Educational
Psychology
1. What is “Metacognition”?
Metacognition
refers to “thinking
about one’s own thinking.” It involves planning, monitoring, and
evaluating one’s learning strategies. Example: A student reflecting on which
study methods work best for them.
2. Define ‘Scaffolding’
in Vygotsky’s theory.
Scaffolding
is the temporary support provided by a teacher or
peer to help a learner achieve a task just beyond their current ability
(Zone of Proximal Development). Support is gradually withdrawn as competence
increases.
3. What is ‘Classical
Conditioning’? Give an educational example.
Learning through association (Pavlov). Example: A student feels
anxious (conditioned response) when hearing a bell (conditioned stimulus) if
the bell was previously associated with tests (unconditioned stimulus).
4. Explain Kohlberg’s
stages of moral development.
Three
levels:
1.Pre-conventional
(obedience/punishment, self-interest)
2.Conventional (interpersonal
accord, law/order)
3.Post-conventional (social contract,
universal ethics).
Critique:
Culturally biased, emphasizes reasoning over behavior.
5. What is ‘Intrinsic
Motivation’? How can teachers foster it?
Motivation
driven by internal rewards (e.g., curiosity, enjoyment). Teachers can foster it
by:
Ø Offering
choices
Ø Connecting
content to student interests
Ø Encouraging
autonomy
Ø Using
inquiry-based learning.
6. Describe Bruner’s ‘Discovery Learning’.
Learning through active exploration and problem-solving. Students
construct knowledge by interacting with their environment. Teachers act as
facilitators, providing resources and guiding inquiry.
7. What is ‘Multiple
Intelligences’ (Gardner)? List 5 types.
Theory
proposing 8+ distinct intelligences:
1.Linguistic
2.Logical-Mathematical
3.Spatial
4.Bodily-Kinesthetic
5.Musical
(Others:
Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalistic).
Implication:
Diversify teaching methods to cater to varied strengths.
8. Define ‘Growth
Mindset’ (Dweck).
Belief that abilities can be developed through effort and
learning
(vs. “fixed mindset”). Teachers can promote it by praising effort, embracing
mistakes as learning opportunities, and teaching brain plasticity.
9. What is ‘Operant
Conditioning’ (Skinner)?
Learning shaped by consequences:
Reinforcement (increases behavior): Positive (add reward) / Negative
(remove aversive stimulus)
Punishment
(decreases behavior): Positive (add aversive) / Negative (remove reward).
Example:
Giving extra marks (positive reinforcement) for homework completion.
10. Explain ‘Self-Efficacy’
(Bandura).
Belief
in one’s ability to succeed in specific tasks. Influenced by:
Ø Mastery
experiences
Ø Vicarious
experiences (observing others)
Ø Verbal
persuasion
Ø Emotional
state.
Key
for: Resilience and goal-setting.
11. What are Piaget’s
4 stages of cognitive development?
1. Sensorimotor (0-2 yrs): Object permanence.
2. Pre-operational (2-7 yrs): Egocentrism, symbolic
play.
3. Concrete Operational (7-11 yrs): Conservation,
logical thought.
4. Formal Operational (11+ yrs): Abstract
reasoning.
12. Define ‘Inclusive
Education’.
Educating all students (including those with disabilities,
diverse backgrounds) in general classrooms with
appropriate support. Based on principles of equity, access, and social
justice.
13. What is ‘Formative
Assessment’?
Ongoing
evaluation during instruction to monitor learning and provide feedback (e.g.,
quizzes, class discussions, peer reviews). Aims to *improve* learning (vs.
summative assessment, which judges final outcomes).
14.
Describe Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’.
A
pyramid of human needs:
- Deficit needs: Physiological, Safety,
Love/Belonging, Esteem.
- Growth need: Self-Actualization (fulfilling
potential).
- Educational implication: Students cannot focus on
learning until basic needs (e.g., safety, food) are met.
15. What is ‘Constructivism’?
Learning
theory where learners actively ‘construct’ knowledge through experiences and
reflection. Key
theorists: Piaget (cognitive), Vygotsky (social). Teachers create
experiential, collaborative learning environments.
16. Define ‘Learning
Disability’.
Neurological
disorder affecting specific cognitive processes (e.g., dyslexia—reading,
dyscalculia—math). Not due to intellectual disability, lack of instruction, or
cultural factors.
17. What is ‘Emotional
Intelligence’ (Goleman)?
Ability
to recognize, understand, manage one’s own emotions and empathize with others. Components:
Self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, social skills.
18. Explain ‘Transfer
of Learning’.
Applying
knowledge/skills learned in one context to another. Types:
Ø Positive transfer: Past learning
aids new learning.
Ø Negative transfer: Past learning
hinders new learning.
Ø Near vs. Far transfer (similar vs.
dissimilar contexts).
19. What are ‘Learning
Styles’? Critique their use.
Theory
that individuals learn best through specific modalities (e.g., visual,
auditory, kinesthetic). Critique: Lacks empirical support; effective
teaching should use *multimodal* approaches instead of labeling students.
20. Describe ‘Bloom’s
Taxonomy’ (Revised).
Hierarchy of cognitive skills:
1.
Remember → 2. Understand → 3. Apply → 4. Analyze → 5. Evaluate → 6.
Create.
Used
to design learning objectives and assessments targeting higher-order
thinking.
