Chapter 1

Question 1

What is the main goal of educational psychology?

a. to improve student behavior	
b. to improve teacher effectiveness	
c. to use psychological theories to understand teaching and learning	
d. to test psychological theories on real students

Answer 1

c. to use psychological theories to understand teaching and learning

Question 2

Educational psychology is considered a scientific discipline because it:

a. tests theories in order to understand teaching and learning.	
b. requires researchers to speculate on unproven theories.	
c. measures how much science students learn.	
d. studies environmental characteristics.

Answer 2

a. tests theories in order to understand teaching and learning.

Question 3

What factors are of primary concern to the field of educational psychology?
Choose 4

a. instructional strategies
b. student learning processes
c. financial constraints on research programs
d. emotional and cognitive development
e. culture

Answer 3

a. instructional strategies
b. student learning processes
d. emotional and cognitive development
e. culture

Question 4

What does the What Works Clearinghouse provide?

a. solutions to teaching problems	
b. research-based evidence about instructional programs	
c. evaluation reports on school administration	
d. recommendations for program adoption

Answer 4

b. research-based evidence about instructional programs

Question 5

The scientific approach focuses on:

a. wishful thinking.	
b. predetermined ideas.	
c. objectivity.	
d. selected evidence.

Answer 5

c. objectivity.

Question 6

When two events occur close together in time, a scientific approach to understanding the events suggests that:

a. the first event probably caused the second event.	
b. the fact that the two are related should not be mistaken for cause and effect.	
c. the second event is the more important event to study.	
d. the second event should be ignored until the first event is fully understood.

Answer 6

b. the fact that the two are related should not be mistaken for cause and effect.

Question 7

Why are findings in educational research often limited in focus?

a. Experimental conditions are rarely identical to real classrooms.	
b. Subjects are not always equivalent in age.	
c. Findings apply to a wide range of circumstances.	
d. Findings are vaguely worded.

Answer 7

a. Experimental conditions are rarely identical to real classrooms.

Question 8

Why might research on the same educational question result in conflicting conclusions?

a. There is typically too much data for one research team to fully interpret.	
b. Teachers become frustrated with the research process and do not cooperate.	
c. Scientific evidence is incontrovertible.	
d. Researchers may legitimately interpret scientific data differently.

Answer 8

d. Researchers may legitimately interpret scientific data differently.

Question 9

The statement “Teaching is an art that cannot be taught” is:

a. true because teachers are born not made.	
b. false because teacher education has been proven effective.	
c. reasonable because artists make good teachers.	
d. unreasonable because teaching is both art and science.

Answer 9

d. unreasonable because teaching is both art and science.

Question 10

Teachers who demonstrate flexibility:

a. focus mainly on the subject matter.	
b. work though impediments to instruction.	
c. keep students from talking out of turn.	
d. focus first on classroom discipline.

Answer 10

b. work though impediments to instruction.

Question 11

Teaching is described as a “dynamic decision-making process” that emphasizes the importance of:

a. rules that specify how to handle teaching situations.	
b. flexibility in making on-the-spot teaching decisions.	
c. an unvarying approach to teaching.	
d. a science in terms of selecting teaching approaches.

Answer 11

b. flexibility in making on-the-spot teaching decisions.

Question 12

Flexibility in teaching may include:
Choose 4

a. substituting a guided discovery lesson for direct instruction.
b. improvising to engage student interest.
c. following a scripted lesson plan.
d. abandoning a lesson that isn’t working.
e. taking advantage of a teachable moment.

Answer 12

a. substituting a guided discovery lesson for direct instruction.
b. improvising to engage student interest.
d. abandoning a lesson that isn’t working.
e. taking advantage of a teachable moment.

Question 13

What should be avoided while practicing teaching as inquiry?

a. asking useful questions	
b. relying on pretests and posttests	
c. incorporating what is learned in future lessons	
d. collecting data through formative assessments

Answer 13

b. relying on pretests and posttests

Question 14

The context in which teaching and learning occurs includes:
Choose 4

a. class size.
b. student background.
c. computer simulations.
d. texts and materials.
e. state mandates and curricula.

Answer 14

a. class size.
b. student background.
d. texts and materials.
e. state mandates and curricula.

Question 15

Teaching as inquiry is described as a systematic process that includes:
Choose 3

a. questioning classroom practices.
b. gathering information.
c. selecting a new teaching technique.
d. refining ideas to suit circumstances.
e. scaffolding instruction.

Answer 15

a. questioning classroom practices.
b. gathering information.
d. refining ideas to suit circumstances.

Question 16

The primary focus of educational psychology is to:

a. understand how human factors influence learning.	
b. help students develop physically, emotionally, and cognitively.	
c. understand how self-esteem operates in classroom situations.	
d. raise test scores for all students.

Answer 16

a. understand how human factors influence learning.

Question 17

What is the primary reason teaching is considered complex work?

a. Preparing lessons requires many hours of work.	
b. Teachers require a wide range of knowledge and skills.	
c. Teachers are responsible for students’ mistakes.	
d. Administrators are constantly second guessing what teachers do.

Answer 17

b. Teachers require a wide range of knowledge and skills.

Question 18

The complexity of teaching:

a. makes it an unforgiving profession.	
b. makes it an unstable profession.	
c. requires a master’s degree.	
d. may be attributed to the quantity and quality of decisions which need to be made.

Answer 18

d. may be attributed to the quantity and quality of decisions which need to be made.

Question 19

With respect to teaching pedagogy, teachers should read professional journals because they:

a. contain advertising for master’s degree programs.	
b. provide anecdotes about eye-catching bulletin boards.	
c. include inspirational stories about teaching.	
d. provide reports on scientific experiments.

Answer 19

d. provide reports on scientific experiments.

Question 20

Why are professional journals important to the scientific study of education?

a. Dissemination of research results allows replication of studies.	
b. Journals provide a forum for researchers to express their opinions about the latest educational practices.	
c. Journals provide science-related reading recommendations.	
d. Journals publish advertising for scientifically validated educational products.

Answer 20

a. Dissemination of research results allows replication of studies.

Question 21

Why is the scientific study of education described as “the hardest-to-do science”?

a. It requires much more funding than other types of research.	
b. Teachers don’t want to be observed by researchers.	
c. There is no standard definition of education.	
d. The variables to be studied are complex and not easy to measure.

Answer 21

d. The variables to be studied are complex and not easy to measure.

Question 22

To be considered successful from the perspective of scientific inquiry, an instructional program should:

a. be cost effective.	
b. demonstrate positive research outcomes.	
c. be based in neuroscience.	
d. not contradict the approach of other successful practioners.

Answer 22

b. demonstrate positive research outcomes.

Question 23

How can a scientific basis be applied to good teaching?

a. All professors of education must be trained in chemistry, biology, or physics.	
b. All teachers must be trained in chemistry, biology, or physics.	
c. There is a usable body of scientific research findings about teaching.	
d. Teaching practice must follow the scientific method.

Answer 23

c. There is a usable body of scientific research findings about teaching.

Question 24

What does the term “flexible teaching” mean?

a. doing the right thing at the right time to reach students	
b. the ability to bend over backwards for students	
c. conducting a high-wire act in front of students	
d. moving artfully around the classroom

Answer 24

a. doing the right thing at the right time to reach students

Question 25

What does the term “teaching as inquiry” refer to?

a. the application of research findings to established teaching practices	
b. an instructional tool for new teachers	
c. a process for questioning and reflecting upon teaching practices	
d. a data-driven program like Race to the Top

Answer 25

c. a process for questioning and reflecting upon teaching practices

Question 26

Differences in students that we see

a. sampling
b. Objectivity
c. publication
d. control

Answer 26

a. sampling

Question 27

Being able to take them essentially out of the equation and control for them, so that our situation is not affected by them

a. replication
b. sampling
c. control
d. objectivity

Answer 27

c. control

Question 28

Look at it without bias, look at it without expectations of a particular solution or wanting a solution for monetary reasons, need to eliminate as much bias as possible

a. objectivity
b. publication
c. replication
d. sampling

Answer 28

a. objectivity

Question 29

Always have to use published systems and approaches

a. control
b. sampling
c. replication
d. publication

Answer 29

d. publication

Question 30

Replicated so others can use that procedure to see if they get same or similar results

a. objectivity
b. replication
c. control
d. sampling

Answer 30

b. replication

Question 31

Most studies examine only a few variables at a time.

a. limited focus of research
b. complexity of teaching and learning
c. selection and interpretation of data
d. new findings mean revised ideas

Answer 31

a. limited focus of research

Question 32

Instructional effectiveness and learning will vary over time because many factors affect teaching and learning

a. limited focus of research
b. complexity of teaching and learning
c. selection and interpretation of data
d. new findings mean revised ideas

Answer 32

b. complexity of teaching and learning

Question 33

Researchers read different studies and make different interpretations of the same data

a. limited focus of research
b. complexity of teaching and learning
c. selection and interpretation of data
d. new findings mean revised ideas

Answer 33

c. selection and interpretation of data

Question 34

Science is a process of accumulation of evidence and revision of conclusions based on the new evidence

a. limited focus of research
b. complexity of teaching and learning
c. selection and interpretation of data
d. new findings mean revised ideas

Answer 34

d. new findings mean revised ideas

Question 35

On the spot subjective decisions on how to present a lesson plan, explain a concept, handle boredom or reprimand a student

Answer 35

Wasserman’s flexibility

Question 36

Asking questions
Gathering data
Reflection
Taking Action

Answer 36

4 steps of teaching inquiry