CPT Educational Psychology & Student Motivation Flashcards
6 cards from real CPT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CPT Educational Psychology & Student Motivation flashcards as text
What is the difference between 'performance goals' and 'mastery goals' in educational psychology?
Answer: Mastery goals focus on developing competence and understanding; performance goals focus on outperforming others or avoiding failure
Mastery goal orientation, which focuses on genuine understanding, is associated with deeper learning and greater resilience than performance orientation.
A tutor notices that a student is highly motivated when given choice in how to complete an assignment. This aligns with which principle?
Answer: Autonomy support, a key component of self-determination theory
Providing student choice supports autonomy, one of the three core psychological needs in self-determination theory, enhancing intrinsic motivation.
What is 'cognitive load theory' and how does it inform effective tutoring practice?
Answer: The theory that working memory has limited capacity, so tutors should chunk information and avoid overloading students with too many concepts at once
Cognitive load theory holds that working memory is limited, so effective tutors chunk new information, build on prior knowledge, and avoid overwhelming students.
Which strategy best addresses a student who is persistently off-task during tutoring sessions?
Answer: Identifying the root cause (boredom, anxiety, hunger, distractions) and adjusting the session structure accordingly
Off-task behavior usually signals an unmet need; diagnosing the cause allows the tutor to make targeted adjustments rather than applying generic discipline.
What is the 'spacing effect' in learning psychology, and how should tutors apply it?
Answer: The finding that distributing practice over time produces better long-term retention than massed practice in one session
The spacing effect is well-established in cognitive psychology: reviewing material across multiple spaced sessions leads to significantly better long-term retention than cramming.
How does 'retrieval practice' differ from simply re-reading notes, and why is it more effective?
Answer: Retrieval practice requires actively recalling information from memory, which strengthens memory traces far more than passive re-reading
Retrieval practice — through quizzes, flashcards, or free recall — forces active memory retrieval, which strengthens neural pathways and improves long-term retention far beyond re-reading.