Capella University

PSY7306: Education and Teaching in Applied Behavior Analysis

A behavior analysis course on how theory and research shape teaching skills and educational programs.

Updated October 2026 · 5 min read

PSY7306 asks behavior analysis students to examine how behavior analytic theory shapes teaching and educational programs. The focus is on teaching skills, backed by research.

Capella's catalog says students evaluate the theories of behavior analysis and how they influence teaching and educational programs, synthesize research on teaching skills, and explore how they will use principles from theory and research to inform their own teaching.

The difficulty is staying precise: it is easy to describe teaching in everyday language rather than in behavior analytic terms.

Course at a Glance

ItemDetails
UniversityCapella University
Course codePSY7306
Credits5
LevelGraduate (MS in Applied Behavior Analysis and PhD in Behavior Analysis)
PrerequisiteMS in Applied Behavior Analysis students must have completed PSY7711
Who it is forMS in Applied Behavior Analysis and PhD in Behavior Analysis students only; cannot be fulfilled by transfer
Subject areaBehavior analysis, instruction and teaching

What PSY7306 Covers

The catalog describes three connected aims.

AimWhat to expect
Evaluate theoriesJudging how behavior analytic theories influence teaching and the design of educational programs
Synthesize researchCombining studies on teaching skills to see which procedures have support
Inform your own teachingExploring how you will apply principles and research when you teach others

Key Concepts Explained

Teaching as Arranging Contingencies

From a behavior analytic view, teaching means arranging the environment so that a learner's behavior changes. That includes antecedents such as instructions and prompts, the response required and the consequences that follow. Strong writing names each part rather than saying the teacher "helped" the learner.

Invented illustration: To teach a staff member a procedure, the teacher models it, gives the staff member a chance to practice, provides specific feedback and then checks the skill in the work setting. Each stage is a defined teaching step you can describe and measure.

Prompting and Fading

Prompts help a learner respond correctly; fading transfers control to the natural cues. Describe what prompt, when it is faded and how you will decide to move to the next step.

Using Research to Choose Methods

Synthesis means comparing studies, not listing them. Look at participants, procedures, measures and outcomes, and say where evidence is strong or thin. Then explain how it changes what you would do.

Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them

Capella sets the tasks inside the courseroom, so always follow the instructions and scoring guide there. Across courses like this one, the work usually falls into patterns such as these.

Task typeWhat it testsHow to approach it
Theory evaluation paperLinking theory to teaching practiceTake a theory, identify its key principles and show how each shows up in an instructional design
Research synthesisComparing studies on teaching skillsTabulate studies by method and outcome, then draw cautious conclusions
Teaching plan or reflectionApplying principles to your own teachingChoose a skill, describe teaching steps, measurement and how you will adjust
Discussion postsEngagement with conceptsUse technical terms precisely and support points with a source

Writing Precisely in Behavior Analytic Terms

Instructors often look for the discipline's vocabulary used correctly. A short habit helps: after each claim about teaching, add the behavior analytic term for what happened, and check it fits.

Everyday phraseMore precise version
The student understoodThe learner responded correctly across different examples
The teacher encouraged himThe teacher delivered reinforcement contingent on the target response
She was remindedA prompt was provided and later faded

Precision also applies to measurement. State what you counted, how often you counted it and what result you would take as evidence of learning.

Teaching Skills Worth Knowing by Name

The field has a vocabulary of teaching procedures. Knowing the names helps you search the literature and write precisely, though your course materials define exactly what you will be assessed on.

Procedure typeIdea in one line
Task analysisBreak a skill into teachable steps
Prompting and fadingAdd help to get a correct response, then withdraw it
ShapingReinforce successive approximations to a target
Behavioral skills trainingInstruction, modeling, rehearsal and feedback
Precision teachingFrequent timed practice with charted data

For each procedure you cite, add a study that tested it, the learners involved and the outcome measured. That turns a list into a synthesis.

Where Students Get Stuck

Study Tips for PSY7306

How We Help with PSY7306

Send the prompt, scoring guide and readings. A behavior analysis writer can explain how theories connect to teaching procedures, prepare a model synthesis outline or plan, or review your draft for terminology, evidence and APA style.

GradeEssays is independent and not affiliated with Capella University. Our work is tutoring, custom answers and feedback for study and reference: use it to understand teaching in behavior analysis, then write and submit your own work under Capella's academic integrity policy. We never log in to your courseroom.

Connect Behavior Analytic Theory to Teaching

Share your assignment and sources. We prepare custom analyses and feedback to learn from.

Start My PSY7306 Help

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who can take PSY7306?

The catalog restricts it to MS in Applied Behavior Analysis and PhD in Behavior Analysis students.

What is the prerequisite?

MS in Applied Behavior Analysis students must have completed PSY7711.

Is it about teaching children?

The catalog describes teaching skills in the field of behavior analysis in general terms; your assignments may involve learners of any age.

Can I transfer this course in?

No. The catalog says it cannot be fulfilled by transfer.

How many credits is it?

Capella lists 5 credits.

Can you review my teaching plan?

Yes. We review whether the steps, measures and rationale fit together.