Final answer:
Miss Maple's reward chart is an example of operant conditioning, where children receive stickers as reinforcement for completing activities, thereby strengthening their behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
Miss Maple's reward chart in her first-grade classroom is an example of operant conditioning, a method of learning that uses rewards or consequences to influence behavior. In operant conditioning, a behavior is followed by a reinforcement (in this case, a gold sticker) that increases the frequency of the desired behavior (completing required activities). When a child accumulates a specified number of stickers, they receive a prize, which serves as a form of positive reinforcement. This technique aims to strengthen desired behaviors by associating them with positive outcomes.
Operant conditioning contrasts with classical conditioning, where an association between two stimuli is formed, and social learning theory, which involves learning through observation of others. Constructivism is a learning theory that posits learners construct knowledge through their experiences rather than through conditioning or observation.