Practice Test GeeksCORE - Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education Practice Test
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Learning Theories Flashcards

7 cards from real CORE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. Which theorist is credited with developing the concept of the 'Zone of Proximal Development' (ZPD)?

    Answer: Lev Vygotsky

    Vygotsky defined ZPD as the range of tasks a learner can perform with guidance but not yet independently.

  2. In outdoor education, an instructor observes that students who have negative past experiences with water are reluctant to kayak. This reluctance is best explained by:

    Answer: Classical conditioning

    Classical conditioning associates a neutral stimulus (water/kayaking) with a past negative experience, producing a conditioned fear response.

  3. Which learning theory emphasizes that learners actively construct knowledge based on prior experiences rather than passively receiving information?

    Answer: Constructivism

    Constructivism (Piaget, Vygotsky) holds that learners build new knowledge by connecting it to existing mental frameworks.

  4. A ranger educator reviews students' pre-test scores before teaching a wilderness survival unit. This practice is most aligned with which learning principle?

    Answer: Assessing prior knowledge to inform instruction

    Identifying what learners already know allows instructors to build on existing schemas and target gaps effectively.

  5. Which of Gagné's Nine Events of Instruction involves capturing the learner's attention at the very start of a lesson?

    Answer: Gaining attention

    Gagné's first event is 'gaining attention,' which prepares learners to receive and process new information.

  6. During a conservation education workshop, participants are divided into small groups to discuss habitat loss scenarios. This technique primarily supports which theory?

    Answer: Social constructivism

    Social constructivism emphasizes that knowledge is built through collaborative social interaction and shared inquiry.

  7. According to humanistic learning theory (Maslow), why might a student struggling with food insecurity perform poorly in a hunter education course?

    Answer: Basic physiological and safety needs must be met before higher learning can occur

    Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs states that deficiency needs (food, safety) must be satisfied before growth-oriented learning can take place.