Question 1

Which learning strategy are we most likely to see second graders use?

Accepted Answer

Second graders are more likely to use rehearsal as a learning strategy, which involves repeating information to themselves to remember it. This is because more complex strategies like elaboration, note-taking, and categorization often require more advanced cognitive skills that develop later.

Question 2

Which one of the following is the best illustration of metacognition?

Accepted Answer

Connie's strategy of giving herself a short quiz after each chapter to check her understanding and retention specifically targets her awareness of her own learning process and difficulties, which is a clear example of metacognition.

Question 3

As he talks, 6-year-old William uses his hands a lot, showing dimensions of certain objects, depicting particular movements, and so on. How should a teacher who is working with William respond to his gestures?

Accepted Answer

Gestures can be a powerful tool in learning and development, often indicating emerging cognitive and reasoning abilities in children. Observing and understanding these gestures can provide insights into a child's thought processes and areas where they are beginning to develop new skills.

Question 4

How do young children's estimates of their memory capacity relate to reality?

Accepted Answer

Young children often overestimate their memory capacity, believing they can remember more than they actually can. This overestimation reflects a developmental aspect of their cognitive and metacognitive abilities.

Question 5

Mr. Martinez wants his first-grade students to be able to automatize their ability to recognize common words when they read. Which one of the following techniques will best help his students achieve that goal?

Accepted Answer

Repeated reading practice helps students recognize words quickly and automatically, improving their reading fluency and comprehension.

Question 6

Considering developmental trends in learning strategies, choose the statement that best characterizes how high school students are apt to approach school learning tasks.

Accepted Answer

High school students exhibit a range of learning strategies, with some organizing and elaborating on material while others may rely more on rehearsal. This reflects the diversity in learning approaches among individuals at this stage.

Question 7

Other things being equal, which one of the following four boys is likely to learn and remember the most by reading a book about spiders?

Accepted Answer

Albert's prior knowledge about spiders will help him connect new information to what he already knows, making it easier for him to learn and remember more from the book.

Question 8

Which one of the following statements does NOT accurately reflect research findings about cultural diversity in metacognition?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that in many Asian countries, including China, rote memorization is often encouraged as a learning strategy, contrary to the statement in option A. This method is seen as a way to build a strong foundation of knowledge, which can then be applied to understand more complex concepts.

Question 9

When 5-year-old Clinton looks at the road map his parents are using to plan a trip, he laughs and exclaims, "That's silly. Our car can't fit on roads that small!" Which one of the following best explains Clinton's statement?

Accepted Answer

Clinton's statement reflects a misunderstanding of the symbolic representation of real-world objects on a map, indicating he hasn't yet fully grasped that the map is a scaled-down version of reality, not a literal depiction.

Question 10

Which form of problem solving are you likely to see in a one-year-old?

Accepted Answer

One-year-olds are likely to engage in problem-solving that involves direct, physical interaction with their environment, such as removing a barrier to reach a toy. This reflects their developing motor skills and understanding of cause and effect. The other options are too complex for the typical cognitive and motor skills of a one-year-old.

Question 11

Tyler learns that Christopher Columbus's first voyage across the Atlantic was financed by Queen Isabella of Spain. He thinks to himself, "She probably thought she would make a profit on her investment." By considering the queen's motives, Tyler is demonstrating which one of the following processes?

Accepted Answer

Elaboration involves adding to or enriching information in some way, such as by linking new information to existing knowledge or by considering motives or implications. Tyler is engaging in elaboration by thinking about Queen Isabella's possible motives for financing Columbus's voyage.

Question 12

Three of the following students are showing signs of self-regulated learning. Which student does not show any evidence of self-regulated learning?

Accepted Answer

Craig's reaction is more about external validation (teacher's praise) than about self-regulation, which involves setting personal goals, monitoring one's own understanding, and adjusting strategies accordingly.

Question 13

Marco is taking an elective class on world religions. As he studies, he thinks about how certain tenets of Islam are in some ways similar to his own Christian beliefs. What learning strategy is Marco using?

Accepted Answer

Elaboration is a learning strategy where a learner makes connections between new information and what they already know, enhancing understanding and memory. Marco is relating the tenets of Islam to his Christian beliefs, which is a form of elaboration.

Question 14

After looking up the word rhinoceros in the dictionary, Miguel repeats the letters over and over to himself to help him remember them. Which one of the following strategies does Miguel's behavior illustrate?

Accepted Answer

Rehearsal is a memory strategy that involves repeating information over and over to retain it in short-term memory. Miguel's repetition of the letters of the word "rhinoceros" is a classic example of rehearsal.

Question 15

When 3-year-old Julia comes home from her first day at preschool, her father asks her, "What's your teacher's name?" Julia answers by saying, "I forget." Yet when Dad drops Julia off at preschool the following morning, the teacher apologizes to both of them: "How silly of me! Yesterday when you came to school, Julia, I didn't tell you my name. It's Miss Martin." Obviously, of course, Julia couldn't "forget" something she never knew. How can we best explain her response to her father's question?

Accepted Answer

Young children, like Julia, may not fully understand the nature of their own cognitive processes, including memory. When Julia said she "forgot" her teacher's name, it likely reflects a lack of awareness about what forgetting entails, rather than an intentional lie or confusion with other situations.

Question 16

Maria is trying to remember all of the objects in her locker at school. "Let me think . . . pens, pencils, markers . . . um, math book, science book, notebooks . . . my coat, hat, and gloves . . . I can't remember any more." What learning strategy does Maria's response illustrate?

Accepted Answer

Maria's response illustrates the learning strategy of organization, as she groups similar items together (writing instruments, books, and clothing items) to remember them more easily.

Question 17

Considering developmental trends in learning strategies, choose the statement that best characterizes how kindergartners are apt to approach school learning tasks.

Accepted Answer

Kindergartners are at a developmental stage where intentional efforts to learn and remember information are not typically a part of their learning strategies. They are more likely to learn through play, exploration, and direct experiences rather than through deliberate memorization or categorization techniques.

Question 18

Which one of the following statements best describes children's acquisition of new learning and problem-solving strategies?

Accepted Answer

Children often begin using new strategies infrequently and may not apply them effectively right away. Their ability to use these strategies improves with practice and experience.

Question 19

The textbook recommends a number of strategies for capturing and maintaining children's attention on important tasks and activities. Which one of the following is not consistent with the textbook's recommendations for increasing attention?

Accepted Answer

Introducing distractions into the environment is not recommended for increasing attention. Instead, strategies aim to minimize distractions to help children focus better on tasks and activities.

Question 20

Alicia (who is African American), Amy (who is Japanese American), and Ann (whose Jewish grandparents immigrated from Poland) are in the same tenth-grade history class. They are studying together for a test on World War II. The girls share the opinion that racism was a widespread problem during the war, but they disagree about which actions were most racist in nature. Which one of the following explanations of their differences is most consistent with contemporary theories of cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

Their differing heritages likely influence their perspectives and knowledge bases, leading to varied interpretations of historical events related to racism.

Quiz 7: Cognitive Development: Cognitive Processes