived experience, cultural competence.