Operant conditioning is a key concept in behaviorism defined as a learning process where voluntary behaviors are modified through consequences, such as reinforcement or punishment. Specifically, behaviors followed by positive outcomes (reinforcement) are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by negative outcomes (punishment) tend to decrease. 

An example of operant conditioning in practice is a teacher encouraging good classroom behavior by giving students praise or rewards (positive reinforcement) when they participate actively or complete assignments on time. Conversely, if a student disrupts the class, the teacher might remove certain privileges (negative punishment) to reduced the unwanted behavior. This shaping of behavior through consequences demonstates how operant conditioning works in real educational settings.