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Child Development & Learning Theory Flashcards

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

Read the first 7 Child Development & Learning Theory flashcards as text

  1. According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, a student who can think abstractly and reason hypothetically is in which stage?

    Answer: Formal Operational

    The Formal Operational stage (ages 12+) is characterized by the ability to think abstractly, reason hypothetically, and use deductive logic.

  2. Lev Vygotsky's concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) refers to:

    Answer: The gap between what a learner can do alone and with guidance

    The ZPD is the distance between what a learner can accomplish independently and what they can achieve with support from a more knowledgeable other.

  3. Which of the following best describes Erikson's stage of 'Industry vs. Inferiority' in school-age children?

    Answer: Children gain confidence by mastering skills or feel inferior if they fail

    During Industry vs. Inferiority (ages 6–12), children develop competence and a work ethic through mastering academic and social skills, or develop feelings of inadequacy if they struggle.

  4. A teacher uses praise and rewards to encourage students to complete homework. This approach is most consistent with which learning theory?

    Answer: Behaviorism

    Behaviorism focuses on observable behaviors reinforced by external stimuli such as praise and rewards, as demonstrated by Skinner's operant conditioning.

  5. According to Bloom's Taxonomy, which cognitive level requires students to break down information into its component parts?

    Answer: Analyzing

    Analyzing involves breaking material into parts to understand its structure and how parts relate to one another, which is the fourth level of Bloom's Taxonomy.

  6. Which theorist is most associated with the idea that children construct knowledge through active interaction with their environment?

    Answer: Jean Piaget

    Jean Piaget's constructivist theory holds that children build knowledge by actively exploring and interacting with their environment through assimilation and accommodation.

  7. A teacher notices that a student learns a new skill after watching a classmate demonstrate it. This is best explained by:

    Answer: Observational learning

    Observational learning (or social learning theory), developed by Albert Bandura, explains how individuals learn by watching and imitating others.