educational psychology motivation test

List at least three of the five factors that affect a student's expectancy level.

1.) Prior history of success or failure at a particular task 2.) Perceived difficulty of task 3.) Availability of resources and support 4.) Quality of instruction 5.) Amount of effort that will be necessary

How will you as an aspiring teacher provide strategies to ease the transition for students from elementary school to middle level? Describe four methods you can implement.

1.) Provide a means through which every student can feel part of a small, close-knit group. 2.) Find time to meet one-on-one with every student. 3.) Teach students the skills they need to be successful independent learners. 4.) Assign grades on the basis of mastery (not on comparisons with peers), and provide reasonable opportunities for improvement.

Enhancing motivation in students with special needs is critical. For each category of special needs, provide one suggested classroom strategy to help ensure success.

1.) Specific cognitive or academic difficulty: establish challenging yet realistic goals 2.) Social or behavioral problems: provide choices about academic activities as a way of increasing a sense of self-determination 3.) General delay in cognitive and social functioning: reinforce persistence as well as success 4.)Physical or sensory challenges: provide information and reassurance when students feel overwhelmed by their current circumstances (especially for students who are blind) 5.) Advanced cognitive development: provide opportunities for students to pursue complex tasks and activities over an extended time.

Define intrinsic motivation and give an example. Which type are you as a learner. Which type of learner would you want to encourage in your classroom/ How will you proceed to accomplish this in your classroom.

a.) Intrinsic motivation is motivation resulting from inter personal characteristics or inherent in the task being performed. -- being motivated by factors within yourself ,and inherent in the task you are performing. Some learners with high levels of intrinsic motivation become so focus and absorbed in an activity that they lose track of the time and completely ignore other tasks. b.) Extrinsic motivation is motivation resulting from factors external to the individual and unrelated to the task being performed.--Being motivated by factors external to yourself and unrelated to the task you are performing. You may want the good grades, money, or recognition that particular activity accomplishments bring. I am an extrinsic motivated learner. --I wound want to encourage intrinsic motivation in the classroom.--I will accomplish this by acting driven and excited about the information being learned and not stress the grading process.

Define internalized motivation and list the three conditions that promote the development of internalized motivation in your classroom.

internalized motivation is the adoption of others' priorities and values as one's own. Three conditions that promote development of internalized motivation: 1. Warm, responsive and supportive environment 2.) Some degree of autonomy 3.) Appropriate guidance and structure

Define "hot cognition" and provide an example. How is cognitive dissonance connected to "hot cognition"?

"Hot cognition": Learning or cognitive processing that is emotionally charged. An example from the book is: learners may get excited when they read about advances in science that could lead to effective treatments for spinal cord injuries, cancer, AIDS, or mental illness. Or they might feel sad when they read about living conditions in certain parts of the world. "Cognitive dissonance": feeling of mental discomfort caused by new information that conflicts with current knowledge or beliefs. Acquiring knowledge that conflicts with what we know or believe can provoke hot cognition, causing us mental discomfort.

What is state anxiety and trait anxiety? Describe how "facilitating anxiety" is different from "debilitating anxiety"?

"State anxiety": temporary felling of anxiety elicited by a threatening situation. "Trait anxiety": Pattern of responding with anxiety even in nonthreatening situations. "Facilitating anxiety": level of anxiety (usually relatively low) that enhances performance, while "Debilitating anxiety": Anxiety of sufficient intensity that interferes with performance.

Describe five methods for promoting intrinsic motivation in your classroom:

1.) Model your own interest in the subject matter. (ex. A junior high school history teacher introduces a reading assignment this way: "The chapter I've assigned for tonight is an exciting one. As the chapter unfolds, you'll see how the American colonists became increasingly discontented with British rule. You'll also learn how the colonists eventually managed to break free and form the United States of America. It's a story I never get tired of reading!" 2.) Communicate your belief that students want to learn. ( ex. Early in the school year, a social studies teacher explains that her class will help students become "social scientists." She frequently refers back to this idea-for example by saying "Since you are all Social Scientists..." 3.) Grab students' attention and pique their interest by occasionally introducing variety and novelty into classroom activities. ( ex. After clearing her strategy with the school principal, a high school psychology teacher brings Taffy, her mild-mannered cocker-spaniel, to class for the day. She uses taffy to demonstrate the various ways reinforcement can influence behavior. 4.) Relate classroom material o students' personal lives and interests.( ex. An elementary school teacher asks students to bring in objects they use o celebrate holidays at home. He incorporates these objects into a lesson on how holiday traditions differ not only from religion to religion but also family to family. 5.)Encourage students to set mastery goals.(ex. A high school Spanish teacher often reminds his students, "The important thing in this class is to learn how to speak Spanish comfortably and with correct pronunciation. We'll all work together until we can communicate easily with one and other in Spanish. " 6.) Define success as eventual, rather than immediate, mastery of class material, and acknowledge that occasional mistakes are to be expected. 7.) Encourage self-comparison rather than comparison with other students.

List and describe three ways that a high level of anxiety can interfere with several aspects of cognition. Has anxiety ever interfered with your studies? Describe how you remediated the situation.

1.) Paying attention to what needs to be learned. 2.) Processing information effectively (organizing or elaborating on it) 3.) Retrieving information and demonstrating skills that have previously been learned. Yes. I was really worried about my two tests I had in a week and felt really anxious and worried. I fixed it by calming myself down and setting a plan on when I should study and how often I should take a break.

Describe three ways in which you can enhance your students sense of competence and self-worth.

1. Help students achieve success, especially on challenging tasks 2. Give students concrete mechanisms through which they can track their progress over time 3. Minimize competitions and other situations which students might judge themselves unfavorably in comparison with peers.

Researchers have found some consistent gender differences in motivation. Describe three of these differences between males and females.

1.) Girls are more concerned about doing well in school. They work harder on assignments, earn higher grades, and more often graduate from high school. 2.) Boys are more likely to engage in off-task behaviors and self-handicapping and consequently may achieve at levels far below their potential. 3.) Boys tend to have greater confidence in their academic ability and higher expectations for future success. 4.) Girls are more likely to have a strong need for affiliation. Possibly when they tend to achieve at higher levels when teachers encourage cooperation rather than competition and why they are more likely to seek out friendly relationships with others.

Describe three methods in which a teacher can enhance their students' sense of relatedness

1.) Group-based activities: students can both feel socially connected and secure in respect(relatedness) and learn new skills and enhance knowledge as well. (ex:discussions, role-playing, debates, competitions between 2 teams of equal ability, cooperative learning tasks) 2.) Communicate fondness for students by: expressing interest in their outside activities, concern for individual needs, be a sympathetic ear in times of trouble.( May be particularly beneficial for students with minority-group backgrounds) 3.) Praise students for the things they do well, especially if students have a strong need for approval. If being a high-academic achieve is not socially acceptable, many students may prefer praise to be given privately.

List and briefly describe five strategies to enhance students sense of self-determination about school related tasks and assignments.

1.) Provide opportunities for independent work and decision making--opportunities to work and make decisions independently not only foster self-regulation skills but also enhance students' sense of determination. 2.) Present rules and instructions in an informational rather than a controlling manner--Learn to present rules and procedures without communicating a message of control, instead present them as information. 3.)Give students opportunities to make choices-- Allow students, either individual or as a group, to make choices about rules/ procedures, topics, for papers, due dates. 4.) Evaluate students' performance in a non-controlling way--external evaluations can undermine students' intrinsic motivation, especially if they are communicated in a controlling manner. 5.) Help students keep externally imposed constraints in perspective--Help students keep controlling circumstances in perspective as they engage in important learning tasks, we should remind them that although constraints may be present ( high-stake tests, good grades) the most important thing is to focus on the inherent value of what they are learning.

List and describe five of the major transition issues students may face when transitioning from an elementary level to a middle school level.

1.) The school has more students. 2.) Students have several teachers at one time, and teachers have many students.Teacher-student relationships are more superficial and less personal than in elementary school and teachers are less aware of how individual students are understanding and mastering subject matter. 3.) There is more whole-class instruction, with less individualized instruction that takes into account each student's academic needs. 4.) Classes are less socially cohesive. Students may not now their classmates very well and may be reluctant to ask peers for assistance. 5.) Students have fewer opportunities to make choices about the topics they pursue and the tasks they complete. At the same time, they have more independence and responsibility regarding their learning. (ex: they may have relatively unstructured assignments to be accomplished over a two or three week period, and they must take initiative to seek help when they are struggling)

List and describe the four contemporary theoretical perspectives of motivation

1.) trait theories- Relatively enduring characteristics and personality traits play a significant role in motivation 2.) Behaviorist theories-- Motivation is often the result of drives, internal states cased by lack of something necessary for optimal functioning. Consequences of behavior have their effects by either increasing or decreasing these drive states. 3.) Social cognitive theories--initially, learners are motivated largely by the consequences that follow either their own behaviors or the behaviors of other people. With age and experience, they acquire beliefs about their ability to achieve desired results in different domains. As many learners become increasingly self-regulating over time, much of their motivation comes from within rather than from external consequences. 4.) Cognitive theories-- A variety of cognitive factors-sometimes in combination with emotional factors- affect learners' perceptions of themselves, of various topics, and of the world at large. Such perceptions, in turn, influence learners' inclinations to engage or not engage in particular tasks and activities.

Define and describe maslow's hierarchy in words and in a drawing. For each level, how will you provide to meet students needs in your classroom. Be specific. Why is this theory important for you to know as an aspiring teacher?

1.)Physiological--Needs related to physical survival(food, water, oxygen, warmth)--I can meet this need by providing the children with breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Also having an accessible water fountain near by. 2.) Safety--The need to feel safe and secure in one's environment-- I will meet this need by allowing he child to feel safe in the classroom and school (not allowing strangers in, comfortable/homey feel) 3.) Love and belonging-- The need to have affectionate relationships with others to be accepted as a part of a group--I will meet this need by providing a caring relationship with each child and group activities where everyone is included. 4.) Esteem-- The need to feel good about oneself (self esteem) and also to believe that others perceive one favorably (esteem from others)-- I will support this need by using rewards and have the children share their work with their classmates. 5.) Self actualization-- The need to reach one's full potential-to become all that one is capable of becoming.-- I will support this need by recognizing achievements and using work that is fit for each child (difficulty level) This theory is important fo being a teacher because it allows he learner to be at their best. If their individual needs are not being met they will not be able to accomplish and learn as much as they would if their needs were met.

Motivation has several side effects on students' learning and behavior. Please list and describe five out of the six effects.

1.Motivation directs behavior towards particular goals. --individuals set goals for themselves and direct their behavior accordingly. Motivation determines the specific goals toward which learners strive. 2.Motivations leads to increased effort and energy. -- motivation increases the amount of effort and energy that learners expend in activities directly related to their needs and goals 3. Motivation increases initiation of and persistence in activities. -- learners are more likely to begin a task they actually want to do. Motivation increases students; time on task ,which is an important factor in affecting their learning and achievement. 4. Motivation affects cognitive processes.-- motivation affects what learned pay attention to and how effectively they process it. 5. Motivation determines which consequences are reinforcing and punishing.--The more learners are motivated to achieve academic success, the more they will b proud of an A and upset by a low grade.

Give two examples and explain how culture and ethnic differences might affect students' motivation and performance in school.

Children in some native american cultures are given considerable autonomy while children in some African american cultures have less autonomy than western children. Children in Asian cultures may rely on an adult they trust to make many decisions for them that western children delight from deciding themselves. Children from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds are used to different levels of self-sufficiency,are affected more or less by peer pressure and express emotions differently. If a child is not used to having to do something for themselves, they may not be motivated to do that particular task in a classroom setting. In addition, children that are highly influenced by peers may be more motivated to perform tasks if everyone else is doing them.

Richard LaVoie describes a number of ways to promote motivation. What types are you and describe ways that you perceive as rewarding.

I am project or praise. I really enjoy doing projects (working with my hands) so getting to do a project was like a reward for me. I also seek praise so if I am told I did a good job, I would want to work more.

Describe two types of internal and external locus of control

Internal: Stable-Ability--I'm good (bad) in science. Unstable:-Effort--I studied hard for this test( I didn't study) External: Task difficulty- The test was easy(hard) Luck- I guessed right (wrong)

Table 11.2 describes the different developmental trends for affect and different grade levels. Choose one of the following for grade levels, and describe the age-typical characteristics and suggested strategies. Choose one of the following k-2,3-5, 6-8, or 9-12. Choose an age that you are most interested in teaching.

K-2) Age Typical Characteristics: A.) Possible culture shock and intense anxiety upon beginning school, especially if students have had few or no preschool experiences. B.) Possible separation anxiety when parents first leave the classroom (especially in the first few days of Kindergarten) C.) Reduced anxiety when teachers and other adults are warm and supportive. D.) Only limited control over emotional behaviors. Suggested Strategies: a.) ask parents about routines and procedures followed at home; when appropriate, incorporate them into classroom procedures. b.) If possible, provide an opportunity for students to meet you a few days or weeks before school begins. c.) Be warm, caring, and supportive with all students (but check school policies about hugs and other forms of physical affection) d.) Address inappropriate behaviors gently but firmly.

6. For each term listed below provide a 1 or 2 sentence definition.

Proximal goal: Setting and working for a series of short term goals Process goal: perfecting the form or procedure that a skill involves without regard for the final outcome Product goal: striving for a certain standard of performance (ex. solving a certain number of math problems correctly) Work-avoidance goal: avoid doing classroom tasks or put little effort into them. Career goal: Setting a goal for your future career. (Traditional families tend to limit to gender specific rolls)

When learners cannot avoid tasks at which they expect to do poorly, they have several strategies at their disposal. They may also do things that actually undermine their chances of success-known as self-handicapping. List and describe five of these strategies. How do you plan as the teacher to counteract these strategies?

Reducing effort--putting forth an obviously insufficient amount of effort to succeed. Setting unattainably high goals-- working toward goals that even the most capable individuals could not achieve. Take on too much-- Assuming so many responsibilities that no one could possibly accomplish them all Procrastinating--Putting off a task until success is virtually impossible. Cheating-- Presenting others' work as one's own. ---I plan to counteract these strategies by teaching the children about the strategies. Working with the children is important and allowing them to know that they could potentially self handicap themselves by taking on too much or setting an unattainable high goal will allow them to realize what they are doing.

Explain at least three differences between situational interest and personal interests. What strategies can you us to pique students interests in your classroom?

Situational interest is evoked by something in the immediate environment while personal interests are relatively stable over time and lead to consistent patterns in the choices students make. Situational interest depends on what the activity is: challenging activities are more engaging; works of fiction when students personally identify with the themes and characters; they are more intrigued by cultures, nature, and current events. Personal interest and knowledge perpetuate each other: : interest in a topic fuels a quest to learn more about the topic and the increased knowledge gained in turn promotes greater interest. In the early grades, interests are mostly situational. By the early grades, children acquire specific interests that stay over time. Strategies to promote interest: • Model excitement and enthusiasm about classroom topics • Occasionally incorporate novelty, variety, fantasy, or mystery into lessons and procedures • Encourage students to identify with historical figures or fictional characters and to imagine what these people might have been thinking or feeling • Provide opportunities for students to respond actively to the subject matter- perhaps by manipulation and experimenting with physical objects, creating new products, debating controversial issues, or teaching something they've learned to peers

Define self-fulfilling prophecy. Give an example you have encountered with your own life or someone else's you know.

What teachers expect students to achieve becomes what students actually achieve. -My example was my teacher for a writing class I had wanted us to do well on our papers and take them to the writing center. I took mine to the writing center and because I did I had a higher grade than anyone in the class and had met the teachers expectations.

"Value is as important and subjective as a student's expectancy." Theorists have suggested four possible reasons that value might be high or low in task completion. What are they and briefly describe

a.) Importance: some activities are valued because they are associated with desirable personal qualities. ex) a boy wants to be smart and thinks that smart people who do well in school will place a premium on academic success b.) Utility: sen as a means to a desired goal ex) child finds math difficult but struggles through it in high school because it is required for college c.) interest: bring pleasure and enjoyment ex) student has a passion for the subject d.) cost: may require more effort than they are worth-students may steer clear of subject or ativity

7.) Choose a grade level area that you are particularly interested in teaching and describe at least three strategies to encourage motivation for that particular age range. (I chose 3-5)

• Allow students to pursue personal interests in independent reading and writing tasks • Demonstrate your own fascination and enthusiasm about classroom topics; communicate that many topics are worth learning about for their own sake • Identify strengths in every student; provide sufficient support to enable students to gain proficiency in areas of weakness