Terms to Know Flashcards
Assimilation
Responding to a new event or object that is consistent with an existing scheme.
Classical Conditioning
A process of behavior modification by which a person comes to respond in the desired manner to what was once a neutral stimulus. The neutral stimulus is repeatedly presented with an unconditioned stimulus (smell of food) that eventually elicits the desired response.
Conservation
Knowing that a number or amount stays the same even when rearranged or presented in a different shape
(Pouring a set amount of liquid into two different size containers)
Constructivism
A philosophy of learning based on the premise that people construct their own understanding of the world they live in through reflection on experiences.
Convergent thinking
A process of gathering several pieces of information together to solve a problem.
Creativity
New and original behavior that creates a culturally appropriate product
Declarative knowledge
Knowledge of what is
Procedural knowledge
Knowledge of how to
Conditional knowledge
Knowledge of when again - students transfer or use new knowledge in another situation
Discovery learning
Teaching methods that enable students to discover information by themselves or in groups
Disequilibrium
One’s ability to explain new events based on existing schemes, which is usually accompanied by discomfort
Disposition
A person’s natural tendency to approach earning or problem solving in new ways
Distributed cognition
A process in which two or more learners share their thinking as they work together to solve a problem
Divergent thinking
The process of mentally taking a single idea and expanding it in several directions
Equilibration
Movement fro equilibrium to disequilibrium and then back to equilibrium again
Long-term Memory
The part of memory that holds skills and knowledge for a long time
Metacognition
A person’s ability to think about her own thinking; self-awareness, self-regulation
Students are able to explain her own thinking and describe which strategies she uses to solve problems
Problem Solving
The use existing knowledge and skills to solve problems
Readiness to Learn
Students basic needs are met (food, sleep, safety, love) and the student is cognitively ready for developmentally appropriate learning and problem solving
Response
A specific behavior that a person demonstrates
Scaffolding
Instructional supports provided by an adult or capable student in a learning situation.
Schema
A concept in the mind about events, scenarios, actions, or objects that have been acquired from past experience. The mind must have previous experiences with which to associate new information to ensure that it is learned.
Self-efficacy
The belief that one is capable
Self-regulation
The process of taking control of one’s own learning or behavior
Stimulus (stimuli)
A specific object or event that influences (positively or negatively) a person’s learning or behavior