Psychology of Adolescence CH10

Constructivist approach

Learner-centered and emphasizes the importance of individuals actively constructing their knowledge and understanding with guidance from the teacher.

Direct instruction approach

Structured and teacher-centered. Characterized by teacher direction and control, high teacher expectations for students’ progress, maximum time spent by students on academic tasks, and efforts by the teacher to keep negative affect to a minimum

Criticism toward constructivist approach?

constructivist approaches do not give enough attention to the content of a discipline, such as history or science. They also believe that the constructivist approaches are too relativistic and vague.

Criticism toward direct instruction approach?

Direct instruction approach turns students into passive learners and does not adequately challenge them to think in critical and creative ways. 

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

National law - states choose learning objectives and give standardized testing. signed in 2002

Benefits of NCLB

improved student performance; more time spent teaching the subjects that are tested; high expectations for all students; identification of poorly performing schools, teachers, and administrators; and improved confidence in schools as test scores rise

Criticism of NCLB (5 main ones)

1.using a single test as the sole indicator of students’ progress and competence presents a very narrow view of students’ skills. This criticism is similar to the one leveled at IQ tests.

2.the tests used as part of NCLB fail to assess creativity, motivation, persistence, flexible thinking, or social skills

3.teachers spend too much time “teaching to the test” by having students memorize isolated facts at the expense of helping them strengthen the thinking skills that they will need

4.Neglect of gifted students to focus on those struggling

5. focuses only on academic reforms and ignores the social aspects of schools

6.allowing states to set their own standards likely has lowered achievement standards.

Common Core State Standards Initiative

Effort to implement more rigorous state guidelines for educating students. Specify what students should know and the skills they- should develop at each grade level in various content areas

Criticism of Common Core

further effort by the federal government to control education and that they emphasize a “one-size-fits-all” approach that pays little attention to individual variations in students

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

more flexibility in implementing the law than was the case for NCLB, allows states to scale back the role that test scores play in holding schools accountable for student achievement and schools must use at least one nonacademic factor—such as student engagement—when tracking schools’ success

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards for students (7 goals)

• Empowered Learner

• Digital Citizen

• Knowledge Constructor

•  Innovative Designe

• Computational Thinker

• Creative Communicator

• Global Collaborator

top-dog phenomenon

Moving from being the oldest, biggest, and most powerful students in the elementary school to being the youngest, smallest, and least powerful students in the middle or junior high school.

When is the transition to middle school/junior HS less stressful?

When students have positive relationships with friends and go through the transition in team-oriented schools in which 20 to 30 students take the same classes together

Benefits of transitioning to middle school?

Students are more likely to feel grown up, have more subjects from which to select, have more opportunities to spend time with peers and locate compatible friends, and enjoy increased independence from direct parental monitoring. Some may also be more challenged intellectually by academic work.

What percentage of high school graduates have mastered the academic skills needed to succeed in college?

25%

High school dropouts ages 18-25 are more likely to…

smoke cigarettes daily, to report having attempted suicide in the previous year, and to have been arrested for larceny, assault, and drug possession or drug sales

How do college graduates differ from high school graduates and how has this changed over time?

College graduates now make $30,000-$35,000 more han high school graduates, an increase from the $20,000 difference in the 1980s

How do modern college students differ from college students in past decades?

They report higher levels of stress due to pressure to achieve and depression

authoritative strategy of classroom management

A teaching strategy that encourages students to be independent thinkers and doers but still involves effective monitoring. Authoritative teachers engage students in considerable verbal give-and-take and show a caring attitude toward them. However, they still set and enforce limits when necessary. 

authoritarian strategy of classroom management

A teaching strategy that is restrictive and punitive. The focus is mainly on keeping order in the classroom rather than on instruction and learning.

permissive strategy of classroom management

A teaching strategy that offers students considerable autonomy but provides them with little support for developing learning skills or managing their behavior. 

Teacher personality traits associated with positive student outcomes (7)

Enthusiasm, ability to plan, poise, adaptability, warmth, flexibility, and awareness of individual differences

engaging in bullying during middle school is linked to an increased likelihood of what later in adolescence and adulthood? 

antisocial and criminal behavior

What behaviors is participating in extracurricular activities linked to?

higher grades, less likely to engage in screen based activities after school, increased school engagement, reduced likelihood of dropping out of school, improved probability of going to college, higher self-esteem, and lower rates of depression, delinquency, and substance abuse

Increases in family income for children in poverty were associated with??

increased achievement in middle school, as well as greater educational attainment in adolescence and emerging adulthood

jigsaw classroom

A classroom strategy in which students from different cultural backgrounds are placed in a cooperative group in which, together, they have to construct different parts of a project to reach a common goal.

Multicultural education

Education that values diversity and includes the perspectives of a variety of cultural groups.

What are some concerns related to online learning?

Concerns that learning will be less effective, that the social aspects will be compromised, students with disabilities may not get the accessibility they need, and students from low SES backgrounds may not have access to the technology needed and their nutritional intake may decrease during online learning

What are the early possible contributors to ADHD?

cigarette and alcohol exposure, high levels of maternal stress during prenatal development, and low birth weight and preterm birth

Relationship between SES and ADHD?

low socioeconomic status is associated with a higher risk for developing ADHD and this low SES is linked to less effective brain functioning

What are some forms of non-drug treatment for ADHD?

neurofeedback, mindfulness training, and exercise

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder ASD characterized by?

Brain dysfunction, problems in social interaction, problems in verbal and nonverbal communication, difficulties in processing information, and repetitive behaviors

Purpose of the Public Law 94-142, Education for All Handicapped Children Act?

Required that all students with disabilities be given a free, appropriate public education.

individualized education plan (IEP)

a written statement that spells out a program that is specifically tailored for a student with a disability

The least restrictive environment (LRE)

a setting that is as similar as possible to the one in which children who do not have a disability are educated.

Nature influence on giftedness?

Many gifted students show higher levels of achievement and talent before starting formal instruction/schooling

Nurture influence on giftedness?

Many gifted professionals spend much more time practicing their skills than the less successful ones