education exam 1

compare and contrast: quantitative, qualitative, action research

• quantitative

  • data in the form of numbers

• qualitative

  • in depth examination of complex issues/concepts

• active

  • descriptive research carried out by educators in their own classrooms or schools

active research steps

1. identify area of focus/concern

2. collect data

3. analyze data

4. interpret data

5. action taken by teacher-researcher

draw appropriate conclusions from different types of research studies

1. experimental research: cause and effect

   1. what causes what

2. correlational research: explores relationships, predict one variable based on knowledge of another, not to draw a conclusion

   1. what variables are associated with what other variables

   2. correlations

3. descriptive research: describes situations, draws conclusions about current situation but not for correlational or causation

   1. how things are at the present time

strategies for collecting info about your own students

• preplanned assessments

• observing them as they act and interact in class/playground

• conduct action research

long-term strategies for gaining experience as a teacher

• become knowledgeable of current research, subject matter, teaching strategies (pedagogy), cultural backgrounds

• reflect on our assumptions, beliefs, and classroom strategies

• know you can make a difference

strategies for effective learning **

• set goals: what do you want to accomplish

• connect: to prior knowledge/experience

• consider contradictions: challenge existing beliefs

• tie concepts together: abstract and concrete

• question: check your own understanding

four general principles on the general nature of child/human development

1. development is orderly and somewhat predictable

2. children develop at different rates

3. development occurs in spurts anad plateaus

4. heredity and environment interact (maturation, nature vs. nurture)

who is responsible for multiple layers of environmental influence

Brofenbrenner’s bioecological system

what are the layers of the bioecological system

• the child — individual characteristics and developmentally based abilities

• microsystems — systems in the child’s immediate and regular surroundings

  • family, school, close friendships

• mesosystems — interactions among various microsystems

  • family and school

• exosystem — people and institutions that affect the child’s microsystems

  • parents’ work environments and social-support networks, government policies

• macrosystem — cultural beliefs and behaviors, as well s far-reaching current events

  • migration patters, ongoing social strife

• chronosystem — passage of time

  • children and the systems they grow up in change over time

4 main points of brain and its development that affect learning and thinking

1. different parts of the brain have different specialties, but they all work closely with one another

2. learning and cognitive development involve changes in synapses, neurons, and glial cells

3. developmental changes in the brain enable increasingly complex and efficient though

4. the brain remains adaptable throughout life

Learning and cognitive development involve changes in synapses, neurons, and glial cells — additional details. describe neurons vs glial cells

1. As we learn synapses are strengthened or eliminated

2. Neurons and glial cells form

3. Neurons: communicate and receive information, interconnected

4. Glial cells: enhance the functioning of neurons, serve a variety of other specialized functions

Developmental changes in the brain enable increasingly complex and efficient thought — additional details. describe synaptogenesis and myelination

1. Genetic programming facilitates synaptogenesis shortly after birth

2. As children age, useless synapses fade away (synaptic pruning) (makes the brain more efficient)

3. Myelination: the development of the myelin sheath, increases neuron’s efficiency in firing and receiving messages

4. Hormones (and onset of puberty) affect brain and its development

basic assumptions of Piaget

• children are active, motivated learners

• children construct knowledge from experience

• children learn through assimilation and accomodation

• interactions with physical and social environments is essential

• equilibration promotes progression toward increasingly complex thought

• children think in qualitatively different ways at different ages

assimilation

• thinking about or interacting with a new object or event in a manner consistent with a currently existing schema

  • i.e. seeing a four legged animal and putting in the dog scheme.

accommodation

• modification of schemes when new information doesn’t fit

  • i.e. seeing a four legged animal and putting in the dog scheme.find out that cats are not the same as dogs and therefore create a new scheme for cats

disequilibrium and what it promotes

• as we learn, movement from equilibrium (balance) to sidequilibrium (discomfort) and back

  • Promotes development of more complex thought and understanding

  • Desire for balance forces students to construct new schemes, or accommodate existing schemes

stages of Piaget

1. sensorimotor (0-2)

2. preoperational (2-6)

3. concrete operations stage (7-12)

4. formal operations stage (earliest 11-12)

stage 1 — piaget

• Stage 1: sensorimotor stage (0-2 yrs)

  1. @ birth – reflexes and sensorimotor schemes

  2. Object permanence emerges 

  3. Symbolic though emerges (i.e. pretend play) – marks transition to next stage

stage 2 — piaget

• Stage 2: preoperational stage (2-6 yrs old)

  1. Around 2

  2. Symbolic representation (can think beyond immediate experiences)

  3. Rapid expansion of vocab, grammar structure

  4. Extensive pretend play

  5. Limited mental manipulation 

  6. Preoperational egocentrism (lack of ability to see others perspective)

  7. Lack mental conservation (unable to recognize an object stays the same regardless of changes in appearance)

stage 3 — piaget

1. Some mental manipulation and logical thought

   1. Reverse operations (learning math)

2. Difficulty with abstract and counterfactual ideas

stage 4 — piaget

1. Doesn’t appear in all cultures

2. Abstract and scientific reasoning

3. Hypothetical ideas

4. Contrary-to-fact ideas

5. Formal operational egocentrism (inability to separate one’s own logical abstractions from the perspectives of others)

chart of piaget stages

application of piaget

• Use Piaget’s Theory (Stages of Development) as a guide. However, always keep in mind that there is variability for the “age levels.”

• When students display signs of egocentrism, provide opportunities for them to hear other perspectives.

• Explicitly relate concrete and abstract ideas.

• Ask students to explain their thinking (metacognition).

• Engage students in public service projects to address egocentrism or idealism.

vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development — key ideas

• Adults convey cultural interpretations through informal interactions and formal schooling

• Every culture passes along physical and cognitive tools

• Thought and language become interdependent (self talk → inner speech) (mentally rather than aloud)

• Complex mental processes begin as social activities and evolve into mental activitied (internalization)

• Children appropriate (adapt) culture’s tools to meet their needs

• Children can perform more challenging tasks when assisted

• Challenging tasks promote maximum cognitive growth

• play allows children to stretch themselves cognitively

ZPD

• zone of proximal development

• Working between the out of reach and current understanding to allow students to challenge themselves with the support of adults (scaffolding)

scaffolding

• supportive assistance

• students need guidance during challenging tasks

how to apply vygotsky

• Provide students with academic resources and cognitive tools to assist with challenging tasks.

• Present tasks that require assistance. Break down these complex assignments or tasks

• (scaffold).

• Provide students with study strategies such as mnemonic devices. (ex: FOIL method for multiplying binomials)

• Allow time for students to work in groups.

compare and contrast piaget and vygotsky

describe nature and origin of child’s temperaments and personalities

1. Personality is the result of both heredity and environmental factors

   1. Heredity: temperament

      1. Activity level, adaptability, self-control, persistence, adventurousness, outgoingness, shyness, fearfulness, irritability, distractibility

   2. Environmental factors: family dynamics, cultural expectations

suggestions for differing personalities

• High energy students: minimize down time

• Highly social students: provide opportunities to interact with classmates

• Very shy students: be warm and attentive

• Trouble adapting: extra structure and reassurance

• Overwhelmed by noise and chaos: create calm environment

• Impulsive students: teach self-control

describe specific factors that influence a children sense of self

1. Self-perception

2. Previous performance (self efficacy based on success and failure)

3. Behaviors of others (social context) (comparison of self with peers AND others’ expectations and feedback)

4. Group membership and achievements (peers, family, culture)

sense of self

Perceptions, belief, judgements, and feelings about who you are as a person

self-concept

assessment of one’s own characteristics, strengths, weaknesses

self-esteem

judgements and feelings about own’s own value and worth

how can teachers help students develop a healthy self of self

• Do not tolerate bullying  

• Provide specific praise about what they are doing well  

• Allow students to share their work (pride)  

• Provide students the opportunity to explore their own culture  

• Avoid scare tactics when discussing consequences 

how can teachers promote positive peer relationships and address student aggression or bullying

• Provide regular opportunities for social interaction and cooperation

• Help students interpret social situations accurately and productively 

• Teach specific social skills, provide opportunities for students to practice them, and give feedback

• Promote understanding, communication, and interaction among diverse groups

• Explain what bullying is and why it cannot be tolerated

Apply your knowledge of peer relationships and social cognition in promoting productive social skills and addressing student interaction in and out of the classroom.

1. Set up situations in which students can form cross-group friendships

2. Minimize or eliminate barriers to social interaction

3. Encourage and facilitate participation in extracurricular activities, and take steps to ensure that no single group dominates in membership or leadership in any particular activity

4. As a class, discuss the undesirable consequences of intergroup hostilities 

5. Develop nondisabled students’ understanding of students with disabilities, provided that the students and their parents give permission to share what might otherwise be confidential information 

describe typical advancements in moral and prosocial development over the course of childhood and adolescence

• Internal standards to evaluate heavior (young age)

• Distinction between moral vs. conventional transgressions

• Increase in capacity to respond emotionally to others’ harm and distress

  1. Guilt and shame

• Understanding feelings of others

  1. Empathy and sympathy

• Reasoning about moral issues becomes more abstract

  1. Moral dilemmas

prosocial behavior

Aimed at benefiting others more than oneself, like sharing, helping, comforting

morality

General standards about right and wrong, like honesty, fairness, concern for others

describe factors that influence moral and prosocial development

• Level of moral reasoning

  • Ppl who exhibit more advanced moral reasoning behave more morally

• Guilt, perspective taking, empathy

  • Prosocial children often are very empathetic and have above-average perspective taking skills

• Personal motives

  • Children’s needs and goals come into play

• Self-perceptions

  • Commitment to moral values is integrated into the overall identity

• General cognitive development

  • Perspective taking ability

• Adults’ reasons and rationales

  • Inductive discipline

• Disequilibrium

  • Exposure to moral issues and dilemmas

• Sense of self

  • High self-efficacy for helping behaviors

• Personal needs and goals

kohlberg’s 3 levels and 6 stages of moral reasoning

1. Preconventional 

   • Stage 1: Avoidance of punishment

     • Don’t want to get caught

   • Stage 2: Exchange of favors

     • Want something in return

2. Conventional

   • Stage 3: Good child

     • Wanting to be liked

   • Stage 4: Law and order

     • Want to follow the rules

3. Postconventional

   • Stage 5: Social contract

     • Want the greater good so okay to break rules

   • Stage 6: Universal ethical principle

erikson 8 stages of prosocial devleopment

1. Trust vs. mistrust (infancy)

   • Is the world a trustworthy place?

2. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt (toddler)

   • Am I capable of doing things on my own?

3. Initiative vs. guilt (preschool)

   • Is my growing independence supported?

4. Industry vs inferiority (elementary school)

   • Am I encouraged to make and do things, and then praised for my accomplishments?

5. Identity vs role confusion (adolescence)

   • Who am I? What do I believe in? What path will I choose for myself?

6. Intimacy vs. isolation (young adulthood)

   • Can I fully commit to another person?

7. Generativity vs. stagnation (middle adulthood)

   • What can I contribute to the next generation?

8. Integrity vs. despair (late adulthood)

   • Do I have regrets, or am I satisfied with how my life went?

critique of erikson

• He thought individuals achieved sense of identity by end of adolescence, but others have proposed that it continues into adulthood

• Research data

  1. He used personal anecdotes vs. systematic research

  2. Stages based on work with men

  3. Did not account for the effects of culture

specific challenges that students form low-income families might face

1. Poor nutrition & health 

2. Inadequate housing & frequent moves 

3. Exposure to toxins 

4. Unhealthy social environments 

5. Emotional stress 

6. Gaps in knowledge 

7. Lower quality schools 

students at risk

high probability of failing to acquire minimal academic skills necessary for success

how do teachers recognize at-risk students

1. History of academic failure 

2. Emotional and behavioral problems 

3. Lack of psychological attachment to school 

4. Increasing disinvolvement with school

strategies to assist at risk students

• resilient students

  • be dependable source of academic and emotional support

  • build on students’ strengths

  • identify and provide missing resources and experiences important for successful learning

• at-risk students

  • identify at-risk students asap

  • create warm, supportive atmosphere

  • make long-term systematic efforts to engage students in academic curriculum

  • encourage and facilitate identification with school

gender differences in elementary, middle, and secondary classrooms

• K-2 → more equal abilities, segregated play groups, difference in “play” 

•  3-5→ self perceptions, physical maturity for females, males more aggressive  

• 6-8→ males onset of puberty, females more emotional, more difference in self perceptions 

• 9-12→improvement in females self eval,  

  1. Substance abuse and casual sex more common for males  

  2. Depression and eating disorders more common for females 

accomodate gender differences

1. Provide opportunities for females to improve their spatial skills and males to improve their literacy skills.  

2. Consider the interests and abilities of both females and males.  

3. Use materials that represent both genders.  

4. Check bias tendencies.  

5. Provide role models such as guest speakers for both genders.  

6. Discuss adverse effects of rigid gender roles.