MALKA211 Introduction to Behavior Analysis Course description

On successful completion of the course, the student has acquired the following learning outcomes classified as knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can define what EBP is and recognizes the rationale for EBP and shared decision making
• knows the steps of EBP
• is familiar with the levels in the S-pyramid and acknowledges the difference between single studies and systematic reviews
• knows the characteristics of a scientific article, e.g. IMRAD
• can explain the purpose and characteristics of qualitative and quantitative studies and syntheses of studies, e.g. systematic reviews
• understands the principles for critical appraisal and knows how to use check lists for different study designs, clinical guidelines and professional procedures
• knows different types of categorical and continuous measures of association and effect, and key graphical presentations

Skills

The student

• can identify different types of professional/clinical questions, such as questions about treatment, diagnosis, prognosis, experiences and etiology
• can, for each type of clinical question, identify the preferred order of study designs
• can formulate searchable professional/clinical questions using e.g. PICO and variations of PICO
• can construct and carry out an appropriate and simple search strategy for professional/clinical questions from the top of the S-pyramid

General competencies

The student

• can critically assess health claims in the media
• can discuss the importance of user knowledge, clinical experience, and summarized research in clinical decision-making

The teaching is mainly designed with "flipped classroom" and learning activities in class and smaller groups. Digital learning resources such as digital lectures, videos and films will be available to the students in advance. Students are recommended to use these resources and to be prepared before the lectures and the seminars. The students are specially recommended to participate at the presentation seminar since this seminar offers a unique opportunity for learning.

On successful completion of the course, the student has the following learning outcomes classified as knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student can

• describe and discuss characteristics of behavior analysis as a science
• explain core concepts and relations in classical and operant conditioning
• discuss how prediction and control can be demonstrated in single-case designs
• describe and exemplify different measures of reliability
• discuss different methods of observation and recording of behavior
• describe core elements of behavior chains and different ways in which such chains can be established
• describe and exemplify verbal operants and their controlling events
• describe core ethical principles and discuss how the core ethical principles relate to behavior analysis
• discuss how social aversive contingencies may influence behavior
• describe and discuss ethical concerns related to changing the behavior of others

Skills

The student can

• select the appropriate behavioral dimensions and methods for reliable measurement
• describe how a behavior chain can be established
• identify examples of the operant paradigm
• identify examples of respondent conditioning
• interpret data from line and bar graphs

Competence

The student can

• provide practical examples of respondent behavior
• provide practical examples of operant conditioning
• use and explain core concepts in behavior analysis to professionals from different backgrounds

Campus-based lectures and seminars are the main teaching methods, in addition to digital simulation exercises, study questions, and student presentations. The lectures will partly be based on Interteaching sequences using readings from the curriculum. Texts used for Interteaching are announced in the digital learning platform of the university. Feedback is used on written assignments.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• 3 individual written assignments submitted digitally, each with a maximum length of 6000 characters, including spaces. References are to be included in the 6000 characters.

Individual school examination, 3 hours, with combination of essay assignments and multiple choice/digital tests. Exam questions are in English. Students may submit their exams in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Pass/Fail. The same grade is given for all students in the group.

All answers are assessed by one examiner.

An external examiner is used regularly, at a minimum of every third completion of the course. When selecting answers for external evaluation, a minimum of 10 percent of the answers shall be included, with no fewer than 5 answers. The external examiner’s assessment of the selected answers shall benefit all students.

Prior to the course, the students are recommended to go through the elements in "Startpakka" which focus on literature search, critical appraisal and use of references, see https://student.oslomet.no/startpakka