#3 Dr Kim - The State of Play in ABA

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Kimberly Nix Berens; a scientist-educator and Founder of Fit Learning. As she shares her story of how she found her way through Behavior Science and Precision Teaching, Dr. Kim also provides tons of anecdotes from her learning experiences with mentors, the development of Precision Teaching, and her personal encounter with Ogden Lindsley. She speaks of her vision for automation of data to allow the collection of data in classrooms, the challenges faced in Behavior Analysis, and her hopes for the upcoming students in the field.

Dr. Kim has recently published her first book, Blind Spots: Why students fail and the science that can save them.

HIGHLIGHTS

 

02:29 Dr. Kim's early childhood and upbringing 

11:03 Her mentorship with Maria Ruiz at Rollins College

20:13 Her mentorship with Elbert "Ed" Blakely at Threshold Inc.

33:20 Ogden Lindsley and his views on today's Behavior Analysis

50:11 Automation of data: Dr. Kim's vision for the future of Precision Teaching

53:33 Dr. Kim shares her encounter with Ogden Lindsley

1:00:13 Pragmatism & Science: An advice to Behavior Analysts

1:03:27 Dr. Kim's take on the traditional education & professionalization in ABA  

 

RESOURCES

 

You can learn more about Dr. Kim on her website: https://www.drkimberlyberens.com/ 

Visit Fit Learning’s website: https://fitlearners.com/ 

Get a copy of Dr. Kim’s book: https://www.drkimberlyberens.com/blindspots 

Join our The ABA and PT Podcast Facebook Group to get access to the following resources:

Facebook group link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/397478901376425 

QUOTES

 

13:05 "The second she opened her mouth and introduced us to the behavioral view, I couldn't believe that there was actually a field of science as precise as biology, but with the power to effectively change human behavior in a way that improves the quality of life for all people on the planet."

25:14 "Skinner himself stopped measuring rate when he started moving into looking at academic skills. And the problem is because of the influence on how education does stuff. It's behavior analyst trying to fit our model into an education framework. Somehow, when you think about teaching kids stuff, all of a sudden education becomes the dominant way of thinking about how to do it rather than accelerating behavior is no different than decelerating behavior and it requires the same science."

32:38 "One of the applied areas that aren't stuck is people who do Precision Teaching. The discoveries that we make every single day at Fit Learning are profound and unfortunately, that's not happening in a lot of other areas of Applied Behavior Analysis because no one's using science number one, and no one's using a language of science that allows people to share discoveries in a powerful way so that they can propel the field forward."

 

1:01:48 "Science gives you the ability to not be dogmatic and self-righteous. Science is inherently humble, skeptical, and never satisfied."