M.Ed. Master of Education Curriculum Design and Instruction 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Scaffolding in instruction refers to:
- Building physical learning environments
- Providing temporary support that is gradually withdrawn as students gain independence (Correct answer)
- Giving students the answers to difficult problems
- Assigning peer tutors permanently
Correct answer: Providing temporary support that is gradually withdrawn as students gain independence
Scaffolding involves offering structured support that decreases as the learner develops mastery, a concept tied to Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development.
Question 2: Which instructional strategy is most effective for developing higher-order thinking skills?
- Rote memorization drills
- Socratic seminar and open-ended questioning (Correct answer)
- Fill-in-the-blank worksheets
- Lecture-only instruction
Correct answer: Socratic seminar and open-ended questioning
Socratic seminars and open-ended questioning push students to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information rather than recall facts.
Question 3: The 'spiral curriculum,' developed by Jerome Bruner, proposes that:
- Students learn best in a linear, sequential order
- Topics are revisited at increasing levels of complexity as students advance (Correct answer)
- Curriculum should rotate teachers instead of content
- Advanced students skip foundational topics
Correct answer: Topics are revisited at increasing levels of complexity as students advance
Bruner's spiral curriculum revisits key concepts repeatedly across grade levels, adding depth and complexity with each iteration.
Question 4: Which assessment practice provides students with models of quality work to guide their own performance?
- Norm-referenced testing
- Rubrics with anchor papers (Correct answer)
- Standardized testing
- Portfolio grading
Correct answer: Rubrics with anchor papers
Rubrics paired with anchor papers show students exactly what mastery looks like, helping them self-assess and target improvement.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of a formative assessment?
- Assigning final grades
- Informing ongoing instruction and providing feedback during learning (Correct answer)
- Comparing students to national norms
- Certifying student competency
Correct answer: Informing ongoing instruction and providing feedback during learning
Formative assessments provide real-time data that teachers use to adjust instruction and give students feedback during the learning process.
Question 6: In project-based learning (PBL), students primarily:
- Read textbook chapters and answer comprehension questions
- Investigate real-world problems through sustained inquiry and create authentic products (Correct answer)
- Memorize facts for a culminating test
- Complete teacher-directed step-by-step activities
Correct answer: Investigate real-world problems through sustained inquiry and create authentic products
PBL engages students in extended inquiry around complex, real-world problems, culminating in authentic products or presentations.
M.Ed. Master of Education Curriculum Design and Instruction 2
Scaffolding in instruction refers to: