Question 1

As a teacher, you want two students who have physical disabilities to develop closer friendships with their non-disabled classmates.Of the following choices, the best instructional approach to use for this purpose is:

Accepted Answer

Cooperative learning strategies involve students working together in small groups to achieve a common goal. This approach promotes interaction among all students, regardless of their abilities, and can help students with physical disabilities develop closer friendships with their non-disabled classmates by fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.

Question 2

Many advocates of cooperative learning recommend that the most effective cooperative groups are those that include a wide range of student ability levels.How can we best summarize research findings regarding the effectiveness of different kinds of groups?

Accepted Answer

Research on the effectiveness of different kinds of groups in cooperative learning settings has produced mixed results, leading to inconclusive findings regarding the optimal range of ability levels within a group.

Question 3

In cooperative learning, you would be most likely to form all-male and all-female cooperative groups if your goal was to:

Accepted Answer

Forming all-male and all-female cooperative groups can help in situations where students might feel more comfortable and less intimidated, potentially encouraging all members to participate more actively. This approach can address gender dynamics that might inhibit participation in mixed-gender groups.

Question 4

Which one of the following is unlikely to be effective instructional techniques for younger students?

Accepted Answer

Lectures are less effective for younger students because they typically have shorter attention spans and benefit more from interactive and engaging teaching methods that allow for active participation.

Question 5

Recent Action research by a teacher in Alberta (Nero, 2008) used email to connect Canadian 2^nd graders to classes in South Africa and Autstralia in the common quest to update information on "People in the world." Why might this be an example of a community of learners?

Accepted Answer

A community of learners is characterized by members cooperating to enhance each other's learning, which is what the students did by working together to update information on "People in the world."

Question 6

Three of the following statements are accurate regarding recommended teaching strategies for students with special needs.Which statement is not accurate?

Accepted Answer

Discovery learning approaches, which emphasize self-guided exploration and problem-solving, may not be the most effective for students with general delays in cognitive development. These students often require more structured and direct instruction to effectively learn and understand new concepts.

Question 7

Which one of the following best reflects technology-based discussions as the textbook describes them?

Accepted Answer

Technology-based discussions involve students sharing work, providing feedback, and building on ideas collaboratively, which is best reflected in choice A.

Question 8

The concept from behaviourism that figures prominently in cooperative learning is:

Accepted Answer

Group contingency is a concept from behaviorism that is central to cooperative learning. It involves applying reinforcement or punishment to a group based on the behavior of one member, the whole group, or a subset of the group, which encourages cooperative behavior and mutual responsibility.

Question 9

Three of the following are reasons why cooperative learning is successful.Which one is not a reason?

Accepted Answer

Cooperative learning is successful because it encourages mutual support and learning among students of varying abilities, not because higher-ability students do the work for lower-ability students. This approach promotes understanding, skill modeling, and positive reinforcement among peers.

Question 10

A base group in cooperative learning is a group that:

Accepted Answer

Base groups in cooperative learning are designed to provide ongoing academic support for their members, fostering a supportive learning environment.

Question 11

Which of the following teachers is not using a cognitive teaching strategy?

Accepted Answer

Ms. Edmunds's approach of allowing students to struggle and come up with their own strategies is more aligned with a constructivist approach rather than a direct cognitive teaching strategy. Cognitive strategies typically involve direct instruction or guidance on how to process information, such as mnemonics, modeling thought processes, or providing practice on specific strategies, which are not evident in Ms. Edmunds's method.

Question 12

Three of the following are consistent with the recommendations in the textbook for using peer tutoring.Which one is not consistent with these recommendations?

Accepted Answer

Tutors functioning most effectively when using their own developed teaching strategies is not consistent with the recommendations for peer tutoring in the textbook. Effective peer tutoring typically involves training tutors in specific teaching strategies that are known to be effective, rather than allowing them to develop and use their own methods without guidance.

Question 13

Three of the following are strategies that enhance the effectiveness of cooperative groups.Which one does not necessarily enhance the effectiveness?

Accepted Answer

Structuring tasks so that students work independently within their groups contradicts the fundamental principle of cooperative learning, which emphasizes interdependence and collaboration among group members. Cooperative groups are most effective when tasks require members to work together, share information, and support each other's learning, rather than working independently on separate components of a task.

Question 14

Cooperative learning can be justified from three of the following theoretical concepts.Which one of the underlined concepts that follow is least relevant to cooperative learning?

Accepted Answer

The concept of continuous reinforcement for responses is more closely related to behaviorist theories of learning, which emphasize the role of reinforcement and punishment in shaping behavior. Cooperative learning, on the other hand, is more aligned with constructivist and social learning theories, which focus on the importance of social interaction, scaffolding, and the observation of peers' successes in learning processes. Choices A, C, and D directly relate to these aspects, making B the least relevant.

Question 15

What differentiates the SPELT program from other programs that use cognitive strategy instruction?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What differentiates the SPELT program from other...

Question 16

Which one of the following teachers is using the recommended approach to evaluating students' achievement in a cooperative learning situation?

Accepted Answer

This approach encourages individual accountability and group interdependence, as students are motivated to help each other understand the material to ensure everyone performs well.

Question 17

The students in Mr.Cohen's class have formed cooperative groups of three students each to study a chapter in their science book.Which one of the following best illustrates how the students might use scripted cooperation during the activity?

Accepted Answer

Scripted cooperation involves students taking on specific roles in a learning activity, such as reading, summarizing, and checking for errors, which is exactly what option C describes.

Question 18

Which one of the following cooperative groups is using the jigsaw technique?

Accepted Answer

The jigsaw technique involves each member of a group becoming an expert on one part of a topic and then teaching what they have learned to the rest of the group. Choice A describes this process, where each student studies one type of mountain and then teaches the others.

Question 19

These teachers are using peer tutoring in their class.Which one is most likely to be effective?

Accepted Answer

Ms. Harper's approach of providing a framework for tutoring sessions is most likely to be effective because it ensures structure and guidance, which can enhance the learning experience for both tutors and tutees.

Question 20

Which one of the following teaching strategies is probably least likely to be effective for a class of students from diverse ethnic backgrounds?

Accepted Answer

Assigning textbook readings might be less effective for a diverse class if the material does not reflect or respect the diversity of the students' backgrounds or if it does not engage students with varied learning styles and preferences. Other options like peer tutoring, cooperative learning, and small-group discussions actively engage students and can be adapted to meet the needs of a diverse student body.

Quiz 10: Instructional Strategies