Deck 13: Approaches to Instruction

Question 1

Which of the following describes a behavioral event that primarily involves the affective domain?

A) Carly can't remember the answer to 2 + 4.
B) Bobby is angry about being kept inside during recess.
C) Lynda threw the softball farther than anyone else.
D) Don won the dodge ball event.

Answer 1

Bobby is angry about being kept inside during recess.

Question 2

Which of the following instructional objectives would be preferred by Norman Gronlund?

A) appreciates poetry
B) correctly identifies eight out of ten bug specimens within five minutes
C) demonstrates the ability to set up a light microscope
D) is sensitive to the feelings of others

Answer 2

demonstrates the ability to set up a light microscope

Question 3

Goals are to objectives as

A) chapter overviews are to chapter pages.
B) leaves are to trees.
C) sand is to the beach.
D) airplanes are to hangars.

Answer 3

chapter overviews are to chapter pages.

Question 4

The information-processing/social cognitive approach to teaching emphasizes the importance of

A) teacher-directed instruction and the use of positive reinforcement to help shape the desired behavior.
B) telling students what they need to learn, why it is important for them to learn it, and how achievement will be tested.
C) scaffolding instruction and providing opportunities for peer tutoring.
D) exposure to multiple viewpoints and opportunities for social interaction while learning, like those provided by cooperative learning.

Question 5

According to the information-processing/social cognitive approach to learning, one way to help students meaningfully process information is to

A) present new information in relatively small amounts and over a reasonable period of time because of the limits of students' working memory capacity.
B) present information at a pace that will assure you of finishing the entire text before the end of the school year because the acquisition of basic skills is critically necessary to learning.
C) Present new information quickly enough that students become accustomed to working at a fast pace because being able to automatically encode and retrieve information is critical to subsequent learning.
D) present large amounts of information over a short timespan because students need exposure to as much information as possible and long-term memory has a limitless capacity.

Question 6

The first three categories (in order) of the taxonomy of objectives for the cognitive domain are

A) application, knowledge, synthesis.
B) comprehension, analysis, evaluation.
C) knowledge, analysis, application.
D) knowledge, comprehension, application.

Question 7

The student will, in class and in thirty minutes, correctly solve twelve of the fifteen problems on page ten of the text. This objective would most likely suit the needs of

A) Norman Gronlund.
B) Robert Mager.
C) Benjamin Bloom.
D) Lev Vygotsky.

Question 8

Dr. Valentine is explaining the art of writing a good love poem. He stands at the front of the classroom and writes key phrases and transitions on the board. He works very deliberately in hopes that every student will be able to follow his instruction. Which of the following terms best describes this instructional situation?

A) independent practice
B) guided practice
C) structured practice
D) distributed practice

Question 9

Direct instruction has been found to be most effective for

A) learning basic reading and writing skills.
B) improving students' discovery learning skills.
C) enhancing the effectiveness of cooperative learning arrangements.
D) creating a humanistic atmosphere in the classroom.

Question 10

Which of the following does not exemplify a constructivist approach to learning?

A) Allow students to pick which assignment they would like to complete from a variety of choices.
B) Require students to learn new material largely by repetition.
C) Ask students to form groups and discuss personal points of view and the implications of those perspectives.
D) Provide students with lessons that reflect real-life settings, events, and consequences.

Question 11

All but which one of the following goals could belong in the cognitive domain of educational objectives?

A) Students will be able to name the capital city and list one primary industry for at least forty-five of the fifty states in the United States.
B) Students will be able to identify all of the main characters and write a literary critique of at least three of the seven major works being covered in one semester of English literature.
C) Students will be able to summarize and defend a personally held belief regarding the appropriate role of women in contemporary society.
D) Students will be able to translate at least 90 percent of the French vocabulary words and use each of those words correctly in a sentence.

Question 12

Which of the following is a good example of the type of objective that would be included in the affective domain of the taxonomy of educational objectives?

A) Students will be able to describe the similarities and differences among the classes of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
B) Students will be able to run a minimum of 200 yards without stopping.
C) Students will be able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide improper fractions, as well as reduce fractions to their lowest terms.
D) Students will be able to express a willingness to identify with and support a particular point of view regarding conservation and the environment.

Question 13

A taxonomy can best be defined as a

A) group of categories arranged in random sequence.
B) series of categories arranged in hierarchical order.
C) group of broad educational goals.
D) classification scheme for educational objectives.

Question 14

Which of the following is an example of the application of the information-processing/social cognitive approach to instruction?

A) Students write the weekly list of spelling words five times each.
B) Students copy definitions of science terms from the chalkboard.
C) Students use wet sand and measuring cups to study volume and measurement.
D) Students complete workbook pages that relate to reading materials.

Question 15

Tanika is learning a new algorithm for solving math word problems. She works at her desk but the teacher walks by from time to time, checking her work and helping her correct errors. Which of the following terms best describes this instructional situation?

A) guided practice
B) structured practice
C) distributed practice
D) independent practice

Question 16

Educational goals are

A) very specific.
B) complex and confusing.
C) unclear and vague.
D) general in nature.

Question 17

It is Benjamin Bloom's opinion that many contemporary teachers fail to

A) use higher order objectives that require students to analyze and evaluate.
B) use lower order objectives that require students to acquire factual knowledge.
C) use frequent examples to make sure students understand the topic at hand.
D) effectively use audio-visual media.

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of direct instruction?

A) During a classroom discussion about kindness to others, a teacher uses a checklist to record the incidence of student's expressions of values that are compatible with kindness.
B) High school students participate in an online discussion with peers about the effect that violence in schools has on their sense of security.
C) Students practice solving two-digit multiplication problems while the teacher circulates among them, offering assistance and preventing off-task behavior when necessary.
D) Students who are working on a term paper circulate independently among a variety of research materials, collecting the information they think is pertinent to their topic.

Question 19

Research on the effectiveness of using objectives leads to the conclusion that objectives

A) seem to improve incidental learning.
B) seem to benefit primarily higher ability students.
C) work best when the learning task is very difficult.
D) work best when students are aware of them.

Question 20

Which of the following is not an instructional objective?

A) Students will correctly spell at least 85 percent of the science terms from the current lesson.
B) Given ten insect specimens, students will identify at least eight specimens correctly.
C) Students will describe events from the story and evaluate their impact on particular characters.
D) Students who are graduated from the eighth grade will be sufficiently literate.

Question 21

Describe instructional objectives and explain their purpose.

Question 22

List, from lowest to highest level, the instructional outcomes that are included in the taxonomy of objectives for the cognitive domain, and briefly describe each.

Question 23

What conclusions have been reached by psychologists who have reviewed research on the effectiveness of using objectives?

Question 24

Summarize the research findings on the effectiveness of direct instruction.

Question 25

Define the term educational goals.

Question 26

What aspect of educational technology is most supportive of instruction from a cognitive psychology perspective?

A) The lessons reteach students basic materials.
B) The lessons help students code, store, and retrieve information.
C) The lessons are entertaining.
D) The lessons positively reinforce correct responses.

Question 27

Using the information-processing/social cognitive approach to instruction, describe how the amount of information presented during instruction affects student learning.

Question 28

Teachers who adopt a humanistic approach to instruction are primarily interested in

A) understanding and addressing students' needs, values, and motives.
B) figuring out the most logical sequence of ideas for a lesson.
C) teaching students how to formulate effective learning strategies.
D) helping students conform to social and academic norms.

Question 29

The beneficial effect of cooperative learning on social and academic outcomes is most likely due to which of the following reasons?

A) increased motivation
B) decline in egocentrism
C) increased elaboration of information
D) All of these answers.

Question 30

It is not uncommon for schools to offer breakfast (at reduced or no cost) as well as other snacks and small meals throughout the day. In addition, children at some schools enjoy a special time each day for napping and rest. These activities are manifestations of the work of

A) Abraham Maslow.
B) John Dewey.
C) Jean Piaget.
D) Benjamin Bloom.

Question 31

Which of the following teaching behaviors is most consistent with a humanistic approach to instruction?

A) Break a task into a series of small units or steps, provide students with many opportunities to practice new material and skills, provide students with timely corrective feedback.
B) Make frequent use of student-led discussions and debates, provide students with realistic problems to solve, and provide students with only as much support as they need to complete a task.
C) Take an interest in students' personal lives, be courteous when dealing with students, and provide multiple ways for students to demonstrate that they have achieved your objectives.
D) Communicate your goals clearly, use unusual materials and activities, emphasize the interconnectedness of subjects and ideas.

Question 32

Using the information-processing/social cognitive approach to instruction, describe how teachers can use communication to help students achieve meaningful learning.

Question 33

In terms of Bloom's Taxonomy, note the type of test question that is most frequently written.

Question 34

Describe the five main characteristics of direct instruction.

Question 35

If you were interested in using technology to support a social approach to teaching, you would be drawn to applications that lend themselves to

A) helping individual students actively construct relationships and ideas.
B) mastery of established facts.
C) improving students' social skills.
D) helping students negotiate ideas with one another.

Question 36

The _______________ approach to instruction has its focus on students' needs and values, as well as their ability to direct their own learning.

A) information-processing
B) cognitive
C) social
D) humanistic

Question 37

Mrs. Bury greets her students at the classroom door every morning. She has a genuinely warm relationship with her students, who feel that she likes them and accepts them as they are. Mrs. Bury has the same approach to education as

A) Carl Rogers.
B) Arthur Combs.
C) Abraham Maslow.
D) Roger Johnson.

Question 38

Whitney is preparing an oral presentation and plans to explain why cooperative learning often leads to widespread positive results. Which of the following explanations will most likely not be provided?

A) Cooperative-learning tasks are highly motivating to students.
B) Group collaboration allows students to model more advanced ways of thinking from peers.
C) Cooperative learning encourages students to follow the teacher's detailed lesson plan.
D) Collaborative efforts facilitate the elaboration and restructuring of new information.

Question 39

One of the defining features of cooperative learning is the use of heterogeneous groups: small groups of students who vary in ability, gender, and socioeconomic status. What does the research say about the effectiveness of heterogeneous versus homogeneous ability groups?

A) Students in homogeneous ability groups do better on tests of problem solving than students in mixed ability groups.
B) Students in mixed ability groups do better on tests of problem solving than students in homogeneous ability groups.
C) Students in homogeneous ability groups score about the same on tests of problem solving than students in mixed ability groups.
D) There is no research on this question at the present time.

Question 40

Technology that helps students code, store, and retrieve information reflects a(n) _______________ approach to instruction.

A) behavioral
B) operant
C) social learning
D) cognitive

Question 41

Name and describe Carl Rogers' contribution to the humanistic approach to instruction.

Question 42

Describe the humanistic approach to teaching and explain how it differs from the behavioral approach. Discuss the contributions of Maslow, Rogers, and Combs as they pertain to the humanistic instructional perspective. Note the current contributions of Nel Noddings to the humanistic approach.

Question 43

Describe Maslow's recommendation for enhancing student development.

Question 44

Benjamin Bloom believes that most classroom activities focus almost exclusively on learning at the knowledge level. Explain why educators feel that this is poor professional practice. Include in your discussion an explanation of the necessity of aligning objectives with instruction and assessment.

Question 45

Summarize the research on the effect of homogeneous versus heterogeneous groups on problem solving.

Question 46

Provide three explanations of why cooperative learning tends to produce positive outcomes.

Question 47

Describe the characteristics of a classroom in which a humanistic approach to education is being followed.

Question 48

For each of the major taxonomies (cognitive, affective, and psychomotor) note three capabilities that would be required of students who wanted to write and perform a musical play.

Question 49

Describe how social interaction among a heterogeneous group of students is expected to effect meaningful learning, according to the constructivist approach to instruction.

Question 50

Based on the contributions of social constructivism, describe how computer technology should be used to successfully foster meaningful learning.

Question 51

The authors described two approaches to instruction that are based in cognitive psychology. Compare and contrast these two approaches. Your discussion should address the following: name of each instructional approach, the focus of instruction of each approach, the activity/passivity of the teacher and students in each approach, and specific suggested teaching methods associated with each approach.