EDUC 215 Final, Spring 2010

American University of Beirut Faculty of Arts and Sciences Department of Education EDUC 215 Learning and Human Development Dr. Vivian Khamis Final Exam Student’s Name: ............. ID Number........ seoeeeees vee Question 1: Circle the letter of the choice that represent the correct answer :(60 points) 1. Which of the following situations best describes the conditions under which far transfer takes place? a. Transfer occurs between two situations that are very similar to one another. b. Transfer occurs between two situations that are very different from one another. c. Previous learning automatically transfers from an old situation to a new situation. d. Conscious effort must be invested for connections to be made between situations. 2. When a student applies new skills or strategies to rethink how he or she can approach a new situation, this student has accomplished: a. Forward-reaching transfer b. Backward-reaching transfer c. Near transfer d. Far transfer 3. Finding appropriate strategies to reaching one’s goal is best referred to as: a. Convergent thinking b. Problem solving c. Fixating d. Critical thinking 4. Which of the following best describes “algorithms”? a. Setting intermittent goals b. Utilizing strategies guaranteed to provide a solution c. Proceeding with identifying a goal, evaluating the status of the problem, and determining the next step d. Applying a former strategy without considering the unique context 5. Ifa teacher assigned a “means-end analysis,” what would the objectives of the activity include? a. Setting intermittent goals b. Utilizing strategies guaranteed to provide a solution c. Proceeding with identifying a goal, evaluating the status of the problem, and determining the next step d. Applying a former strategy without considering the unique context 6. Inductive reasoning is best described as: a. Drawing general conclusions based on specific observations b. Making specific predictions based on general conclusions c. Identifying a similarity between two related ideas d. Engaging in reflective self-evaluation 7. Which of the following best represents “critical thinking”? a. Manipulating and transforming information in memory b. Reasoning from the specific to the general c. Thinking reflectively and productively, and evaluating the evidence d. Reasoning from the general to the specific 8. Khalid refuses any suggestion that girls are just as good at athletics. Instead, he avoids those who oppose his beliefs and surrounds himself with those, like his friends and older brother, who share his beliefs. Which of the following best describes Khalid’s thinking? a. Hindsight bias b. Overconfidence bias c. Confirmation bias d. Belief perseverance 9. A concept map is best described as: a. Specific assumption or prediction that can be tested to determine its accuracy b. The process of individuals deciding if an item is a member of a category by comparing it to established category elements c. Category that groups objects, events, and characteristics on the basis of common properties d. Visual representations of concept’s connections and hierarchical organization 10. When students engage in a decision-making process about whether an item belongs to a category, they are engaging in which of the following? a. Hypothesis testing b. Concept maps c. Prototype matching d. Concepts 11. Which of the following most accurately describes “hindsight bias”? a. A rule of thumb that suggests a solution to a problem, but does not provide the answer b. A prediction about the probability of an event based on the frequency of the event’s past occurrences c. Making faulty decisions based on how well something matches a prototype d. Tendency to incorrectly state, after the fact, that we correctly predicted the outcome 12. Constructivism emphasizes that individuals learn best when they: a. Actively put together knowledge and understanding b. Work in collaborative group settings c. Learn effective strategies for encoding new information d. Solve real-world problems that lack a single correct solution 13. Social constructivism emphasizes the: a. Individual’s information processing b. Social contexts of learning c. Active knowledge construction within an individual’s mind d. The construction of knowledge by transforming, organizing, and reorganizing previous knowledge 14. If attempting to promote situated cognition in group learning, teachers should do which of the following? a. Provide support for students to explore concepts. b. Change the level of support over the course of the lesson. c. Create learning situations that are close to real-world circumstances. d. Create learning situations for individual seat work and reflection. 15. Which of the following distinguishes constructivism from social constructivism? a. Only social constructivism emphasizes the social context of knowledge construction. b. Only social constructivism focuses on students’ active construction of knowledge. c. While both stem from the work of Lev Vygotsky, only constructivism more generally emphasizes that knowledge is contextually embedded. d. While both stem from the work of Jean Piaget, only constructivism more generally emphasizes that knowledge is contextually embedded. 16. Which of the following is not a characteristic of social constructivist classrooms? a. Teacher and students are learning and teaching b. Social interaction c. Classroom learning reflects students’ interests and cultures d. Individualized assignments that cater to each student’s background 17. When a teacher changes the level of support provided to a student according to the student’s performance level, the teacher is engaging the student in which of the following strategies? a. Tutoring b. Scaffolding c. Cooperative learning d. Apprenticeship 18. Which of the following is the best example of scaffolding? a. Ms. Sura first models how to make a capital letter in cursive at the board, then she provides a worksheet that groups can work on that offers tracing opportunities before she asks them to write each letter on their own. b. Mr. Mohammad takes students to the museum. c. Mr. Danny ensures a full understanding on the part of his students before advancing to the next subject. d. Ms Noura ensures curriculum materials are developmentally appropriate before suggesting them to colleagues who teach children at different ages from her students. 19. On Fridays, sixth-grade students help kindergarteners with reading, math, and other subjects. Some students provide one-on-one tutoring, while others read aloud to small groups and assist with work in small “centers.” This is an example of which of the following? a. Volunteering b. Peer tutoring c. A cognitive apprenticeship d. Cooperative learning 20. Which of the following terms refers to excellent knowledge about the content of a specific discipline? a. Expert knowledge b. Pedagogical content knowledge c. Reciprocal teaching d. Transactional understanding 21. After leaving school, Ms. Suha catches another colleague in the parking lot. She expresses to him that while she can explain any of the concepts focal to teaching fourth-grade science, she is having trouble reaching her students. She just can’t get them to see the link between the content matter and real-world application; therefore, she is having trouble keeping them motivated and on-task. Which area is Ms. Suha experiencing difficulty with? a. Reciprocal teaching b. Transactional instruction c. Expert knowledge d. Pedagogical content knowledge 22. Ahmad has just received his first teaching position. After a celebratory dinner with his wife, he sits down to plan his first lesson unit. As images of multiple activities, materials, and projects start to run rampant, he tries to focus on the content of the first lesson. As he glances at the topic, only vague principles come to mind, so he looks down his list of lesson units for the school year. He realizes in all his enthusiasm over diverse and effective teaching methods and materials, he has lost sight of the heart of the matter: the scientific content! Which of the following areas is Ahmad questioning his abilities in? a. Reciprocal teaching b. Transactional instruction c. Expert knowledge d. Pedagogical content knowledge 23. Which of the following is a social constructivist assumption about reading? a, Students need to be able to recognize words before comprehension becomes automatic. b. The societal context plays a negligible role in influencing one’s ability to read. c. Knowledgeable readers in the culture assist less knowledgeable readers as they learn to read. d. Students in different cultures learn to read at approximately the same age. 24. Reading instruction that emphasizes paralleling children’s natural learning of language and the use of meaningful reading material refers to which approach to reading? a. Phonics approach b. Whole-language approach c. Cognitive approach d. Social constructivist approach 25. Mona has become good at remembering specific words and basic reading skills. However, she still has not mastered the concept of learning from reading. This is because she must devote all her attention to the mechanical aspect of reading. Which developmental stage of reading would you say Mona is in? a. Stage | b. Stage 2 c. Stage 3 d. Stage 4 26. Students get into their groups before receiving their reading assignment. The teacher reminds students of the three rules of group reading in her classroom: help each other, share your opinions, and ask peers or the teacher questions if you don’t understand. Which approach to reading does this relate to? a. Phonics approach b. Whole-language approach c. Cognitive approach d. Social constructivist approach 27. Which of the following assignments is most consistent with the social constructivist approach to writing? a. Writing a book report about a novel read aloud during class b. Creating an outline to summarize main events studied during history class c. Writing a term paper about a topic studied during science class d. Writing an essay about a recent significant personal event 28. Ms. Rania outlines her approach to writing instruction for the upcoming school year. Last year students had such a hard time acquiring basic writing skills that Ms. Rania has developed a systematic approach that teaches students skills in the areas of time management, problem solving, monitoring, and revising. Which approach to writing does this match? a. Cognitive b. Social constructivist c. Whole-language d. Phonics 29.Dima’s writing performance has significantly improved since her friend Nour shared advice on how she approaches writing assignments. When Nour receives a writing assignment, she first estimates how long it will take to complete the assignment. Then she sketches out a brief outline of the elements she wants to include before beginning the actual writing. Which strategy of the cognitive approach to writing does Nour suggest? a. Planning b. Problem solving c. Revising d. Monitoring 30. Mr. Jihad has made a pointed effort to gauge students’ prior knowledge of how to calculate percentages. He has had the repeated experience of students holding onto prior schemes despite their inaccuracy. So on the first day of class he passes around a worksheet to gauge their understanding. Which effective strategy of mathematics instruction is Mr. Jihad focusing on? a. Making math realistic b. Considering students’ prior knowledge c. Making math activities social d. Incorporating innovative programs 31. Which themes address how each person is shaped by culture, groups, and institutions? a. People, places, and environments b. Individual development and identity c. Power, authority, and governance d. Culture 32.Failure syndrome refers to which of the following descriptions? a. Having low expectations for success but continually put in the effort b. Having low expectations for success despite experiencing success c. Having low expectations for success and giving up on difficult tasks d. None of the above 33. Which of the following is not a constructivist approach to teaching social studies? a. Traditional manner of using a single textbook and complementing lectures with question-and-answer discussions b. Emphasis on using multiple sources of information c. Peer collaboration d. Critical thinking about values 34.What is the primary emphasis of attribution retraining? a. Improving students’ academic confidence b. Changing students’ beliefs about the reason behind their performance c. Improving students’ domain- and task-specific skills d. None of the above 35. In order to avoid failure, some students simply do not try. What is the name of this protective strategy? a. Nonperformance b. Setting unreachable goals c. Procrastination d. Anxiety 36. In general, socioeconomic status is better than ethnicity at predicting what student outcome? a. Spatial skills b. Verbal ability c. Interpersonal skills d. Academic achievement 37. Ms. Leila notices one of her students has been staring out the window more than remaining on task. Mirna is new to the school, and Ms. Leila wonders if she feels out of place and disconnected from her friends and family back in the South of Lebanon . Which of the following most readily explains Mirna’s apathy? a. Need for relatedness b. Need for self-actualization c. Need for competence motivation d. Need for better parenting practices at home 38. Which of the following is not a type of intrinsic motivation? a. Self-determination and personal choice b. Optimal experience and flow c. Cognitive engagement and self-responsibility d. Reward system 39. When students perceive the level of challenge as being low and their skill in that area as being high, the likely outcome is: a. Apathy b. Boredom c. Anxiety d. Flow. 40. When students perceive the level of challenge as being low and their skill in that area as being low, the likely outcome is: a. Apathy b. Boredom c. Anxiety d. Flow 41. Which of the following factors would most likely lead to an increase in intrinsic motivation among students as they progress through the elementary to high school years? a. Concern over the importance of grades b. Boredom as course content becomes more monotonous c. Perception of being challenged at a level consistent with ability d. Feelings of frustration due to competition with peers 42. Which of the following statements best describes the attribution of “locus”? a. Whether the cause is internal or external b. Whether the cause is stable or unstable c. Whether the cause is short term or long term d. Whether the cause is controllable or uncontrollable 43. Of the three dimensions of causal attributions identified by Bernard Wiener, which of the following statements best describes the attribution of “stability”? a. Whether the cause is internal or external b. Whether the cause is constant or variable c. Whether the cause is luck or effort d. Whether the cause is controllable or uncontrollable 44. Researchers have found that self-efficacy and achievement are most likely to improve when students set goals that are which of the following? a. Vague and challenging b. Vague and easy to attain c. Specific and challenging d. Specific and easy to attain 45. Which of the following is the best example of intrinsic motivation? a. Nadine stayed after school to complete math problems she couldn’t do during class. b. Nicholas earned a certificate for his successful performance during a spelling bee. c. Ibrahim spent the weekend working on a science project because he thought it was interesting. d. Roula was scolded for talking to classmates during a quiz. 46. Samar failed a recent biology exam, but has no idea why this happened. After all, she spent hours and hours studying and thought she knew the material well. Samar decided that it simply must have been bad luck. Samar’s view is best described as a combination of which of the following causal attributions? a. External-stable-controllable b. External-unstable-uncontrollable c. Internal-stable-controllable d. Internal-unstable-uncontrollable 47. Anthony believes that his English instructor disliked a recent essay because the teacher disagreed with Anthony ’s point of view. This view best represents a combination of which of the following causal attributions? a. External-stable-controllable b. External-unstable-uncontrollable c. Internal-stable-controllable d. Internal-unstable-uncontrollable 48. A student is most likely to feel angry when he or she perceives that his or her poor performance was due to which of the following? a. External factors that another person controls b. External factors that cannot be controlled c. Internal factors that the student can control d. Internal factors that cannot be controlled 49. When faced with a difficult task, Zeinab focuses on the activity rather than her abilities, and tends to concern herself more with the process than with the outcome. She enjoys the challenge, even if she doesn’t succeed. Zeinab can best be described as which of the following? a. Performance-oriented b. Helpless-oriented c. Mastery-oriented d. Goal-oriented 50. From the behaviorist perspective on motivation, external incentives are mentioned in all of the following except which one? a. The teacher gives stars to students who answer all questions correctly. b. The teacher assigns homework to students who do not complete their work in class. c. The school sends “honor student” bumper stickers to parents whose children get good grades. d. The child is interested in a project and therefore invests extra time to do it well. 51. Which of the following attributes is considered the highest on Maslow’s hierarchy? a. Safety b. Cognitive c. Self-actualization d. Aesthetic 52. The humanistic perspective emphasizes which of the following as a key in determining a student’s motivation? a. Modeling of other students’ behaviors b. External rewards and punishments c. The student’s capacity for personal growth d. The student’s IQ 53. The behavioral perspective emphasizes which of the following as a key in determining a student’s motivation? a. Modeling of other students’ behaviors b. External rewards and punishments c. The student’s sense of self-esteem d. The student’s level of interest in the topic 54. Teachers are attending the first faculty meeting of the school year in order to discuss strategies to enhance student motivation. Ms. Amal states that there should be a schoolwide management approach using token economies. Students can earn tokens for good behavior and trade those tokens in for prizes. What motivational perspective does Ms. Amal subscribe to? a. Behavioral b. Cognitive c. Humanistic d. Social 55. Which of the following statements about motivation is not true? a. When extrinsic awards are tied to competence, they tend to promote motivation and interest. b. Verbal rewards such as praise can be used to enhance a students’ intrinsic motivation. c. As students move from the early elementary school years to the high school years, their intrinsic motivation increases. d. Students who are intrinsically motivated typically do better academically than those who are extrinsically motivated. 56.Imad’s test scores and study skills in math have vastly improved over the last nine weeks. He seems to take more interest in his learning. What role might his parents’ have played in Imad’s enhanced motivation? a. They have left him alone so he can focus more on his schoolwork. b. They have cleared a spot at the table so he can do his work. c. They have maximally challenged Imad to establish high support. d. They have taken an interest in his math assignments and teacher correspondence so they can provide appropriate support and challenge. 57. Students have just arrived in class, and the teacher has written the week’s reading assignment on the board. Students are to read one section of Al-Hayat Newspaper each day and develop a personal reaction paper to world events. Which approach to reading does this relate to? a. Phonics approach b. Whole-language approach c. Cognitive approach d. Social constructivist approach