Question 1

Matthew is a brilliant student who seems rather arrogant about his intelligence and academic success.He corrected a comment made by his English teacher in class yesterday.The teacher complimented him for his analytical thinking and provided information to support her comment.After class,Matthew told his buddy that the teacher was wrong.His buddy said,"Well she gave you the source of her information.I don't think you have a leg to stand on." What specific problem solving attribute is Matthew demonstrating?
A)Representativeness heuristic
B)Functional fixedness
C)Availability heuristic
D)Belief perseverance

Accepted Answer

Matthew is demonstrating belief perseverance, which is the tendency to cling to one's initial beliefs even after receiving new information that contradicts or discredits those beliefs. Despite his teacher providing evidence to support her compliment of Matthew's analytical thinking, he still believes his own intelligence and opinion to be superior enough to challenge his teacher's statement.

Question 2

Mr.Soria wants to teach his students strategies that will improve their metacognitive knowledge and skills.Based on guidelines for teaching such strategies to students,which of the following approaches should be used?
A)Encourage students to disregard strategies they have used in the past.
B)Allow students to figure out where and when to use the strategies.
C)Emphasize the importance of speed rather than reflection.
D)Model and explain new strategies.

Accepted Answer

The best approach is to model and explain new strategies to the students. This will give them a better understanding of how to apply these strategies and will help develop their metacognitive knowledge and skills. Encouraging them to disregard previous strategies or emphasizing speed over reflection is counterproductive and may hinder their progress. Allowing them to figure out when and where to use strategies may also be less effective than providing guidance and instruction.

Question 3

In the geography unit about the continents,Mr.Reyna asked students several discussion questions.Which of his questions requires students to think critically?
A)Based on your knowledge of the geography and culture of Greenland,explain why you would or would not place it in the North American continent?
B)What are the names and locations of the continents?
C)Based on information from your text,what events took place to bring about the formation of the continents we have today?
D)Compare the continents.Which one has the most countries,and which one has the largest land mass?

Accepted Answer

This question requires students to use their knowledge of geography and culture to make a decision about whether Greenland should be categorized as part of North America. It requires critical thinking as students must analyze different factors in order to come to a conclusion.

Question 4

Which of the following tasks is appropriate for practicing complex learning strategies?
A)Compare the settings and characters of the two stories.
B)Recall the day and year of these main events in history.
C)List the names of the states and capitals in this region of the country.
D)Tell what the author said about the main character's motives.

Accepted Answer

Comparing settings and characters requires analysis and synthesis, which are complex cognitive processes, making it suitable for practicing complex learning strategies.

Question 5

Ms.Anderson wants to encourage creative thinking in her students.She uses all of the following strategies and responses.Which one is LEAST likely to promote creativity?
A)Students work in groups to come up with their solutions to an ill-structured problem.
B)Ms.Anderson teaches students how to use the LINCS steps to learn vocabulary.
C)The class brainstorms ways to use their new knowledge to improve safety at school.
D)Students describe situations during a war when it might have been appropriate for soldiers to break a certain rule.

Accepted Answer

Teaching how to use the LINCS steps to learn vocabulary is not directly related to promoting creativity. While vocabulary development is important, it is not necessarily a creative thinking skill. The other options involve more open-ended and creative tasks that encourage students to think outside the box.

Question 6

Enika is doing her homework for her middle school classes.In which assignment is she using procedural knowledge?
A)In my literature assignment,I need to read the next two chapters in the fiction book we're studying and then answer the questions.
B)For algebra,I have already worked the even-numbered problems and attempted the brainteaser for extra credit.
C)In my summary of the science reading,I have written my topic sentence,the big ideas,and the main supporting information for each big idea.
D)For band,I need to play the new piece four times to get credit for practicing and earn a star on the chart.

Accepted Answer

Procedural knowledge refers to the knowledge of how to complete specific procedures or processes, and the steps necessary to carry them out. In option C, Enika is using procedural knowledge to write her summary, as she is following the steps of writing a topic sentence, identifying big ideas, and supporting information for each idea.

Question 7

Based on what you know about critical thinking,which of the following students seems to be thinking critically?
A)Grace presented her dogmatic opinion about the value of the research and the conclusions of the study.
B)After the tennis match,Reid asked the line judge why she called the ball out when it was in.
C)Emma evaluated the writer's argument and recognized the false assumption the writer was making.
D)In chemistry class,Gil drew conclusions before finishing his experiment with the two substances.

Accepted Answer

Emma evaluated the writer's argument and recognized the false assumption being made, which shows an application of critical thinking by analyzing and evaluating the information presented. The other choices do not demonstrate critical thinking. Grace presents her opinion without considering other perspectives, Reid asks a simple question without evaluating the situation, and Gil draws conclusions before completing the necessary steps for a scientific process.

Question 8

Ms.Gromberg taught her students how to use the CAPS strategy for reading literature.Teo learned the strategy,but it takes extra time.As he reads the assignment for tomorrow,Teo wants to hurry and decides to skip the strategy.He hopes Ms.Gromberg doesn't give a quiz tomorrow.Teo's situation is an example of:
A)a heuristic.
B)analogical thinking.
C)distributed practice.
D)production deficiency.

Accepted Answer

Teo is experiencing production deficiency, which is the inability to apply a newly learned strategy in a fluent and automatic manner. He is choosing to skip the strategy and not apply it, despite knowing it, in order to save time.

Question 9

Carrie is preparing her school lunch and sees leftovers in the refrigerator.She doesn't remember when her mom cooked the meal,so it may not have been very recently.She's running late and needs to make a quick decision.She says to herself,"When in doubt,throw it out" and chooses something else.What problem solving method is she using?
A)Functional fixedness
B)Algorithm
C)Heuristic
D)Means-end analysis

Accepted Answer

Carrie is using the heuristic method, which is a mental shortcut or rule of thumb that helps to simplify decision-making. In this case, she is using the heuristic "When in doubt, throw it out" to quickly decide on whether or not to eat the leftovers.

Question 10

The general problem solving steps begin with identifying the problem and then setting goals.Gillian has identified the problem and set goals.What else does she need to do to follow a general problem solving method?
A)Determine the current situation and create a path to reach her goals
B)Divide the goals into subgoals and analyze possible solutions
C)Explore solutions and consequences,take action,and evaluate the outcome
D)Use domain-specific strategies to analyze possible solutions and remove barriers

Accepted Answer

After setting goals, Gillian needs to explore solutions, consider the consequences of each solution, take action by implementing the chosen solution, and evaluate the outcome to see if the goal has been achieved. This follows the general problem-solving method. Options A, B, and D are also part of the problem-solving method but are not the immediate next step after setting goals.

Question 11

Ken is reading his notes from science class.He wants to organize information the teacher presented about erosion-the causes,the effects,and relationships between weather conditions and erosion.He needs an effective learning strategy.Which of the following tools seems most likely to help Ken meet his goal?
A)Venn diagram
B)Concept map
C)Flashcards
D)Cornell notes

Accepted Answer

A concept map is the best tool to help Ken meet his goal as it allows him to organize information visually and show the relationships between causes, effects, and weather conditions that contribute to erosion. Flashcards and Cornell notes may be useful for memorizing specific details, but they may not provide an overall picture of the topic. A Venn diagram may not be the best choice as it is useful for comparing and contrasting two or more things, whereas Ken needs to show the relationship between multiple factors.

Question 12

The following students are engaged in learning.Which student's processing is metacognitive?
A)"The teacher assigned roles for our group work.My role is to make sure everyone in the group participates.Who read the chapter?"
B)"I believe the second question on the review sheet is going to be on the test tomorrow.The teacher hinted that we should review the material in the section about crustaceans."
C)"I think I need to focus my attention on the overarching point about the cause of the conflict rather than being distracted by unrelated events."
D)"The main character in the story is the man who led the group of civilians out of the country,and his actions keep the reader engaged in the story."

Accepted Answer

Student C is demonstrating metacognitive processing by recognizing the need to focus attention on the overarching point and avoiding distraction. The other students are engaged in cognitive processing by discussing group roles, predicting test content, and identifying the main character's actions.

Question 13

In her small reading group,Mrs.Casey discussed new vocabulary words with the students.She explained that the new word dugout is used to describe a place in the hillside that was dug out by the pioneer family in the story and used for shelter.She asked students to draw a picture to represent the new vocabulary word dugout to help them remember the meaning.Which of the following students used divergent thinking to represent the word's meaning?
A)Maria drew a hole in the side of a hill with tall grass growing on top.
B)Julio drew a bear curled up in a dugout at the side of a rocky mountain.
C)Karmen drew a small opening in a hillside and put a door on it.
D)Stan drew a cave in the side of a hill with trees growing around it.

Accepted Answer

Julio's drawing of a bear curled up in a dugout at the side of a rocky mountain represents divergent thinking because it introduces an unexpected element (a bear) into the concept of a dugout, showing creativity and a departure from the more straightforward interpretations of the other students.

Question 14

Based on the following descriptions,which of these students seems to exhibit the highest degree of creativity?
A)Julianna is usually the first one in her third grade class to finish the math assignment every day.She likes to compete to be first,and she usually makes a perfect score on her math papers.
B)Arial knows more facts about the solar system than anyone else in her fifth grade class.During class discussions,she often tells something she has learned about one of the planets.
C)Foster began taking piano lessons when he was four years old.His parents make sure he practices every day.Now he's a senior in high school and plays with the philharmonic in his city.
D)Leo often throws out metaphors during class discussions and is curious about everything (the way his desk is constructed,the way his ball bounces on different surfaces).

Accepted Answer

Leo's use of metaphors and curiosity about everything indicates a higher level of creativity compared to the other students who excel in academics or have developed a skill through practice. Leo's ability to think outside the box and see things from different perspectives is a hallmark of creative thinking.

Question 15

A new student just arrived at Jackson Elementary.The principal led the student to Mrs.Kimble's class and motioned for the student to take a seat.When Mrs.Kimble spoke to the student,he didn't answer.He was wearing sneakers,and he carried a backpack.He had dark hair and wore glasses.If Mrs.Kimble is a problem solver,what information about this student will receive her attention?
A)The student's backpack
B)The student's eyeglasses
C)The student didn't answer her.
D)The principal led the student.

Accepted Answer

Mrs. Kimble would be concerned that the new student did not answer her when she spoke to him as it could indicate a potential communication or language barrier.

Question 16

The students in Mr.Walker's class are engaged in a creative activity designed to help them become effective problem solvers.Mr.Walker held up a large rubber band and told students to list as many ways to use the rubber band as possible.He gave them 90 seconds.How is this activity most likely intended to increase students' problem solving effectiveness?
A)Help students learn to apply response set in problem solving
B)Help students learn to practice functional fixedness in problem solving
C)Help students learn to develop problem solving algorithms
D)Help students avoid factors that hinder problem solving

Accepted Answer

This activity is intended to help students avoid factors that hinder problem solving, such as being stuck in a certain way of thinking or limiting oneself to only one solution. By listing as many ways as possible to use a rubber band, students are forced to think creatively and expand their problem-solving abilities.

Question 17

During history class,one of the students rolled a baseball on the floor toward the front of the classroom.Ms.Durango saw the rolling ball as she turned from the front marker board.She saw the direction from which the ball rolled,determined that she needed to identify the disruptive student immediately,and quickly called the name of the only boy sitting on that row.Her identification was not correct.What probably hindered her from solving the problem of identifying the disruptive student?
A)Representativeness heuristic
B)Functional fixedness
C)Response set
D)Analysis paralysis

Accepted Answer

Ms. Durango likely relied on the representativeness heuristic, in which an individual judges the likelihood of an event based on how well it matches a typical example or prototype. In this case, she identified the boy on that row as the most likely culprit because he fit the prototype of a student who might roll a ball in class. However, this heuristic can lead to errors because it ignores base rates and other relevant information. In this case, Ms. Durango did not consider other factors that could have contributed to the ball rolling or other students who may have been involved.

Question 18

Ms.Kovalik works with her third grade reading groups to teach her students the skill of identifying the main idea when they read a passage.She wants the students to transfer the skill to reading in content areas.Which of the following is most likely to help her achieve the goal?
A)Teach students different skills to use in understanding content area reading.
B)Ask parents to identify the main idea for their child when the child reads assignments for homework.
C)Provide practice with the skill to the point of overlearning the strategy and repeating it.
D)Teach students how to identify the main idea or topic sentence when they write.

Accepted Answer

Providing practice with the skill to the point of overlearning the strategy and repeating it would be the most effective way to help students transfer the skill to reading in content areas. This will help students to internalize the skill and become more automatic in their use of it, which will make it easier for them to apply it to content area reading. Teaching different skills, asking parents to identify the main idea, and teaching students how to identify the main idea when they write are all potentially helpful strategies, but they are not as likely to be effective as overlearning and repetition.

Question 19

Morris is a high school student preparing for the SAT.As he studies vocabulary for the test,he realizes that he needs to stay focused rather than multitasking.He knows he will take longer and spend more time revisiting the words if he texts friends and checks email.What kind of metacognitive knowledge does Morris demonstrate about himself as a learner?
A)Self-regulatory knowledge
B)Declarative knowledge
C)Self-evaluating knowledge
D)Motivational knowledge

Accepted Answer

Morris demonstrates declarative knowledge, which involves understanding his own learning processes and recognizing that multitasking will hinder his ability to efficiently study vocabulary.

Question 20

Which teacher is helping third grade students to develop metacognitive skills in writing?
A)"After you choose your topic,come up with three points you want to communicate about the topic."
B)"You should choose a topic that is very familiar to you.Then you will be able to write about it in a way that holds your reader's interest."
C)"Write a topic sentence first.Your topic sentence should introduce your reader to the topic and capture the reader's attention."
D)"Ask yourself what helped you remember the boy's appearance,and use that knowledge to come up with descriptive words."

Accepted Answer

Teacher D is helping students develop metacognitive skills by encouraging them to reflect on their own thinking processes ("Ask yourself what helped you remember the boy's appearance") to improve their writing. This reflection and self-awareness are key aspects of metacognition.

Quiz 9: Complex Cognitive Processes

Mr.Soria wants to teach his students strategies that will improve their metacognitive knowledge and skills.Based on guidelines for teaching such strategies to students,which of the following approaches should be used?

In the geography unit about the continents,Mr.Reyna asked students several discussion questions.Which of his questions requires students to think critically?

Which of the following tasks is appropriate for practicing complex learning strategies?

Ms.Anderson wants to encourage creative thinking in her students.She uses all of the following strategies and responses.Which one is LEAST likely to promote creativity?

Enika is doing her homework for her middle school classes.In which assignment is she using procedural knowledge?

Based on what you know about critical thinking,which of the following students seems to be thinking critically?

The general problem solving steps begin with identifying the problem and then setting goals.Gillian has identified the problem and set goals.What else does she need to do to follow a general problem solving method?

The following students are engaged in learning.Which student's processing is metacognitive?

Based on the following descriptions,which of these students seems to exhibit the highest degree of creativity?

Ms.Kovalik works with her third grade reading groups to teach her students the skill of identifying the main idea when they read a passage.She wants the students to transfer the skill to reading in content areas.Which of the following is most likely to help her achieve the goal?

Which teacher is helping third grade students to develop metacognitive skills in writing?