Out of the box: behaviourism and the mangle of practice. Issue 1 (2nd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Saari, Antti
• Is Part Of: Discourse. Volume 40:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 109
• Page End: 121
• Publication Date: 2019-01-02
• Subjects: Psychology of learning -- science and technology studies -- behaviourism -- educational research -- performativity; Education -- Periodicals; Education -- Australia -- Periodicals; 370.5
• DOI: 10.1080/01596306.2018.1549707
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0159-6306

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Although often labelled obsolete and ethically dubious, twentieth-century behaviourist principles of learning have been central to the development of instructional technology and the design of modern learning environments. Using Andrew Pickering's philosophy, this article addresses behaviourism as a mangle of practice to highlight the conceptual and non-human agency involved in research on learning, and to analyse how these forms of agency allow scientific knowledge to travel from experimental research settings to teaching.