Deck 14: Learning and Technology

Question 1

Leo has recently studied the principle of reinforcement in his psychology class. He is now trying to teach his daughter good table manners. From an information processing perspective of transfer, is Leo likely to use the principle of reinforcement in helping his daughter learn manners?

A) Definitely yes
B) Definitely no
C) Only if he retrieves the principle of reinforcement at the time he is teaching his daughter
D) Only if he has previously learned the principle of reinforcement to a level of automaticity

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which one of the following is the best example of negative transfer?

A) Nell thinks that 5.75 is bigger than 5.9, because the former has more digits.
B) Fred knows he can get Bs in his classes without having to study at all.
C) José can't remember when the American Civil War started, so he recalls all he can about American history and concludes that the war must have taken place in the 1860s.
D) Edie wants to tie a string securely to her pencil so that she can hang it from her notebook, but she has forgotten how to tie a square knot.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Ms. Kaehler is hoping that the students in her mathematics class will transfer the things they learn in class to real-world situations. Which one of the following things should she not do?

A) Help students understand the logic behind mathematical procedures.
B) Make sure that students master each topic before moving to the next one.
C) Have students practice basic arithmetic operations on just one or two vivid examples.
D) Teach students general principles more than specific facts.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

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?

A) A frozen food company wants to know how much frozen orange juice it can put in a can that is 7 cm. in diameter and 12 cm. long.
B) A dairy farmer wants to know how much milk he can store in a metal drum that is 1 meter in diameter and 3 meters in height.
C) A manufacturer of office supplies wants to know how many thumbtacks it can put in a round plastic container that is four inches across and one inch high. It estimates that one cubic inch can hold about 10 tacks.
D) A maple syrup distributor in Vermont wants to know how much syrup it can put in a bottle that is 20 cm. tall and 6 cm. in diameter.

Question 5

Mary's parents want her to study advanced mathematics as a way of helping her remember her lines in theater productions. Considering research on transfer, are Mary's parents correct? Will studying advanced mathematics help Mary learn her lines more readily?

A) Probably
B) Only if Mary studies mathematics for an extended period of time
C) Only if Mary studies abstract concepts
D) Probably not

Question 6

In English, the word llama is pronounced "LA-MA." In Spanish, llama is more typically pronounced as "YA-MA" or "JA-MA," depending on the dialect. Analyzing this situation in terms of the similarity of stimuli and responses, we can predict that a person who first learns to read the word in English and then learns to read it in Spanish will:

A) Benefit from positive transfer
B) Suffer from negative transfer
C) Have little or no transfer from one language to the other
D) Benefit from positive transfer only if the two languages are learned close together in time

Question 7

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?

A) Formal discipline
B) Behaviorism
C) Information processing theory
D) Situated learning

Question 8

Which one of the following most clearly illustrates general as opposed to specific) transfer?

A) The skill Arnold has developed as a marathon runner helps him later in life when he jogs for exercise.
B) Brian has learned study skills in his history class that he also finds useful in his English literature class.
C) Conway's knowledge of addition and subtraction helps him learn accounting procedures.
D) David's knowledge of the human digestive system helps him understand the digestive system of an earthworm.

Question 9

Francis learns that the Spanish word malo means "bad." He later learns that the French word mal also means "bad." Analyzing this situation in terms of the similarity of stimuli and responses, we can predict that Francis will:

A) Probably have positive transfer from one language to the other
B) Probably have negative transfer from one language to the other
C) Have positive transfer from Spanish to French, but negative transfer from French to Spanish
D) Have positive transfer from French to Spanish, but negative transfer from Spanish to French

Question 10

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

A) Alice learns how to plant corn and then learns how to prune a hedge.
B) Brianne learns how to add 2-digit numbers and then learns how to add 3-digit numbers.
C) Cathy learns early British history and then learns early Japanese history.
D) Devlin learns how to play softball and then learns how to play poker.

Question 11

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

A) Kate is surprised to learn that Winston Churchill, Great Britain's prime minister during World War II, lost his battle for reelection in 1945.
B) Wally knows how to multiply and divide fractions but doesn't realize he can use this knowledge when he needs to adjust measurements in a cake recipe.
C) In his everyday speech, Quincy correctly uses irregular verbs
D) After breaking her leg, Paisley is unable to play basketball for several months.
E)g., go, went, have gone), but he can't explain the difference between regular and irregular verbs.

Question 12

Which one of the following most clearly illustrates vertical as opposed to lateral) transfer?

A) The skill Arnold has developed as a marathon runner helps him later in life when he jogs for exercise.
B) Brian has learned study skills in his history class that he also finds useful in his English literature class.
C) Conway's knowledge of addition and subtraction helps him learn accounting procedures.
D) David's knowledge of the human digestive system helps him understand the digestive system of an earthworm.

Question 13

Which one of the following illustrates positive transfer?

A) Robert is trying to learn the spelling of the word shepherd. He remembers that he learned to spell tomcat by putting two words together and so writes "sheepherd."
B) Vince notices that rules of grammar are not always the same in English and Japanese.
C) Zelda uses the formula for calculating the area of a circle when she wants to know how much bigger a 10-inch pizza is than a 7-inch pizza.
D) David is trying to learn to program a computer. He reads his programming manual but is confused by some of its instructions.

Question 14

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:

A) General transfer
B) Intuitive transfer
C) Negative transfer
D) Specific transfer

Question 15

Which one of the following teachers is clearly keeping the notion of situated learning in mind as he or she helps students transfer what they are learning in school?

A) Ms. Sporer asks her students to speculate about what might have happened if the Europeans had not "discovered" the New World until the 1800s.
B) Mr. Mendoza makes sure that each one of the students in his instrumental music class knows the difference between the treble and bass clefs.
C) Ms. Sabih gives each of her elementary art students a hunk of clay and then says, "I'd like you to mold your clay into a mythical creature of some kind-into an animal that no one has ever seen before."
D) Mr. Gerberg takes his middle school math students to the grocery store so that they can use their math skills to do some comparison shopping.

Question 16

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

A) When Rachel learns the concept inertia, she immediately recalls a variety of real-world phenomena that the concept can account for.
B) Lucinda doesn't enjoy her history class because her teacher expects students to memorize a lot of names, dates, and places.
C) Eleanor enjoys physical education class because she always feels more energized afterward.
D) It doesn't occur to Jennie that she can use algebra to solve a problem in her chemistry class.

Question 17

Which one of the following pieces of advice is most consistent with current beliefs about transfer?

A) "Take calculus to help you develop your critical thinking skills."
B) "Study German so that you'll have an easier time learning Japanese next year."
C) "Taking an advanced history class will help you think more abstractly about the various subjects you will study in college."
D) "Use your knowledge of algebra to simplify this chemistry equation."

Question 18

Nathan has been playing golf with his parents for many years. When he goes out for the school baseball team, he has trouble hitting the ball because he keeps confusing the swing of the bat with how he swings a golf club. Nathan's difficulty is the result of:

A) Vertical transfer
B) Mental set in problem solving
C) Rote learning
D) Negative transfer

Question 19

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

A) Students in Mr. Allen's geography class are studying several countries this week, memorizing the locations of their rivers and major cities.
B) Students in Ms. Elbert's music class are practicing major chords in different keys this semester, practicing each one in a variety of songs.
C) Students in Mr. Ivy's science class are studying the characteristics of mammals and reptiles this week.
D) Students in Ms. Martin's social studies class are studying major events in the history of Mexico this month, beginning with the Aztec empire and continuing until the present time.

Question 20

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

A) The ability to take good notes on a lecture
B) The ability to remember complex ideas
C) The ability to memorize a poem
D) The ability to solve challenging problems

Question 21

Peg is trying to change a light bulb in a ceiling light, but she cannot reach the light even when she stands on a chair. She looks around the room, puzzled, and then suddenly realizes that she can reach the light by piling two telephone books on the chair and standing on them. Peg's approach to the problem can probably best be understood from which one of the following perspectives of problem solving?

A) Stages of problem solving
B) Trial-and-error
C) The Gestalt notion of insight
D) Response hierarchy

Question 22

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

A) Arnie is trying to solve a physics problem on a classroom test. He is so anxious that he can't recall the problem-solving strategies he needs.
B) Bradley is looking for something to haul water but doesn't have a bucket. He fails to realize that his plastic wastebasket could easily carry water.
C) Charlie is doing a series of addition problems. He overlooks the subtraction sign on the last problem and so adds when he should subtract.
D) Doug is angry that another boy stole his bicycle. Rather than report the theft to the police, he steals a bicycle from someone else.

Question 23

The primary advantage of using an algorithm rather than a heuristic) is that it:

A) Always yields a correct solution if executed correctly
B) Is widely applicable to many different content domains
C) Can be easily used by the typical 6-year-old child
D) Never takes more than five minutes to complete

Question 24

Sarah needs to solve this word problem: A sweater in a store is originally priced at $40, but the price tag is marked "One-half off." The sweater is placed on a rack marked "Five dollars off the sale price." How much does the sweater cost now?
Sarah knows how to find one-half of a number; she also knows how to subtract one number from another. She uses both of these operations to arrive at the correct answer of $15. Which one of the following best describes Sarah's approach to problem solving?

A) Drawing an analogy
B) Availability
C) Working backward
D) Combining algorithms

Question 25

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?

A) Students' anxiety about how well they do on the essay
B) How much students know about the countries in which gorillas reside
C) How carefully students internally monitor their ways of thinking about the problem
D) The number of specific algorithms students have learned for solving problems in other disciplines
E)g., physics, mathematics)

Question 26

Three of the following examples reflect the use of metacognition in problem solving. Which one shows little or no metacognition?

A) When Allan discovers that his homework assignment in social studies involves an especially ill-defined and difficult problem, he realizes that he will have to devote a considerable amount of time to the assignment.
B) Brendan is replacing an old, single-paned window in his home with a new, double-paned window unit. Before he begins to work, he thinks about the steps he will need to take and jots down the tools and materials he will need to purchase.
C) Clyde is working on a series of word problems after a unit on multiplication of two-digit numbers. To complete the task as quickly as possible, he simply multiplies the two numbers he sees in each problem; he doesn't bother to read the problems themselves.
D) When Duncan's chemistry teacher assigns a challenging problem that she wants her students to address in chemistry lab, Duncan feels confident that he has both the knowledge and skills to solve the problem successfully if he works slowly and carefully.

Question 27

Which one of the following examples most clearly illustrates the effect of functional fixedness on problem solving?

A) Arnie is trying to solve a physics problem on a classroom test. He is so anxious that he can't recall the problem-solving strategies he needs.
B) Bradley is looking for something to haul water but doesn't have a bucket. He fails to realize that his plastic wastebasket could easily carry water.
C) Charlie is doing a series of addition problems. He overlooks the subtraction sign on the last problem and so adds when he should subtract.
D) Doug is angry that another boy stole his bicycle. Rather than report the theft to the police, he steals a bicycle from someone else.

Question 28

Perry is trying to solve the following riddle: "What creature walks first on four legs, then two, then three?" He repeatedly tries to think of an animal that might walk on three legs, but he can only think of animals that walk on either two or four legs. Finally, he is told the correct answer: a human being, who crawls, then walks, then walks with a cane. Which one of the following is the most likely explanation of Perry's difficulty?

A) He has encoded the problem with too narrow a definition of "legs."
B) He doesn't have enough working memory capacity.
C) He doesn't have a sufficient knowledge base.
D) He is suffering from functional fixedness.

Question 29

Will is trying to repair a leaky faucet. He first uses the method he used on the last three leaky faucets he repaired, but this approach doesn't work. Then he tries a technique he used several years ago, but this doesn't work either. Finally he remembers a method his mother taught him long ago, and this one stops the leak. Will's approach to the problem can probably best be understood from which of the following perspectives of problem solving?

A) Stages of problem solving
B) Trial-and-error
C) The Gestalt notion of insight
D) Response hierarchy

Question 30

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:

A) Her limited working memory capacity
B) Functional fixedness
C) The way she encodes information
D) The fact that she is retrieving information that hasn't been stored meaningfully

Question 31

When Daneesha encounters the problem "If apples are 35¢ each, how much will 7 apples cost?" she thinks, "Many items at the same price . . . hmm, this kind of situation usually calls for multiplication." Daneesha's reasoning reflects the use of:

A) incubation
B) inert knowledge
C) a problem schema
D) means-ends analysis

Question 32

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 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:

A) He is using an inappropriate heuristic.
B) His working memory capacity may be insufficient to hold and process all the information.
C) He is encoding the problem incorrectly.
D) He is demonstrating functional fixedness with regard to his knowledge of multiplication facts.

Question 33

Sheila is a physicist who has been successfully solving physics problems for years. Tamara is a beginning physics student. Which one of the following differences between Sheila and Tamara are we most likely to see in terms of how they approach physics problems?

A) Sheila is more likely than Tamara to make sure the problems are well-defined before she begins to solve them.
B) Sheila is more likely than Tamara to classify problems based on their superficial characteristics.
C) Sheila is apt to retrieve less information from long-term memory than Tamara retrieves.
D) Sheila is more likely than Tamara to have functional fixedness when she works on problems.

Question 34

Research indicates that people are more likely to be successful problem solvers in a given subject area when they:

A) pay considerable attention to details
B) know the subject matter very well
C) have had extensive training in logical thinking
D) have already acquired problem-solving expertise in a very different subject area

Question 35

Martha is trying to decide what to give to her best friend Rose as a birthday present. She begins by looking closely at how Rose spends her time. She also browses in a number of different department stores to identify numerous things within her price range. Then she lets the problem "incubate" in her head for a few days while she engages in other activities. Eventually she chooses what she thinks will be the best gift for Rose. Martha's approach to the problem can probably best be understood from which of the following perspectives of problem solving?

A) Stages of problem solving
B) Trial-and-error
C) The Gestalt notion of insight
D) Response hierarchy

Question 36

From the perspective of information processing theory, incubation facilitates problem solving primarily by:

A) enhancing attentional focus on the problem to be solved
B) slightly expanding the capacity of working memory
C) enabling a more expansive search of long-term memory
D) increasing one's ability to engage in means-ends analysis

Question 37

Ms. Sharp wants her students to use what they learn in their psychology class to interact with other people more effectively. Given what we know about factors that promote transfer, which one of the following teaching strategies is most likely to accomplish this objective?

A) Present a prototype of how effective interaction occurs.
B) Have students describe behaviors that might promote effective interaction.
C) Have students apply effective interaction skills in role-playing situations.
D) Ask questions that encourage students to review the basic principles they have learned about human interaction.

Question 38

Peter is trying to find something his cat will eat. He presents a variety of different foods to the cat until eventually she begins to eat something. Peter's approach to the problem of feeding a finicky cat can probably best be understood from which of the following perspectives of problem solving?

A) Stages of problem solving
B) Trial-and-error
C) The Gestalt notion of insight
D) Response hierarchy

Question 39

Which one of the following examples most clearly illustrates how mental set can interfere with problem solving?

A) A few days after an argument with her boyfriend, Abigail wants to make amends, but the boyfriend tells her that he is now dating someone else.
B) Bernadette needs to calculate the volume of a pyramid. She knows she learned the correct formula in class, but she can't seem to remember it now.
C) Corinne is working on a jigsaw puzzle. One of the pieces to the puzzle is missing.
D) Danielle's car won't start. It doesn't occur to her that she can take the bus to work because she has always driven her car to work before.

Question 40

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

A) Staying dry in a rainstorm
B) Clearing a driveway after a snowstorm
C) Determining the average of a set of test scores
D) Helping a friend whose feelings have been hurt

Question 41

Which one of the following statements best describes theorists' rationale for advocating the use of authentic activities?

A) Authentic activities are the most efficient way of teaching basic skills to a level of automaticity.
B) Authentic activities have built-in scaffolding that assures students' success.
C) Authentic activities help students transfer classroom subject matter to real-world contexts.
D) Authentic activities usually promote a mental set, which facilitates students' knowledge construction.

Question 42

Critical thinking can best be described as involving:

A) Knowing the best course of action to take in complex situations
B) Using heuristics to solve problems
C) Keeping an open mind about controversial issues
D) Judging the credibility of information or arguments

Question 43

Three of the following statements describe how cooperative groups can promote more effective problem solving. Which statement is not an accurate statement regarding the benefits of cooperative group problem solving?

A) Group members are likely to come to quick consensus about the best way to solve a problem.
B) Group members can clarify their individual sources of confusion regarding the subject matter in question.
C) By describing possible problem-solving strategies to their peers, students may gain better insight into the cognitive processes they use.
D) Group members who possess effective problem-solving strategies model the use of such strategies for others.

Question 44

Three of the four teachers below are likely to facilitate her students' ability to solve problems in the classroom. Which teacher is least likely to do so?

A) Ms. Axelrod wants her students to have an in-depth understanding of classroom subject matter.
B) Ms. Blakely explains to her students that algorithms are almost always better than heuristics for solving problems.
C) Ms. Corning often assigns a series of word problems that differ in terms of the specific mathematical operations
D) After her students read a chapter about the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II, Ms. Darwin asks them to identify potential problems that the attack created for the United States government.
E)g., addition, subtraction) needed for problem solution.

Question 45

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?

A) Working backward
B) Visual imagery
C) Drawing an analogy
D) Brainstorming

Question 46

Which one of the following best describes a classroom that has a culture of transfer?

A) Teacher and students regularly look for ways to apply what they're studying.
B) Students from diverse backgrounds meet in small groups to brainstorm potential solutions to social problems.
C) The teacher encourages students to share their study strategies with one another.
D) Classroom topics are never labeled as "belonging" to a particular academic discipline
E)g., as being a "mathematical" procedure or a part of "history").

Question 47

Three of the following examples illustrate the use of scaffolding in promoting students' problem-solving abilities. Which example does not illustrate scaffolding?

A) Ms. Amayo presents an example of a computer program that alphabetizes a list of names. She then has students do something similar-write a program that puts items in numerical order.
B) When students struggle with arithmetic word problems, Ms. Blake gives them subtle hints about how to proceed.
C) Mr. Charlesworth gives easy, straight-forward problems at first, then gradually progresses to more difficult ones.
D) Mr. Darlington makes sure that all students know physics concepts well before he asks them to solve problems.

Question 48

Three of the following should help students learn mathematical problem-solving procedures. Given the textbook's discussion of problem solving, which one is least likely to be effective?

A) Accompany word problems with illustrative pictures.
B) Provide worked-out examples that illustrate a particular procedure.
C) Have students apply the procedures to real-world problems in the classroom.
D) Encourage students to do problems entirely in their heads whenever possible.

Question 49

Which one of the following problems is most likely to be solved with a heuristic rather than an algorithm?

A) Calculating the volume of a cylinder
B) Resolving an argument
C) Solving a difficult algebra problem
D) Using an old recipe to cook chili

Question 50

Other things being equal, which one of the following students is most likely to engage in critical thinking about scientific topics?

A) Al is a "trivia whiz" who loves to memorize obscure scientific facts.
B) Brita realizes that scientists' theories change as new evidence comes in.
C) Chris is confident that she can understand something if she puts her mind to it.
D) Devin often asks questions when he doesn't understand a section of the textbook.

Question 51

Which of the following students is most likely using a digital intelligent tutoring program?

A) Molly is using a spelling program that audibly presents her with words to spell using her keyboard. If she misspells a word, the program gives her personalized guidance to teach her to correctly spell the word.
B) Jake is using a program that advertises itself as helping children become more intelligent. It gives him many different problems to solve in a specific amount of time.
C) Nancy is using a program to learn how to tutor young children. She is instructed to read various passages and answer corresponding questions.
D) Chris is using a program to learn how to type. It provides no feedback for incorrect responses.

Question 52

Only one of the following students is definitely engaging in critical thinking. Which one?

A) Louise has a puzzled look as she reads her textbook. "I don't understand what the author is trying to say," she thinks.
B) Sam reads over his responses to the
C) As Morgan watches her lab partner experiment with a pendulum, she says, "You just changed the length of the string at the same time you added more weight. That won't tell us anything."
D) Raul jumps at the chance to learn how to use desktop publishing software. "I'm particularly interested in learning how to integrate text and graphics," he tell his teacher.

Question 53

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

A) Using a map to find a "secret treasure" in a local park helps students acquire new map-reading skills.
B) Reading two different descriptions of a single historical event helps students understand that historical writing is often biased in accordance with an author's political views.
C) Solving a variety of mathematical word problems helps students practice the basic addition and subtraction facts they've previously learned.
D) Following a teacher's instructions in a chemistry lab gives students first-hand experience with some of the chemical reactions they've been studying in class.

Question 54

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

A) Use heuristics rather than algorithms
B) Have large working memory capacities
C) Understand the logic underlying the procedures they use
D) Focus on only one small part of a problem at a time

Question 55

Nine-year-old Aleesa wants her father to play a video game with her, but Dad tells her, "Sorry, honey, I don't have time. There are dirty dishes in the kitchen sink, and the living room has to be dusted and vacuumed. I need to clean the house before Grandma and Grandpa come tonight. Aleesa thinks for a moment and then says, "How about if I wash the dishes and do the dusting? That way, you'll have some time to play with me." Aleesa's approach to solving her problem-convincing Dad to play a video game-most clearly reflects:

A) brainstorming
B) use of an analogy
C) functional fixedness
D) means-ends analysis

Question 56

Which one of the following is most likely to be useful in teaching children to solve mathematical problems effectively?

A) Teaching tricks such as "When you see altogether in a problem, you should add"
B) Making sure that students know why procedures work, as well as how to use them
C) Having students practice procedures in isolation before applying them to real-life situations
D) Making sure that students can think abstractly before they begin to solve problems

Question 57

Which of the following students is most clearly engaging in adaptive expertise?

A) Alex loves to ride his bike to school and gets many other children to join him.
B) Julie is very good at chemistry. She often receives the highest grade in her class and has started tutoring other students in chemistry.
C) Marisa struggles with math, however she is very good at English.
D) Paul always excelled at math in school. He now works as a construction worker and used arithmetic everyday to calculate measurements.

Question 58

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

A) Susan wants to know how long it will take her to drive from Phoenix to Los Angeles. She knows that the distance is 400 miles, and she figures she will average 50 miles an hour with stops, so she predicts the trip will take 8 hours.
B) Vinnie has a round hot tub that is six feet in diameter; he wants to build a top to cover it. He remembers the formula for calculating the area of a circle and works out how many feet of lumber he needs.
C) John wants to buy a computer. He compares prices at different computer stores and buys whichever model is least expensive.
D) Marion can't think of a plot for the short story she needs to write. She breaks her task into smaller pieces: First she'll decide who the main character will be, then she'll think of a conflict for that character to experience, and finally she'll identify a reasonable resolution of that conflict.

Question 59

Three of the teachers below are using techniques that should facilitate students' problem-solving abilities. Which one is not doing so?

A) Mr. Arons has students practice their basic multiplication and division facts until they can recall each fact quickly and easily.
B) Mr. Bohlender emphasizes factual knowledge on classroom exams.
C) Mr. Curry gives students practice in changing ill-defined problems into more well-defined ones.
D) On his quizzes, Mr. Dickinson includes problems that students haven't seen before.

Question 60

Three of the following are true statements regarding problem based learning? Which of the following is not?

A) New skills and knowledge are acquired while solving complex and real-world problems.
B) Problem based learning is not effective in higher education i.e. undergraduate and graduate levels); it is only effective in K-12 settings.
C) Problem based learning can be highly motivating to students.
D) The complex problems used in problem based learning can impose very heavy cognitive loads.

Question 61

According to the text book, which of the following factors does not influence a person's critical thinking skills?

A) Income
B) Personality characteristics
C) Epistemic beliefs
D) Cultural upbringing

Question 62

If you wanted students to learn how to critically evaluate what they read on Internet websites, you would be most likely to:

A) Ask students to consider the motives of the people creating the websites
B) Suggest that students check to see how recently the information was posted on the websites
C) Urge students to disregard any websites that aren't sponsored by a well-respected agency or organization
D) Tell students that websites with eye-catching graphics are usually designed by professionals and therefore offer credible information

Question 63

Distinguish between general and specific transfer, and give a concrete example of each to illustrate the distinction. Describe the four perspectives of transfer listed below in terms of their views on general and specific transfer:
a. Formal discipline
b. Similarity of stimuli and responses
c. Information processing
d. Situated learning

Question 64

Three of the following teaching strategies should promote critical thinking. Which strategy, although beneficial in other ways, will not necessarily promote critical thinking skills?

A) Teach critical thinking skills within the context of several different subject-area courses.
B) Have students relate new information to things they already know about the world.
C) Have students debate a controversial issue by taking a perspective in direct opposition to what they actually believe.
D) Ask students to read a persuasive essay and look for possible flaws in the author's line of reasoning.

Question 65

Describe five different things that teachers can do to facilitate students' transfer of what is learned in the classroom to real-world situations and problems.

Question 66

Transfer what you have learned about transfer and problem solving to a professional situation in which you might find yourself. More specifically:
a. Using either an educational or therapeutic context, describe a specific idea or principle you might want students or clients to apply outside the educational or therapeutic setting. In particular, describe what information you would want them to learn within the educational or therapeutic context, and how you hope they would transfer it in dealing with the outside world.
b. Explain how your students' or clients' success in transferring this information and/or using it to solve problems might be more or less successful depending on:
i. How they encode/store the original information, and the extent to which they elaborate on it
ii. How they encode/store the transfer/problem-solving situation, and the extent to which they elaborate on that situation

Question 67

Ms. Webster tells students, "The author of our history textbook knows what he's talking about. He's a well-respected scholar whose specialty is the period we're reading about this month: colonial America." Although such a statement might certainly be beneficial in some respects, it has which one of the following drawbacks?

A) It will promote negative rather than positive transfer of the subject matter.
B) It will increase the probability that students have functional fixedness.
C) It is unlikely to foster an inclination to critically evaluate textbook content.
D) It will predispose students to use algorithms rather than heuristics while studying.

Question 68

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

Question 69

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

Question 70

Imagine that you are teaching a course in human learning to future teachers. You want students to transfer what they learn in their class to their own teaching practice. Describe three strategies you might use to help students transfer what they learn in your class.

Question 71

Choose a particular content domain
e.g., math, science, history, English literature) and give two examples that critical thinking in that domain might entail. Your examples should reflect two of the following forms of critical thinking:
-Verbal reasoning
-Argument analysis
-Probabilistic reasoning
-Hypothesis testing

Question 72

Describe three different strategies you might use to encourage students to engage in critical thinking about a topic. Illustrate each strategy with a concrete example.