1. Thursday, October 22 Objective: Compare and contrast learning theories

2. Thinking

3. Cognitive Abilities All the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing and remembering

4. Thinking: Concepts

5. Concept Mental grouping based on shared similarity Categorizing items in one’s environment

6. Prototype Typical best example incorporating the major features of a concept The closer a new object is to our concept prototype the easier it is to categorize it

7. Concept Hierarchy A means to keep mental information organized from basic concepts to specific ones

8. Concept Hierarchy

9. Thinking: Problem Solving

10. Algorithms Problem-solving strategy that guarantees the solution to the problem Not always the most efficient method

11. Heuristics A rule-of-thumb problem solving strategy that makes a solution more likely and efficient but does not guarantee a solution These can be handy shortcuts, or they can get us into trouble Ex: “i before e, except after c”

12. Insight Sudden realization of the solution to a problem “Aha” experience

13. Thinking: Problems Solving Problems

14. Mental Set Tendency to approach a problem in a particular way The set may or may not be helpful in solving a new problem

15. Fixation Mental set that hinders the solution of a problem One needs to think beyond the mental set to solve the new problem

16. Functional Fixedness Tendency to think of things only in terms of their usual functions

17. Functional Fixedness Can you think of a way to use these materials to mount the candle on a bulletin board?

18. Functional Fixedness

19. Confirmation Bias Tendency to focus on information that supports preconceptions

20. Availability Heuristic Estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory Can be correct or incorrect Activity: Availability Heuristic

23. Overconfidence When confidence is greater than accuracy

24. Framing How an issue is worded or presented Can influence decisions and judgments

25. Friday, October 23 Objective: Define intelligence and methods of measuring intelligence

26. Intelligence and Intelligence Testing

27. The Nature of Intelligence

28. Intelligence Ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge to adapt to a new situation Is intelligence one thing or are there multiple intelligences?

29. The Nature of Intelligence: Howard Gardner

30. Howard Gardner (1943- ) Author of a contemporary theory of multiple intelligences consisting of eight separate kinds of intelligence

31. Gardner’s Types of Intelligence

39. Charles Spearman (1863-1945) Theorized that a general intelligence factor (g) underlies other, more specific aspects of intelligence

40. General Intelligence (g) Factor that Spearman believed underlies specific mental abilities

41. The Nature of Intelligence: Emotional Intelligence

42. Emotional Intelligence Ability to perceive, express, understand, and regulate emotions People high in emotional intelligence are more in touch with their feelings and the feelings of others.

43. Intelligence Testing Wednesday, October 28th

44. Intelligence Testing: Alfred Binet

45. Alfred Binet (1857-1911) Developer of the first test to classify children’s abilities using the concept of mental age Assumed children’s intellectual abilities grew every year

46. Mental Age Chronological age that corresponds to the difficulty of the questions a child can answer An average 8-year-old child should have the mental age of 8 years.

47. Chronological Age The actual age of a person

48. Intelligence Quotient (IQ) Number that results from dividing mental age by chronological age and multiplying by 100 IQ = (MA/CA) X 100 A score of 100 would be considered average Formula has been replaced with modern versions

49. Intelligence Testing: David Wechsler

50. David Wechsler (1896-1981) Developed the Wechsler intelligence scales which included: –Different tests for different age groups –Separate verbal and nonverbal scores –Subtests and subtest scores

51. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Test

53. Test Construction: Achievement and Aptitude Tests

54. Achievement Tests Tests that attempt to measure what the test-taker has accomplished i.e. classroom tests at the end of a unit

55. Aptitude Tests Tests that attempt to predict the test- taker’s future performance Examples: ACT and SAT

56. Test Construction: Reliability and Validity

57. Test Reliability Extent to which a test yields consistent results

58. Test Validity Extent to which a test measures or predicts what it is suppose to Does an achievement test accurately measure accomplishments? Does an aptitude test accurately measure the person’s future performance? One needs to know the purpose of the test