Deck 10: The Learning Sciences and Constructivism

Question 1

Which one of the following elements does NOT define a true cooperative learning group?

A)Collaborative skills
B)Homogenous grouping
C)Individual accountability
D)Positive interdependence

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which one of the following behaviours is one of the teacher's roles in problem-based learning?

A)Avoid assisting groups and independent investigations.
B)Demonstrate the steps in scientific investigations.
C)Discourage students to conduct experiments.
D)Help students to reflect on their investigations.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Mr.Shaikh,in order to help his students understand aspects involved in creating a household budget,gets students to provide visuals,use examples,and create appropriate metaphors for concepts used in their group project.He is encouraging his students to

A)create multiple representations of the content.
B)apply principles of a spiral curriculum.
C)adopt an intersubjective attitude.
D)take advantage of direct learning.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

A structure for teaching,developed by Jerome Bruner,that introduces the fundamental structure of all subjects during the early school years and then revisits the subjects in increasingly more complex forms over time,is called what type of curriculum?

A)Advanced
B)Cultural
C)Spiral
D)Vicarious

Question 5

Constructivist views of learning are grounded in the research of

A)curriculum designers.
B)Gestalt psychologists.
C)many psychologists and educators.
D)Piaget and Vygotsky primarily.

Question 6

A way of working with others to attain a shared goal,is best described by the term

A)collaboration.
B)cooperation.
C)interdependence.
D)social loafing.

Question 7

Vygotsky's approach to learning is an example of what type of constructivism?

A)Both externally and internally directed
B)Externally directed
C)Internally directed
D)Logically directed

Question 8

In organizing cooperative learning groups,your text suggests that it is best to

A)balance the number of boys and girls in each group.
B)group students of similar backgrounds together.
C)keep groups together for at least half the year.
D)make shy or introverted students the group leader.

Question 9

Which one of the following statements is an assumption of the learning sciences?

A)Novices have a wide range of procedural knowledge.
B)Prior knowledge does not impact learning as much as earlier researchers believed.
C)Novices have deep conceptual knowledge.
D)Learning is more than receiving information from teachers and texts.

Question 10

Putting learning in a social and cultural context is best described as

A)second wave constructivism.
B)appropriation.
C)first wave constructivism.
D)assimilation.

Question 11

A structure for teaching that introduces the fundamental structure of all subjects early in the school years,then revisits the subjects in more and more complex forms over time is known as

A)social negotiation.
B)spiral curriculum.
C)problem based learning.
D)guided instruction.

Question 12

The guided inquiry model developed by Magnusson,Palincsar,and their colleagues involves both first-hand investigations and

A)discovery methods.
B)pattern investigations.
C)second-hand investigations.
D)sequences of inquiry.

Question 13

Piaget's approach to learning is an example of what type of constructivism?

A)Both externally and internally directed
B)Externally directed
C)Internally directed
D)Logically directed

Question 14

A social situation or context in which ideas are judged useful or true is referred to as

A)accommodation.
B)organization.
C)appropriation.
D)community of practice.

Question 15

Ms.French would like to have her students,while experimenting with their own structured materials,discover some key principles of gravity.Which one of the following teaching methods should be most appropriate for this purpose?

A)Discussion
B)Inquiry
C)Lecture
D)Reciprocal learning

Question 16

Vygotsky's notion that learning is inherently social and embedded in a particular cultural setting is consistent with

A)guided learning.
B)relativistic learning.
C)situated learning.
D)sociological learning.

Question 17

The principle characteristics of constructivist teaching are complex,real-life learning environments and

A)guided discovery.
B)inquiry methods.
C)social negotiation.
D)testing hypotheses.

Question 18

Social constructionists are concerned primarily with how

A)cognition creates culture.
B)cultural context explains learning.
C)individuals create knowledge.
D)public knowledge is created.

Question 19

Which one of the following ways of learning an applied skill is most consistent with a constructivist approach?

A)Have the teacher "walk" the students step-by-step through the process.
B)Provide well-constructed worksheets with which students can practice individually.
C)Use simplified,artificial materials in order to make the task easier for students.
D)Use realistic materials and a group format to provide support for individuals.

Question 20

The notion that "there is no reality or truth in the world,only the individual's perceptions and beliefs" can be ascribed to

A)radical constructivism.
B)first wave constructivism.
C)social constructivism.
D)second wave constructivism.

Question 21

Research findings suggest that students who tend to benefit most from cooperative learning experiences are those who

A)are active in explaining things to others.
B)are shy or introverted.
C)have high goal expectations.
D)receive individual tutoring from others

Question 22

Julie consults the Internet,books at her local library,and even interviews experts at the zoo to learn more about animal habitats.She is conducting

A)reciprocal questioning.
B)first-hand investigations.
C)second-hand investigations.
D)problem-based learning.

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT a guideline by Palincsar for effective reciprocal teaching?

A)Shift gradually.
B)Match demands to abilities.
C)Group according to abilities.
D)Diagnose thinking.

Question 24

In their writing group,Aron has become the expert on how to write an introductory sentence.When students teach other students about the part in which they have expertise,they are engaged in what type of cooperative learning structure?

A)Jigsaw
B)Group work
C)Reciprocal questioning
D)Service learning

Question 25

In using cooperative learning,it is recommended that teachers

A)do not assign any roles in advance.
B)assign roles only to one or two students.
C)use the assignment of roles as a way to encourage participation.
D)grade students based on how well they performed their role.

Question 26

Lishuan was assigned the role of making sure her group understands the learning task.Her role is referred to as the

A)reflector.
B)quiet captain.
C)checker.
D)gatekeeper.

Question 27

The five elements of cooperative learning listed by David and Roger Johnson (1994)include positive interdependence,individual accountability,group processing,collaborative skills and

A)group grading.
B)large groups of 10 or more students.
C)single sex groups.
D)face-to-face interactions.

Question 28

Locating the source of knowledge in the interaction between learners and their environment is the internally-directed constructivist view of learning.

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT a feature of cognitive apprenticeship models in general?

A)Students observe an expert model the performance.
B)Students reflect on their progress.
C)Students receive external support through coaching.
D)Students' "teaching" is used to diagnose thinking.

Question 30

In a cooperative learning situation,the role of the encourager is to

A)encourage all students to participate.
B)encourage the group to monitor its progress.
C)encourage the group to use all of its resource materials.
D)encourage the group to develop a concrete plan.

Question 31

Cooperative learning involves the following:

A)Elaboration,interpretation,and argumentation
B)Shared values,lack of conflict,and creativity
C)Cognitive flexibility,competition,and self-respect
D)Extrinsic rewards,elaboration,and autonomy

Question 32

Which of the following is TRUE of reciprocal questioning?

A)It is a form of structured controversies.
B)It requires special materials and testing procedures for effectiveness.
C)Is only appropriate to use among students in Piaget's concrete operations stage.
D)The teacher provides question stems to start.

Question 33

Which one of the following students is playing the role of reflector in a cooperative learning group?

A)Amanda makes certain that the questions of all group members are asked and answered.
B)Gary makes sure that the group is aware of its progress or lack of progress toward the group goal.
C)Helen is responsible for keeping the noise level of the group at a reasonable pitch.
D)Lawrence solicits equal participation of group members and restrains dominance by any group member.

Question 34

In his assigned role,Sean Paul helps the group to understand difficult academic concepts related to the learning task by explaining and giving examples.His role is referred to as the

A)task master.
B)question commander.
C)checker.
D)coach.

Question 35

Which of the following would a "psychological constructivist" focus on?

A)group identity
B)individual's cognitive structures
C)appropriation
D)public knowledge

Question 36

Jigsaw,an early format for cooperative learning,emphasizes what relationship among group members?

A)High dependence
B)High interdependence
C)Low dependence
D)Low interdependence

Question 37

The externally-directed constructivist view emphasizes that learners construct their own knowledge by means of transforming and reorganizing their existing cognitive structures.

Question 38

According to your text,how large should a cooperative group be?

A)two to four members
B)five to ten members
C)never more than ten members
D)the smaller the better

Question 39

A small group is assigned to research whether or not capital punishment should be used in Canada.Each pair of the four person group researches the issue,develops a pro or con position,and presents their position and evidence to the other pair.They reverse positions and argue for the other perspective.The group collaboratively develops a report that summarizes the best arguments for each side and reaches a consensus.This best describes the use of

A)a formalized debate.
B)guided discovery.
C)structured controversy.
D)reciprocal questioning.

Question 40

In cooperative learning groups,the role of the student who makes certain no one dominates the group is called the

A)checker.
B)coach.
C)gatekeeper.
D)taskmaster.

Question 41

According to McCaslin and Good (1996),the advantages of group learning are so superior to individual learning approaches teachers do not need to question the possible disadvantages of group learning.

Question 42

Although there are many cognitive apprenticeship models,they all share the feature of conceptual scaffolding that is gradually reduced as students become more competent and proficient.

Question 43

The conception of learning based on the view that students actively create their own knowledge through their interactions with tasks and resources is the ________ perspective.

Question 44

According to your text,group work and cooperative learning are simply different terms used for the same instructional approach.

Question 45

Online interactive gaming environments in virtual worlds are harmful for children's cognitive development and should be avoided.

Question 46

On the question of whether computer use supports academic learning,there are no strong conclusions in the review of the research literature.

Question 47

An Immersive Virtual Learning Environment simulates a real-world environment that immerses students in tasks similar to those required in a professional practicum.

Question 48

Mr.Schwab's class engaged in a week-long project to pick up trash around the school grounds.This activity is an example of service learning.

Question 49

Teachers who want to encourage dialog in reciprocal questioning should not begin sentences with the word "why."

Question 50

Vygotsky's notion that learning is inherently social and embedded within a particular cultural setting is consistent with ________.

Question 51

In the Jigsaw method,one student leader is responsible for teaching the material to the group.

Question 52

Constructivists that place great emphasis on the social and cultural sources of knowing are in the group of theorists referred to as ________________.

Question 53

According to McCaslin and Good (1996),one of the potential disadvantages of group learning is that status differences among students may be increased rather than decreased.

Question 54

Cognitive apprenticeships are appropriate for nearly all subject areas,but are not appropriate for learning mathematics.

Question 55

The way that we think about and represent information reflects that fact that we need to interact with the world.This theme is referred to the theory of _____________ within the field of cognitive sciences

Question 56

One of the reasons Mr.Brakefield assigns students to cooperative learning groups is so that he can rotate leadership roles and opportunities amongst his students.Mr.Brakefield's rationale for assigning groups is a valid one.

Question 57

Service learning refers to problem-based learning projects which are outside of the student's curriculum.

Question 58

According to your text,cooperative learning should be limited to learning situations that involve routine tasks.

Question 59

In cooperative learning groups,the primary role of the materials monitor is to select the material to be studied.

Question 60

Social constructivist theorists view learning as occurring within a specific ________.

Question 61

Collaboration with others in learning is believed by many constructivists to involve working together to co-construct meaning through ________.

Question 62

Bruner's notion of teaching,in which more complex forms of learning build upon fundamental concepts taught early in the school years,is called the ________ curriculum.

Question 63

When all students are required to participate,this is referred to as ________.

Question 64

Martha strongly believes that the world was in fact flat prior to Christopher Columbus's journal of the world.Martha's teacher does not correct Martha's construction of this knowledge because she wants to validate Martha's current understanding of the world.In this example,the teacher is most aligned with ________ constructivist teaching perspectives.

Question 65

When the teacher provides students with question stems and then asks students to answer the questions in pairs,he/she is involving the students in ________.

Question 66

One of the goals of service learning is to encourage students to reflect upon their own role in ________.

Question 67

The quiet captain in a cooperative learning group is responsible for maintaining the ________.

Question 68

Regarding negotiation and joint construction of meaning,a commitment to build shared meaning by finding a common ground and exchanging interpretations is called a(n)________ attitude.

Question 69

Ms.Constantine has always identified as an athlete.She was a competitive athlete in her youth and she still competes in age group competitive athletic events.She is proud of the fact that she has designed her sixth-grade classroom around competitive events and activities.All individual and group activities in her class involve a "winning" person or team.She spends a great deal of time finding valued prizes to give as rewards for her competitive activities.What concerns might educators,who call for the creation of learning communities,have with Ms.Constantine's approach?

Question 70

When pre-service teachers engage in student teaching or capstone experience they are learning with the support and guidance of an expert teacher,which is based on the idea that knowledge and skills are best learned in the context in which they will be later used in the real world setting.This model of teacher preparation emphasizes ________ learning.

Question 71

William is charged with making sure introverted students participate in his cooperative learning group.William was assigned the role of the ________.

Question 72

The ________ format requires each member of a cooperative learning group to teach their other members one section of the material.

Question 73

Describe the major elements of inquiry and problem-based learning.Describe how you could implement these ideas in planning a lesson in your subject area.How could you know that your efforts were successful?

Question 74

What are some of the disadvantages of group learning?

Question 75

What are some of the challenges and dilemmas related to teaching from a constructivist perspective?

Question 76

The role of the ________ in a cooperative learning group is to explain concepts when needed.

Question 77

In cooperative learning,students interact ________.

Question 78

Service learning focuses on academic learning and students' personal and ________.

Question 79

You plan to implement a Grade 8 mathematics unit on the personal costs of cell phone use.You have decided to teach this curricular unit using cooperative learning.How will you arrange your cooperative learning groups and what factors will you consider in regards to group assignments and membership.

Question 80

When students are confronted with real situations that have meaning for them,the learning is ________.