CLEP Introduction to Educational Psychology flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Classical conditioning

A learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus by repeated pairing with an unconditioned stimulus, eventually eliciting a conditioned response on its own.

Operant conditioning

A form of learning in which behavior is strengthened or weakened by its consequences, such as reinforcement and punishment, as described by B. F. Skinner.

Positive reinforcement

Adding a desirable stimulus after a behavior to increase the likelihood that the behavior will occur again, for example giving praise or a token.

Negative reinforcement

Removing an aversive stimulus after a behavior to increase the likelihood that the behavior will recur, such as excusing a student from a task after completion.

Variable-ratio schedule

A reinforcement schedule in which a behavior is reinforced after an unpredictable number of responses, producing high and persistent response rates resistant to extinction.

Working memory

A limited-capacity system that temporarily holds and manipulates information for cognitive tasks, typically holding about seven chunks for roughly 15 to 30 seconds without rehearsal.

Cognitive load theory

Sweller's theory that learning is limited by working memory capacity and distinguishes intrinsic load from material complexity, extraneous load from poor design, and germane load from schema building.

Zone of proximal development

Vygotsky's concept describing the gap between what a learner can accomplish independently and what the learner can accomplish with guidance from a more capable person.

Scaffolding

Temporary support provided by a teacher or peer that helps a learner complete a task within the zone of proximal development and is gradually withdrawn as competence increases.

Observational learning

Bandura's process of learning by watching models, involving attention, retention, production, and motivation, which can occur without direct reinforcement of the observer.

Assimilation and accommodation

Piaget's paired processes of fitting new information into existing schemes (assimilation) and modifying schemes to incorporate new information (accommodation) to restore cognitive equilibrium.

Concrete operational stage

Piaget's third stage, roughly ages 7 to 11, when children can conserve quantity, classify, and reason logically about concrete objects but not abstract hypotheticals.

Formal operational stage

Piaget's final stage, beginning around age 11, characterized by abstract reasoning, hypothetical-deductive thinking, and consideration of possibilities beyond concrete experience.

Erikson's industry vs. inferiority

The psychosocial stage from roughly ages 6 to 12 in which children seek competence through achievement and peer comparison, developing either a sense of industry or inferiority.

Kohlberg's conventional morality

The second level of moral reasoning in which individuals judge right and wrong by social approval, interpersonal conformity, and maintaining law and order.

Bronfenbrenner's microsystem

The innermost layer of the bioecological model, consisting of the immediate settings in which a person directly participates, such as family, classroom, and peer group.

Fluid vs. crystallized intelligence

Cattell-Horn-Carroll distinction between fluid reasoning for novel problems, which tends to decline with age, and crystallized knowledge from accumulated learning, which remains stable.

IDEA

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a U.S. law guaranteeing students with disabilities a free appropriate public education, an IEP, and placement in the least restrictive environment.

Intrinsic motivation

Engagement in an activity driven by internal interest, enjoyment, or satisfaction rather than by external rewards or pressures, often associated with deeper learning.

Self-determination theory

Deci and Ryan's theory that motivation and well-being depend on satisfying three basic needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Expectancy-value theory

A motivational theory holding that effort and achievement depend on the expectancy of success multiplied by the value placed on the task, including interest and utility.

Mastery goal orientation

A focus on learning, understanding, and improving one's competence, which is associated with deeper strategy use and greater persistence than performance-focused goals.

Attribution theory

Weiner's theory that learners explain successes and failures by causes varying in locus, stability, and controllability, which shape emotions, effort, and future persistence.

Self-efficacy

Bandura's term for a person's belief about their capability to perform a specific task, shaped most strongly by mastery experiences, then vicarious experiences, persuasion, and affect.

Positive behavior support

A proactive classroom management approach that establishes clear expectations, teaches routines, and reinforces appropriate behavior while reducing triggers for disruption.

Pygmalion effect

The finding that higher teacher expectations can improve student performance, demonstrated by Rosenthal and Jacobson, with the reverse known as the Golem effect.

Formative assessment

Ongoing assessment during instruction, such as questioning or exit tickets, used to adjust teaching and provide feedback rather than to assign final grades.

Summative assessment

Assessment administered at the end of a unit or course to evaluate learning and assign grades or determine accountability, such as final exams or projects.

Criterion-referenced test

An assessment that compares a student's performance to a defined standard or set of learning objectives rather than to the performance of other students.

Validity vs. reliability

Validity is the degree to which a test measures what it intends to measure; reliability is the consistency of scores. Reliability is necessary but not sufficient for validity.

Backward design

Wiggins and McTighe's instructional planning process that begins with desired results, then identifies acceptable evidence, and finally designs learning experiences and instruction.

Correlation coefficient

A statistic, r, ranging from negative one to positive one that indicates the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables without establishing causation.