Exam 15: Transfer, Problem Solving, and Critical Thinking

Describe the roles that the following four factors play in problem solving, and illustrate each factor's role with a concrete example: a. Working memory capacity b. Encoding processes c. Long-term memory retrieval d. Metacognition

Which one of the following is the best example of inert knowledge?

Distinguish between positive and negative transfer, and give a concrete example of each to illustrate the distinction.

Mary is majoring in drama. Mary's parents want her to study advanced mathematics as a way of strengthening her mind, and argue that, when she is in a play, she will be able to learn her lines more easily. Based on their reasoning, which one of the following theories of transfer do Mary's parents believe?

Which one of the following examples best illustrates the notion of situated learning as it relates to transfer?

Mr. Rangel asks his students to write an essay describing how they would deal with the problem of the diminishing areas in which gorillas can successfully live in the wild. Three of the following factors should influence his students' ability to describe possible solutions to the problem. Which factor will not influence students' ability to do well-either for the better or for the worse-on the essay?

Considering contemporary theorists' views on general transfer, which one of the following skills is most likely to transfer across very different situations?

Missy is given this problem: Mt. Washington is lower than Mt. Jefferson. Mt) Washington is higher than Mt. Adams. Which mountain is highest? Missy reads the fourth word incorrectly-she thinks the word is higher rather than lower-and consequently answers the problem incorrectly. From an information processing perspective, Missy's difficulty is due to:

Which one of the following problems is the best example of an ill-defined problem?

Imagine that you learn a formula for calculating the volume of a cylinder. You practice using the formula by working on problems such as this one: How much water could you hold in a glass that is 10 cm. in diameter and 15 cm. tall? Later, on a quiz, you are given the following four problems that can be solved using the same formula. Which one of them most obviously requires far (rather than near) transfer?

Matthew's mother teaches him to measure butter for cooking by placing the butter in a measuring cup partially filled with water and seeing how high the water rises. In his science lab a few days later, Matthew realizes he can use the same procedure to measure the volume of an irregularly shaped object. Which one of the following best describes Matthew's approach to problem solving?

Weston is working on a science project and wants to make his papier-mâché volcano "erupt." He remembers that when his mother combined vinegar and baking soda while following a recipe, the batter foamed up as she added the vinegar. So he tries mixing vinegar and baking soda in his volcano, and the mixture bubbles. Weston is showing:

People are most likely to engage in meaningful problem solving when they:

Which one of the following is the best example of problem-based learning?

Which one of the following is the best example of critical thinking as it is described in the textbook?

Which one of the following is the best example of someone using a heuristic (rather than an algorithm) in problem solving?

According to Thorndike's theory of identical elements, in which one of the following situations are we most likely to find positive transfer?

David is trying to calculate the total cost of the groceries in his grocery cart. He has four apples for 35¢ each, five potatoes for 15¢ each, and three cake mixes for $2.25 each. He begins by thinking to himself, "Let's see, four times 35¢ is what? Two times 35¢ is 70¢, and then two times 70¢ is $1.40. And then what do I do next? Oh, yes, I need to know out what 5 times 15 equals. I can't remember, but let's see if I can figure it out...." From an information processing perspective, David may have difficulty solving the problem because:

Considering factors that affect transfer, identify the group of students most likely to transfer what they are learning.

Which one of the following examples most clearly illustrates the role of retrieval in problem solving?