Question 1

Mario is an 8-year-old third grader who lives in a largely Hispanic community in Arizona. Considering typical ethnic group differences and without knowing anything else about Mario,with which instructional approach would you expect him to feel most comfortable?

Accepted Answer

A) A textbook chapter appropriate for his reading skills 
B) A cooperative learning activity 
C) A direct instruction session 
D) An in-class workbook exercise

Question 2

Drawing on the guidelines presented in the textbook,choose the topic below that would be most appropriate for a classroom discussion.

Accepted Answer

A) Learning how gravity affects the speed with which an object falls to the earth 
B) Learning the various tenses of the verb to be 
C) Studying the history of the United Nations 
D) Interpreting Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven

Question 3

As an art teacher,Ms. Lerner conducts a task analysis of a unit in which students will learn to work with clay. In her analysis she considers information about the coil and throwing methods of pot making and about the effects of different types of clay and firing methods. Which type of task analysis is Ms. Lerner conducting?

Accepted Answer

A) Behavioral analysis 
B) Subject matter analysis 
C) Information processing analysis 
D) Preliminary cognitive analysis

Question 4

Which one of the following best illustrates expository instruction?

Accepted Answer

A) Students in Mr. Phillips's English class discuss the themes addressed in Hamlet. 
B) Students in Mr. Richards's science class look at handouts and computer-screen projections that depict the life cycle of the butterfly. 
C) Students in Ms. Thaller's geometry class work at their desks trying to prove the side-angle-side theorem for triangles. 
D) Students in Ms. Verden's history class write the answers to a series of short questions and then share their responses with their classmates.

Question 5

A mastery learning approach to instruction would probably be most suitable for teaching:

Accepted Answer

A) Introductory German. 
B) A philosophy seminar. 
C) Advanced techniques of photography. 
D) Controversial issues in history.

Question 6

Which one of the following is the best example of an advance organizer?

Accepted Answer

A) Ms. Hillman tells her students,"As we look at causes of the American Revolution,we'll find that most fall into three general categories: philosophical differences,British taxation policies,and several decrees known as the 'Intolerable Acts.' " 
B) After describing the characteristics of each of the planets in the solar system,Mr. Jeffrey gives his students a handout that shows the orbits of the planets,their distances from the sun,and their relative sizes. 
C) Ms. Lawford tells her students,"On Monday we will begin a unit on how clouds are formed. Please read the next chapter in your book before then." 
D) Ms. Nicholas writes on the board,"Tell your parents to begin thinking about a costume they can help you make to wear for our Thanksgiving pageant in three weeks."

Question 7

As a beginning teacher,you discover that your first class consists of students from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Drawing on the discussion of teaching strategies in Chapter 8,describe at least four different instructional strategies that are likely to be effective in your class. For each strategy,present a rationale as to why it is apt to be effective for your diverse group of students.

Accepted Answer

The answer of As a beginning teacher,you discover that your...

Question 8

You are giving a lecture on a topic you know is difficult for your students. Describe at least one specific strategy you can use to maximize the probability that:
a. Your students will store the information in their working memories.
b. The information you present doesn't exceed the limits of students' working memory capacities.
c. Your students will organize the material effectively.
d. Your students will elaborate on the things you talk about.

Accepted Answer

The answer of You are giving a lecture on a...

Question 9

Which one of the following statements best captures the textbook's view about the value of the Internet in classroom instruction?

Accepted Answer

A) It has potential as a learning tool,but teachers should scaffold and monitor students' use of it. 
B) Many computer experts suggest that its dangers (e.g.,exposure to racism and other forms of intolerance)far outweigh the benefits it might have for children and adolescents. 
C) It appears to be far more effective than classroom lectures as a way to promote learning,especially at the secondary level. 
D) Its effects are minimal unless students each have access to their own computer terminal.

Question 10

Three of the following are accurate statements about computer-based instruction. Which statement is false with regard to CBI?

Accepted Answer

A) It can help students acquire new study strategies and other metacognitive skills. 
B) It is recommended even when the material can be effectively presented in other ways. 
C) It sometimes allows data collection about individual students' progress. 
D) It can enhance students' intrinsic motivation to learn.

Question 11

Identify a particular topic that you may someday teach. Now:
a. Write three instructional objectives for your topic,including at least one that addresses one or more complex cognitive processes. Be sure that your objectives are consistent with the guidelines presented in the textbook.
b. Choose a suitable approach to instruction for each of your objectives. Justify your decisions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify a particular topic that you may...

Question 12

As a teacher,you want your students to learn basic concepts in chemistry well enough that they can use them when studying more advanced topics. Of the following choices,the best instructional approach to use for this purpose is:

Accepted Answer

A) Hypermedia. 
B) Direct instruction. 
C) Inquiry learning. 
D) Lecture.

Question 13

As teachers identify instructional goals and objectives,they won't necessarily want to describe each and every behavior they expect students to demonstrate. If they did so,they might generate a long list of relatively trivial behaviors. A reasonable alternative would be to:

Accepted Answer

A) Develop a mixture of general and specific objectives. 
B) Develop a few abstract objectives,with examples of behaviors reflecting each one. 
C) Emphasize the "remember" and "understand" levels of Bloom's taxonomy. 
D) Forego instructional objectives whenever the focus is on complex cognitive skills.

Question 14

The textbook distinguishes between teacher-directed and student-directed forms of instruction. Which one of the following best describes how teachers should view these two approaches?

Accepted Answer

A) Generally speaking,teacher-directed instruction is more effective than student-directed instruction. 
B) Generally speaking,student-directed instruction is more effective than teacher-directed instruction. 
C) The best approach depends on the characteristics of the students and the goals of instruction. 
D) Teacher-directed instruction is recommended for the elementary and middle school grades; student-directed instruction is recommended for the high school grades.

Question 15

Teachers should think of a lesson plan as:

Accepted Answer

A) Something that always includes both cognitive and affective objectives. 
B) Something that should always address all six levels of Bloom's taxonomy. 
C) A "contract" that they have with their students about what the class will accomplish. 
D) A general guide for a lesson that they can modify as necessary.

Question 16

Three of the following statements describe the benefits of cooperative learning activities. Which statement is least likely to be true about cooperative learning activities?

Accepted Answer

A) Students consistently get positive reinforcement for their responses. 
B) Students in a cooperative group can provide scaffolding for one another as they attempt challenging tasks. 
C) Students can model effective thinking skills for one another. 
D) Students' self-efficacy may increase when they have their classmates' assistance.

Question 17

Which one of the following teaching strategies is the clearest example of how a teacher might scaffold complex cognitive processes in instruction?

Accepted Answer

A) Give students index cards with the words YES and No,and have them use the cards to "vote" on answers to questions presented during classroom lectures. 
B) Have students tutor younger children on subject matter they know very well. 
C) Provide considerable guidance on problem-solving tasks early in the school year and gradually remove this guidance as students become more proficient. 
D) Make sure students have mastered the basic facts and skills taught in one unit before proceeding to the next unit.

Question 18

Which one of the following instructional objectives is consistent with guidelines presented in the textbook?

Accepted Answer

A) "Teachers will demonstrate how to convert decimals to fractions and how to convert fractions to decimals." 
B) "Students will work on problems that involve decimals and fractions." 
C) "Students will correctly convert decimals to fractions and fractions to decimals." 
D) "Students will study the relationship between decimals and fractions."

Question 19

Imagine that,as an educator,one of your long-term goals for students is that they acquire critical thinking skills: You want them to evaluate the soundness of logical arguments in persuasive essays,determine whether scientific research studies truly support certain conclusions,and so on. At a school board meeting,a father of one of your students complains about your emphasis on critical thinking. He insists that the purpose of education should be simply to teach students facts that experts have determined to be "true" in various academic disciplines. Of the following ways in which you might respond to the father,which one is most accurate and defensible?

Accepted Answer

A) Students are more motivated by long-term,abstract goals than by shorter,concrete objectives. 
B) Critical thinking is the most basic cognitive process identified in the recent revision of Bloom's taxonomy presented in the textbook; all other cognitive processes build on it. 
C) Standards developed by professional groups in various academic disciplines often include critical thinking. 
D) Virtually any approach to instruction-whether it be expository instruction,mastery learning,cooperative learning,or some other approach-invariably involves mastering aspects of critical thinking.

Question 20

Describe the nature of direct instruction,identifying at least five major components that are typically included. Then give a concrete example of how you might use direct instruction to teach a specific topic,being sure to illustrate all five of the components you listed.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the nature of direct instruction,identifying at...

Exam 8: Instructional Strategies