Essential Reading
The UK Society for Behaviour Analysis (UK-SBA) aims to contribute to public wellbeing by promoting the safe, competent, and ethical practice of behaviour analysis. The following document provides an overview of the development of behaviour analysis globally and highlights the dangers of unregulated practice:
UK Society for Behaviour Analysis (2019). Behaviour Analysis: From Science to Profession
Earlier in this lesson, we mentioned a study evaluating the rollout of Functional Assessments in US schools. As you read, consider why short training initiatives may fail to equip education staff to use function-based, non-aversive interventions.
Essential Viewing: Unveiling the Foundations of Behavior Analysis: The RBT Journey Begins
Watch this 6-minute Module 1 summary before reflecting. It brings together science, meaningful outcomes, ethics, scope and supervision, and prepares you for Module 2 and the RBT role.
Optional Reading
This article explores the application of behaviour analysis in space exploration, covering social contingencies, motivation, and environmental design for space shuttle missions. It shows the wide scope of ABA beyond its typical applications:
Brady, J. V. (2007). Behavior analysis in the space age. The Behavior Analyst Today, 8(4), 398.
Optional Viewing: Food Dudes
For an additional example of an ABA-based intervention discussed in the lesson, you may watch this video.
Optional Watching
Explore various applications of ABA through these videos:
Conversation Exercise
Click the chat icon in the bottom right of your screen to start the conversation exercise with FRED, our AI chatbot. Alternatively, click here to open FRED directly.
Reflection Exercise
Why we ask you to reflect
Reflecting on what you have learned, putting ideas into your own words and connecting them with examples, helps strengthen your understanding and recall. These exercises are designed to help you retain and use the information, both in your future work as an RBT and when preparing for the RBT exam. You are also learning how to reflect, so you do not need to have everything figured out straight away.
100–500 words · Any language · Your own thinking
We are interested in your engagement with the material, not your spelling or grammar. You may refer back to the essential materials and lesson notes.
Using AI: support your thinking
You may use AI to brainstorm ideas or help express your thoughts more clearly, although we do not assess spelling, grammar or polished language. Your submitted reflection must still represent your own understanding, examples and thinking.
The most common reason learners do not pass the end-of-course reflection review is that they submit AI-generated answers that do not show their own personal reflection. A polished summary of the lesson does not tell us what you took from it, how you connected it with your experience, or what you are still trying to understand.
If you use AI, include a brief statement explaining how, such as:
“I used AI to help organise my ideas and improve my wording. The examples and reflections are my own.”
If you used it only to brainstorm, say that instead. This statement does not count towards your reflection’s word count.
A broad field, a clear role
Write 100–500 words after completing the lesson and essential materials, including The RBT Journey Begins. You do not need experience working with clients. You can revisit the materials while writing. Optional resources are not required.
1. What broadened your understanding?
Choose one application of behavior analysis from the lesson or essential viewing that interested or surprised you. What is it intended to help people do, and why might that matter in their lives?
Explain how this example adds to or changes your understanding of ABA. You do not need to describe the technical procedures.
2. Think about this situation.
Imagine you have started working as an RBT. A parent asks you to create a new plan to help their child learn a skill at home. You remember a technique from your training, but you have not been trained to use it with this child or discussed the request with your supervisor.
How might you respond helpfully while recognising the limits of your role? Explain why remembering a technique is different from being ready to use it independently. Connect your thinking with one point from the lesson or The RBT Journey Begins.
You are not being asked to design the plan.
3. Reflect on your own learning.
Think of a time when you needed instruction, practice or feedback to learn something new. This can be an everyday example.
What does that experience suggest about the support you might need when learning to work as an RBT? Finish with one question you would want to ask a supervisor.
- I had not realised that behavior analysis could…
- Knowing about a technique is different from being ready to use it because…
- I could respond to the parent by…
- When I learned to…, what helped me was…
- One question I would ask my supervisor is…
Once submitted, you will receive a copy of your reflection by email. Keep it as a revision resource.
When you are ready, submit your reflection below.
Email a copy of your completed reflection to connect@jigsawconnects.co.uk, including your name and “Module 1, Lesson 5”. We will add it to your course record.
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Finish Module 1: fluency practice
When you have completed the Module 1 lessons and reflections, take the 10-question, 10-minute fluency exam. Aim for at least 9/10 before moving on to Module 2.