Instructional Design & Curriculum Development Flashcards

Which learning theory underlies the use of mastery learning, where students must demonstrate competence before advancing?

Answer: Behaviorism

Mastery learning is rooted in behaviorism, emphasizing that learners must achieve defined performance criteria before progressing to new content.

A postsecondary instructor uses pre-assessments at the start of a unit to adjust instruction. This practice is an example of:

Answer: Diagnostic assessment

Diagnostic assessment identifies students' prior knowledge and skill gaps before instruction begins so the teacher can tailor the learning experience.

In task analysis, a hierarchical task analysis is BEST suited for identifying:

Answer: Prerequisite cognitive skills in a logical sequence

Hierarchical task analysis breaks down a goal into subordinate skills and identifies the prerequisite relationships between them.

Which instructional strategy is MOST effective for teaching procedural knowledge in a technical course?

Answer: Worked examples followed by guided practice

Worked examples reduce cognitive load and provide a model for procedural steps; guided practice then allows learners to apply the procedure with support.

A curriculum committee wants to ensure program-level outcomes are assessed across multiple courses. This requires:

Answer: Embedded assessment mapping

Embedded assessment mapping links specific course assignments to program-level outcomes, enabling systematic data collection across the curriculum.

Which of the following BEST describes 'transfer of learning' in the context of postsecondary curriculum design?

Answer: Applying knowledge and skills learned in one context to new situations

Transfer of learning refers to the ability to apply acquired knowledge or skills in contexts beyond the original learning environment.

When revising a course based on student performance data, an instructor is performing which phase of continuous improvement?

Answer: Revision and iteration

Revision and iteration is the continuous improvement phase where instructional materials and strategies are refined based on evaluation data.