EPSY 3030 Midterm Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards covering learning strategies, mentoring frameworks, Community Cultural Wealth, Motivational Interviewing, diversity concepts, and UConn scholastic standing policies from EPSY 3030.

Study Cycle

A five-step learning process consisting of: Engage in class → attend → review → study → assess learning. It emphasizes using self-testing to identify gaps and decide what to review next.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

A hierarchical framework of learning levels ordered as: Remember → Understand → Apply → Analyze → Evaluate → Create. Higher levels require applying and connecting knowledge rather than simple memorization.

Metacognition

The process of thinking about and monitoring one's own learning by asking: What do I know? What do I still need to learn? Which strategy is working?

Science of Learning

Evidence-based study principles including active recall, spaced studying, practice testing, reflection, and connecting ideas; it emphasizes that rereading alone does not prove information retrieval or application.

Intrinsic Motivation

Motivation that originates from internal interest or personal values, supported by autonomy, competence, connection, and meaningful goals.

Extrinsic Motivation

Motivation that is driven by external outcomes or rewards rather than internal satisfaction.

SMART Goals

A goal-setting framework establishing that objectives must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Fixed Mindset

Carol Dweck's concept describing the belief that intelligence or ability is largely unchangeable, causing mistakes to feel like definitive proof of inability.

Growth Mindset

Carol Dweck's concept describing the belief that abilities can develop through learning, effective strategies, practice, feedback, and support, rather than simply trying harder.

Community Cultural Wealth (CCW)

A framework developed by Tara Yosso (2005) that challenges deficit-based models by recognizing the diverse knowledge, skills, relationships, hopes, and experiences students develop through their families and communities.

Aspirational Capital

A form of Community Cultural Wealth referring to the ability to maintain hopes and dreams for the future even when facing real or perceived barriers.

Linguistic Capital

A form of Community Cultural Wealth encompassing intellectual and social communication skills attained through multiple languages, varied communication styles, and storytelling.

Familial Capital

A form of Community Cultural Wealth referring to cultural knowledge, values, communal support, and lessons developed through extended family and community history.

Social Capital

A form of Community Cultural Wealth consisting of peer and social networks that provide emotional support, instrumental information, and opportunities.

Navigational Capital

A form of Community Cultural Wealth involving skills and abilities used to maneuver through social institutions and systems not historically designed for marginalized communities, such as college structures.

Resistant Capital

A form of Community Cultural Wealth referring to knowledge and skills cultivated through behaviors that challenge inequality, subordination, and injustice.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

A personality assessment framework containing four preference pairs: Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving. It reflects preferences in approaching decisions or information but does not determine intelligence or academic ability.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

A collaborative, nonjudgmental conversational approach designed to strengthen personal motivation for and commitment to change by helping individuals explore their own reasons for change while respecting autonomy.

OARS

The core communication skills of Motivational Interviewing: Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, and Summaries.

Open-ended Questions (OARS)

A Motivational Interviewing technique using prompts that invite explanation and exploration rather than simple one-word answers (e.g., “What has made studying difficult this semester?”).

Affirmations (OARS)

A Motivational Interviewing technique where the mentor recognizes and validates a genuine personal strength, effort, or positive step (e.g., “You took an important step by reaching out.”).

Reflective Listening (OARS)

A Motivational Interviewing technique where the mentor mirrors back the underlying meaning or emotional feeling of what the student expressed (e.g., “You want to improve your grades, but feel overwhelmed about where to start.”).

Summaries (OARS)

A Motivational Interviewing technique used to pull together key discussion points, insights, and next steps into a coherent overview (e.g., “You have exams coming up and want to make a weekly plan and contact tutoring.”).

Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD)

The UConn office that coordinates accommodations and support services for eligible students. Mentors support access, respect privacy, and refer students to CSD without diagnosing or determining eligibility themselves.

Racial Literacy

The ability to recognize, examine, and openly discuss how race and racism influence personal experiences, instructional materials, institutions, and systemic outcomes.

Institutional Inequity

Structural policies, rules, or practices within organizations that result in unequal access or outcomes across groups, even when the policies appear neutral on their surface.

School-to-Prison Pipeline

Systemic policies and practices, particularly exclusionary disciplinary procedures, that tend to push students out of educational systems and contribute to their involvement in the criminal legal system.

Good Standing (UConn Policy)

The academic status achieved when a UConn student earns both a semester GPA and a cumulative GPA of $2.0$ or higher.

Scholastic Probation ($23$ or Fewer UConn Credits)

The academic status resulting when a UConn student with $23$ or fewer earned credits receives a semester GPA below $1.8$.

Scholastic Probation ($24$ or More UConn Credits)

The academic status resulting when a UConn student with $24$ or more earned credits receives a semester GPA OR a cumulative GPA below $2.0$.

Academic Dismissal (UConn Consecutive-Probation Rule)

The academic outcome occurring when a student remains on scholastic probation for two consecutive semesters, excluding summer and winter intersessions.

Dismissal Exception (UConn Consecutive Probation)

A policy rule where earning a semester GPA of at least $2.3$ prevents dismissal under the consecutive-probation rule, allowing the student to remain on probation even if their cumulative GPA is below $2.0$.

Ratcliffe Hicks Exception

A UConn academic policy exception stating that first-semester Ratcliffe Hicks students are subject to dismissal if their semester GPA is below $1.2$.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Federal and institutional financial aid performance standards that operate completely separately and independently from academic standing and academic dismissal policies.

UConn Readmission Policy Following Dismissal

The institutional policy stating that a dismissed student may request readmission no sooner than two semesters following dismissal; readmission is not guaranteed and requires demonstrated readiness.

Undergraduate Non-degree Coursework Following Dismissal

An academic provision allowing dismissed students to apply for non-degree study with written program permission, typically capped at up to $8$ credits per semester and requiring semester-by-semester renewal.