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Case Study Exam 1

INDIVIDUAL CONSTRUCTIVISM (27 Tokens)

1. Specifically identify one key concept of Piaget’s theory (in other words, identify one of Piaget’s
contributions to education) that was demonstrated in the case study. (2 Tokens)
a. Assimilation is one of the concepts that is demonstrated in the case study.

For the concept you identified above, explain why you chose it? This may require you to include the
definition and/or explain how the definition is illustrated in the case (4 Tokens).
Include citations from Santrock or your course pack (2 Tokens)
b. Assimilation is the process that “occurs when children incorporate new information into their
existing schemas.” (Santrock p.104) I chose this concept because in the case study, the
students found that one of the metal objects was attracted to a magnet and then the students
assumed all the metal objects on their table would be attracted to a magnet. Once they built
the schema that magnets attract metals and found this to be true with a paper clip, they simply
compiled their knowledge of all metals and magnets together and believed it was true for all
metals. The definition of a schema can be found on (Santrock p.19). It states that a schema is,
“a representation hat helps you organize knowledge; they are the basic building blocks of
thinking; they are formulated for both procedural and factual knowledge.” The students took
what they already knew about magnets and metals individually, and combined them together
to form a schema about magnetism, even though it was eventually proven to be inaccurate.

“Quote” from the case study to support your answer. (1 Token)

c. “So, what do we write down?... Magnets…pick…up…metals,” … Mrs. Miller, who has been
watching their progress, comments briefly, “Maybe try this,” as she points to the aluminum foil
on the desk…. “Hey, it doesn’t work,” Alicia responds… “uh huh,” Darnell, who didn’t hear Mrs.
Miller’s suggestion argues. “It does too... See?” and he shows how a metal spoon is attracted
to the magnet. (Case Study #1 p.1) Darnell and Alicia assumed that all the metals would be
attracted to the magnet because the paper clip was. This is evident when Alicia discovers it is
not true, but Darnell doesn’t believe her. He has already assimilated the knowledge into his
existing schema of metals and magnets. He is hesitant to believe Alicia right away because
what she is saying does not match up with what he believes to be true in his schema about
magnetism.

2. Specifically identify a second key concept of Piaget’s theory that was demonstrated in the case study.
(2 Tokens)
a. A second concept demonstrated in the case study was Accommodation.

For the concept you identified above, explain why you chose it? This may require you to include the
definition and/or explain how the definition is illustrated in the case (4 Tokens). Include citations from
Santrock or your course pack (2 Tokens)
b. Accommodation is the process that “occurs when children adjust their schemas to fit new
information and experiences.” (Santrock p.104) I chose this concept because once Alicia
discovered that the magnet and aluminum foil did not attract each other, she had to reexamine
her schema about metals and magnets and decide how to proceed with the information she
found. The course packet identifies accommodation as, “adapting schemas to fit new
information; creating a new schema.” (Course packet p. 19) Alicia and Darnell had to adapt
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their schemas about magnets and metals to fit the surprising new information. In this instance,
cognitive dissonance occurs because the discovery about the aluminum foil and the magnet
goes against what the two students knew to be true about magnets and metals. It confused
them to the point where they had to adjust their schemas about magnetism.

“Quote” from the case study to support your answer. (1 Token)

c. “Hey, it doesn’t work,” Alicia responds… “Nope… Look,” Alicia retorts. “Look, it doesn’t work on
this” (the aluminum foil), and she demonstrates for Darnell how the aluminum foil is not
attracted to the magnet. (Case Study #1 p.1) Alicia physically shows Darnell evidence that his
previous belief that all metals were attracted to magnets is incorrect. This forces the two
students to either create a new schema about magnets and metals or to adapt their previous
schema to include what they learned about different types of metals and their attraction to
magnets.

3. Specifically identify a third key concept of Piaget’s theory that was demonstrated in the case study. (2
Tokens)
a. A third concept that was demonstrated was hypothetical-deductive reasoning.

For the concept you identified above, explain why you chose it? This may require you to include the
definition and/or explain how the definition is illustrated in the case (4 Tokens). Include citations from
Santrock or your course pack (2 Tokens)
b. Hypothetical-deductive reasoning is described in the (course packet p. 21), as “the ability to
systematically test hypotheses to reach a conclusion.” This process is illustrated in the case
study when Alicia and Darnell test the magnetism of a paper clip. They also test other metal
objects to see if they are magnetic as well. They come to the conclusion that all metals are
attracted to magnets because the first few metals were. This doesn’t change until their teacher
mentions that they should try the aluminum foil as well. Alicia tries it and it does not stick to the
magnet. This demonstrates that the students had to test different objects to come to their final
conclusion that magnets do not pick up every type of metal. They used deductive reasoning to
determine that their original assumption was incorrect and could adjust their statement from
there.

“Quote” from the case study to support your answer. (1 Token)

c. “Mrs. Miller, who has been watching their progress, comments briefly, ‘Maybe try this,’ as she
points to the aluminum foil on the desk where they’re working.” “’Hey, it doesn’t work,’ Alicia
responds, as she tries the magnet and aluminum foil.”… “After several more minutes, Mrs.
Miller calls for the students’ attention. ‘What kind of patterns did we find?’ she asks. The
students volunteer their findings, the class discusses them in detail, and they summarize the
results.” (Case Study #1 p.1) Alicia and Darnell had to reevaluate what they believed to be true
about the magnets and metals and use reasoning skills to determine that not every type of
metal is magnetic. They systematically went through the process of testing the available metals
and were able to come to the correct conclusion after debate and critical thinking.

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM (18 Tokens)

4. Specifically identify one key concept of Vygotsky’s theory (in other words, identify one of Vygotsky’s
contributions to education) that was demonstrated in the case study. (2 Tokens)
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a. One key concept demonstrated in this case study was scaffolding.

For the concept you identified above, explain why you chose it? This may require you to include the
definition and/or explain how the definition is illustrated in the case (4 Tokens). Include citations from
Santrock or your course pack (2 Tokens)
b. Scaffolding is defined in (Santrock p.115) as, “changing the level of support. Over the course of
a teaching session, a more-skilled person (a teacher or more advanced peer) adjusts the
amount of guidance to fit the child’s current performance.” This is evidenced in the case when
the teacher mentions to Alicia and Darnell that they should try the aluminum foil with the
magnet. The teacher had been watching the students’ progress over time and noticed that they
were coming to an incorrect conclusion. She used this cue to insert a hint, or suggestion, to
steer the kids back on the correct track. She assessed their performance and knowledge levels
by looking at their current beliefs and conclusions and tailored the amount of additional help
they would need to fit their level of expertise. She didn’t just give them the answer, but she
didn’t let them flounder and get it wrong, either. She used the appropriate amount of help to
build on the students’ existing skills.

“Quote” from the case study to support your answer. (1 Token)

c. “Mrs. Miller, who has been watching their progress, comments briefly, “Maybe try this,” as she
points to the aluminum foil on the desk where they’re working.” (Case Study #1 p.1) The
teacher was actively assessing her students’ progress and performance levels so that she
could guide them appropriately to reach the correct end conclusion. She did not let Alicia and
Darnell continue with their testing until she had brought their mistaken assumption to their
attention. This was good, because it allowed them to continue on the correct path instead of
falling farther behind in the wrong direction. They were able to build on their pre-existing
knowledge with her help.

5. Specifically identify a second key concept of Vygotsky’s theory (in other words, identify one of Piaget’s
contributions to education) that was demonstrated in the case study. (2 Tokens)
a. The zone of proximal development, or ZPD was demonstrated in this study.
For the concept you identified above, explain why you chose it? This may require you to include the
definition and/or explain how the definition is illustrated in the case (4 Tokens). Include citations from
Santrock or your course pack (2 Tokens)
b. According to the course packet, (p. 27) the zone of proximal development, “illustrates the
social origins of cognitive functioning. This includes all possible skills that children are
beginning to develop and performing with the assistance of adults or advanced peers.” This is
evident in the case study because Alicia and Darnell were able to complete part of their
experiment correctly before needing help from their teacher. They correctly identified that a
paperclip was attracted to the magnet. They were able to do this with their own knowledge and
skills without help. Once they came to the conclusion that ALL metals were attracted to
magnets, they needed guidance from their teacher to get back on the right track. With this
gentle guidance, the students were able to effectively achieve the correct conclusion and
successfully increased their knowledge base. This means that the next time they do any sort of
test with metals and magnets, they will already start off with the correct knowledge that not all
metals are magnetic. Hopefully, they will also understand why this is true after their teacher
goes into depth and explains the details as well. This will elevate the students’ ZPD and help
them to achieve larger goals as time goes on.
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“Quote” from the case study to support your answer. (1 Token)

c. “Maybe try this,” as she points to the aluminum foil on the desk where they’re working… “What
kinds of patterns did we find? She asks. The students volunteer their findings, the class
discusses them in detail, and they summarize the results.” (Case Study #1 p.1) Mrs. Miller is
showing she cares about individual student successes by watching what the students are
doing closely. She discovers that Alicia and Darnell are not correct about their findings and
helps them by suggesting to try the aluminum foil. Later on, she asks the class what patterns
they found in their tests. By having the students discuss everything all together as a group,
they are able to form a well-rounded understanding of the concept. The teacher is also able to
gauge how well the students understand the concept and can make sure no one falls behind
by encouraging the group participation. This will overall increase the baseline knowledge of the
class, thus, increasing the zone of proximal development.

PIAGET VS VYGOTSKY (12 Tokens)

6. Think about the fundamental beliefs that Piaget has about how children gain knowledge, then respond
to the following:
a. Describe in detail one argument that Piaget might hold against Mrs. Miller’s approach to teaching.
(4 Tokens). (Hint: Begin by saying: Piaget might argue that…)
Piaget might argue that Mrs. Miller should not have given the students a hint while they were
experimenting. He might argue that she should have let the students figure it all out on their own
and in their own time. Piaget might say that Mrs. Miller gave the students too much help when they
were capable of discovering the mistake on their own through more testing and hypothetical-
deductive reasoning. Piaget would have preferred the students come to their own conclusion
through their own experiences in the classroom environment to avoid influences from the teacher.
Piaget might have argued with Mrs. Miller that learning should not be rushed and that by the
students interacting more and possibly coming up with the wrong answer first, they’d be more likely
to create an actual change in their learning and apply it to their schemas more effectively than if
they were just told the information.

b. What about his belief would lead him to that argument? (2 Tokens)
c. According to the course packet, (p.23) Piaget believed that children are “active learners,” and that
‘the quality of the environment ultimately determines the child’s level of knowing.” Due to these
beliefs, Piaget might think it to be more beneficial for the students to fail in the safe environment of
the classroom, rather than to be led to the correct answer before they had a chance to fail. Piaget
also believed that, “Teachers should act as facilitators or guides, not directors of learning.” (CP
p.23) Mrs. Miller saw that Alicia and Darnell were on the wrong track and instead of letting them
find that out on their own in the classroom during the experiment, she made a suggestion to help
them realize this faster. Piaget probably would have argued that Mrs. Miller should have held off on
the suggestion unless the students had extreme difficulty and could not figure out the issue.

7. Think about the fundamental beliefs that Vygotsky has about how children gain knowledge, then
respond to the following:
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a. Describe in detail one argument that Vygotsky might make in support of Mrs. Miller’s approach to
teaching. (4 Tokens). (Hint: Begin by saying: Vygotsky might argue that…)
b. Vygotsky might argue that Mrs. Miller did a great job of demonstrating the concept of scaffolding in
her teaching. He might argue against Piaget, saying that Mrs. Miller was giving the correct amount
of help to the students when they were struggling with the experiment. Vygotsky would have
approved of the fact that the students were working together in collaboration to come to their
conclusions about the magnets and the metals. He also would have agreed that Mrs. Miller used
an appropriate amount of instruction and help during the lesson since it was the students’ first
interaction with magnets and metals. Vygotsky would argue that it was necessary for her to give
the students a clue to help them learn and to allow them to bounce ideas off of their classmates
since they were working in teams.

c. What about his belief would lead him to that argument? (2 Tokens).
d. According to the “Vygotsky and Piaget Review STUD” powerpoint, on slide 11, Vygotsky also
believed that students are active learners. With him believing this, it is probable that he would
argue the students were actively learning with hands-on experience. On slide 13 of the same
powerpoint, it mentions that Vygotsky believed in using, “imitation, instruction, and collaboration” in
teaching. He also heavily pushed for “scaffold teaching” which involved, “supporting learning with
clues, tips, etc.” (Slide 13 of Vygotsky and Piaget Review STUD) Vygotsky would agree that Mrs.
Miller was correct in her use of collaboration in the classroom. She had the students work in pairs
and they were able to grow in their learning environment by working with others. Vygotsky believed
that other people play a significant role in the development of the individual. By working in pairs,
the students are surrounded with other people’s views and ideas. Vygotsky would have liked that
Mrs. Miller gave a hint to Alicia and Darnell when they were getting off track. He believed in using
instruction and “help in the initial stages of learning a task.” (Slide 13 of Vygotsky and Piaget
Review STUD) Vygotsky would have approved of Mrs. Miller’s initial approach of aiding the
students in their first understanding of how magnets work so that they could build from there using
the scaffolding method. Vygotsky believed greatly in the effects of scaffolding and how supporting
the students’ learning could help them to achieve a greater understanding of the task at hand.

CONTEXTS OF DEVELOPMENT (17 Tokens)

1. How is Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory demonstrated in this case study? Be specific. (4 Tokens)
“Quote” from the case study to support your answer. (1 Token)
a. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory is demonstrated in this case study in multiple ways. One
part of his theory that is demonstrated is the Exosystem. Santrock identifies the exosystem on
page 72 as, “experiences in another setting (in which the student does not have an active role)
influence what students and teachers experience in the immediate context.” (Santrock p.72)
The case study mentions that “recently, a major employer in the city declared bankruptcy,
resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs… the strain of poverty also is evident for many
families.” (Case Study #2 p. 3) The case study also states that the students at MacArthur
Middle School often come from single-parent homes. This means that the school atmosphere
will change with the students who are adjusting to new environments at home. The students
had no involvement in the loss of the jobs, nor could they have prevented or impacted this
downfall in any way. Nonetheless, the bankruptcy affects them greatly because it put their
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parents out of jobs and made their already low-to-middle-income city even more poverty-
stricken. This is representative of the Exosystem because although it is out of the students’
control, it still directly impacts their lives and their interactions with the other systems. Another
way is through the microsystem. Santrock defines the microsystem on page 72 as, “a setting in
which the individual spends considerable time, such as the student’s family, peers, school, and
neighborhood. Within these microsystems, the individual has direct interactions with parents,
teachers, peers, and others.” (Santrock p.72) The case study states, “Now, for some reason,
her homeroom teacher, Mr. Lin, seems to want to get to know each of his students personally.”
(Case Study #2 p.3) This is a direct interaction between the teacher and the students, which is
representative of the microsystem. All personal interactions on a day to day basis fall in this
category. This is why this quote also supports the presence of the microsystem: “Samina is
surprised to find that she will be working with a group of three other students in science this
year.” (Case study #2 p.3-4) Samina is directly interacting with other students in her class and
these interactions are categorized in the microsystem section of Bronfenbrenner’s theory.
2. How is Erikson’s Lifespan Development Theory demonstrated in this case study? Be specific. (4
Tokens)
“Quote” from the case study to support your answer. (1 Token)
b. The Industry versus Inferiority stage of Erikson’s Lifespan Development Theory is
demonstrated in this case study. Santrock defines this stage on p. 74 as the stage where,
“children move into the elementary school years, they direct their energy toward mastering
knowledge and intellectual skills. The danger in the elementary school years is developing a
sense of inferiority, unproductiveness, and incompetence.” (Santrock p.74) This stage is shown
in the case study when Samina is in a group with her peers for her science class. She
mentions that she had a hard time in the class the year before and was worried about it this
year. When she found out she had to be in a group, she was unhappy because in the past, she
was unable to get people to listen to her ideas on past projects. The case study states,
“Working in groups is not something that Samina enjoys. She never seems to be able to get
her point across and the other students often discount her ideas because of her history of low
achievement.” (Case Study #2 p.4) She is exhibiting signs of inferiority in this quote because
she does not feel like she is at an equal level of understanding with her peers since they do not
listen to her and already assume she is not as smart as they are. The case study also says, “In
the first three days of Ms. Finet’s class, Samina hears how “dumb” she is five times. She
decides that she will just sit quietly during small-group activities.” (Case Study #2 p.4) This
excerpt from the case study shows that Samina definitely feels inferior to her peers, especially
because this feeling is reinforced by them calling her dumb. She decides to not participate,
which is exhibiting signs of “unproductiveness” and “incompetence”, as Santrock described, to
the teacher observing the groups. These actions can set her back in her academic career,
because Samina is unwilling to put herself out there since she does not feel like she is equal
with her peers. These feelings of inferiority are likely to stick with her throughout her life and
cause problems in other situations that may arise, especially if they involve group work or
comparison to others.

3. Do you think the program described in this case study will either help or impede progress through the
students’ current stage of Erikson’s Lifespan Development theory? (2 Tokens)
Why or why not? (4 Tokens)
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“Quote” from the case study to support your answer. (1 Token)

c. I think this program has good intentions, but will likely impede the students as they progress
through the stage. Though boosting students’ morale and self-esteem is good, it should not be
done by making homework and tests easy and by guaranteeing success without adequate
effort. The case study mentions, “provide students with guaranteed success in all subjects,
even if this means lowering expectations for some students.” (Case Study #2 p.4) Expectations
of students should not be lowered unless they are outrageous expectations that can never be
met. Instead, the students should be given adequate support and aid to help them to achieve
the goals of the classroom efficiently and effectively. They should still be pushed to greatness,
and can achieve success, if the students are given the resources they need to succeed. If
expectations are lowered, and only for certain students, those students may develop a sense
of inferiority to their more advanced peers, and they may never reach the same level of
understanding of concepts as those peers as they move through life. They won’t be pushed to
do better, and will not be able to progress to more advanced concepts, which can make them
unqualified candidates for jobs, incompetent, and underdeveloped. The case study also
mentions that, “Later, however, Samina overhears the other students discussing the test, and
the questions they are discussing are different from the ones Samina answered…Ms. Finet
carefully explains to Samina that students received different tests so that they all might be
successful. Samina is dumbfounded. ‘This could only mean one thing,’ she thinks. ‘Ms. Finet
thinks I’m stupid too.’” (Case Study #2 p.4) It is not a good idea to give different tests to
students in the same class in order to boost grades. If the more advanced students were
separated from the less advanced and put in a different class, then it would make sense to
have two different tests. To have a mix of students in one class and to administer several
different tests customized to the individual’s skill level is neither fair, nor ethical. It does not
help the students to learn and achieve goals as a group. It divides them academically and can
cause problems socially. The only thing Samina got out of the situation is that she began to
believe her teacher thinks she is stupid. That is not a good situation at all. The teacher should
be supporting the students and helping them prosper, not making everything easy and making
the students feel good about themselves by barely achieving any new goals. The idea of
guaranteed success is nice, but I do not think the way this program was carried out was a good
idea.

SOCIOEMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (24 Tokens)

4. Analyze this case study within the context of self-concept (4 Tokens) using Santrock as support with
appropriate citations (2 Tokens). Quote from the case study to support your answer (1 Token).
o Self-concept is defined in the course packet on p.45 as, “perceptions of ourselves- how we
see our abilities, attitudes, attributes, beliefs, and expectations…Example: ‘I am a good
student” is related to education settings and includes achievements in perceptions and
abilities… Self-concept is multidimensional- a student’s overall self-concept is made up of
specific concepts, including academic and non-academic concepts. For example, self-
concepts in math, language, appearance, popularity and trustworthiness.” (CP p.45) Self-
concept refers to the knowledge a person has about their own abilities. Samina does not
believe she is a good student based on past academic experiences. “Samina is concerned
also about Ms. Finet’s science class. She nearly failed Ms. Finet’s class last year.” (Case
Study #2 p. 3) She is using knowledge of how she performed in in the class from the year
before to judge her academic skills and knowledge levels of science. Samina also
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recognizes that she is a private person. She likes to keep to herself and does not like to
speak up. “Samina doesn’t want to share personal stories about herself, let alone her
dreams for the future.” (Case Study #2 p.3) This quote shows that Samina knows she is
more of an introverted, private person, rather than an extroverted, people-person. “She
never seems to be able to get her point across and the other students often discount her
ideas because of her history of low achievement.” (Case Study #2 p.4) Samina does not
equate herself to the same level of understanding or popularity as her classmates. She
sees herself as generally ignored or looked down upon in school. This corresponds to the
course packet’s explanation of how “self-concept is made up of specific concepts.” (Case
Study #2 p.45) Popularity is one of these specific concepts, and Samina does not consider
herself popular.

5. Analyze this case study within the context of self-esteem (4 Tokens) using Santrock as support with
appropriate citations (2 Tokens). Quote from the case study to support your answer (1 Token).
o The course packet defines self-esteem as, “the degree to which the qualities and
characteristics contained in one’s self-concept are perceived to be positive. It reflects a
person’s physical self-image, view of his or her accomplishments and capabilities, and
perceived success.” (CP p. 45) Samina does not feel like she is taken seriously by her
classmates. She also has feelings of “negative self-esteem” because in the past, she
almost failed her science class. “Samina is concerned also about Ms. Finet’s science
class. She nearly failed Ms. Finet’s class last year.” (Case Study #2 p.3) She linked her
lack of accomplishments to her not being good enough and this gave her a negative view
on her academic skills. Samina was also called dumb several times by her classmates,
which impacted her Self-esteem negatively. “ In the first three days of Ms. Finet’s class,
Samina hears how ‘dumb’ she is five times.” (Case Study #2 p.4) Samina physically heard
students calling her dumb, which affected the way she thought of herself as a student. “…
other students often discount her ideas because of her history of low achievement.” (Case
Study #2 p.4) In the past, Samina has not done well in school, so because of this
continued validation of her lack of success, she does not expect to do well in the future
either and has accepted this situation. She is most likely thinking she is “not a good
student,” and that will affect her future endeavors at school. “Samina is dumbfounded.
‘This could only mean one thing,’ she thinks. ‘Ms. Finet thinks I’m stupid too.” (Case Study
#2 p.4) She has low self-esteem and does not believe in herself, because no one else
seems to either. This makes her feel bad about herself as a student and can lead to
depression.

6. Using Santrock as support, describe one (1) action that Ms. Finet could have taken to positively affect
self-concept in her classroom given the circumstances described in the case study (4 Tokens). Must be
specific to the case study. Do not simply generalize.
o Ms. Finet could have had an individual meeting with each student in her class to discuss
their understanding levels in school and in her classes specifically. She could have
addressed the students’ individual concerns as well by discussing their issues before
automatically adjusting the tests to guarantee success. In addition to talking about their
academic concerns, she could also talk to them about how they are getting along with their
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classmates and about the quality of their home lives. She should assess how positively the
students view themselves already so she can work on helping them to solidify a positive
view of their abilities. For Samina specifically, Ms. Finet could ask her if she feels she
understands the concepts in her science class or if she feels like she is falling behind. Ms.
Finet could offer to tutor Samina or provide her with extra notes about the subject to further
her understanding. In terms of her popularity, Ms. Finet could reinforce to Samina that she
is just as capable as her peers and that she should not look down on herself. Ms. Finet can
also reinforce the idea that it is okay to ask for help when it is needed and that it does not
make a person less than others. The course packet says “Self-concept is multidimensional
– a student’s overall self-concept is made up of specific concepts, including academic and
non-academic concepts. For example, self-concepts in math, language, appearance,
popularity and trustworthiness.” (Course Packet p.45) It is important that Ms. Finet
addresses multiple areas of each student’s life and personality so she can fully impact and
positively improve her students’ self-concepts.

7. Were Ms. Finet's actions appropriate to ultimately encourage positive student self-esteem? Yes/no? (1
Token) Why or why not? In other words, in what ways were her actions appropriate, or in what ways
were they inappropriate? (4 Tokens) Provide a “quote” from the case study to support your answer. (1
Token)
o No, I don’t believe that Ms. Finet’s actions were appropriate to encourage positive student
self-esteem Her intent was good. She wanted each student to achieve success and
experience how it feels to get a good grade, but the way she went about it was wrong. “…
Samina overhears other students discussing the test, and the questions they are
discussing are different from the ones Samina answered. Samina goes to Ms. Finet after
school to find out what is going on. Ms. Finet carefully explains to Samina that students
received different tests so that they all might be successful.” (Case Study #2 p. 4) It is
extremely unfair to administer different tests to students in the same class based on skill
level in order to make sure everyone gets a good grade. The students aren’t truly learning
and understanding the content because they are all given tests that are specifically
designed for their individual success. It is more of a “false positive” situation. Maybe some
of the students might feel good about their grades, but if they find out that they actually
only did well because their test was easy, it may make them feel even worse. For example,
the case study says, “Samina is dumbfounded. ‘This could only mean one thing,’ she
thinks. ‘Ms. Finet thinks I’m stupid, too.” (Case Study #2 p.4) This approach definitely
backfired in improving Samina’s self-esteem. She was extremely disheartened to realize
that she received an easier test. It caused her to believe that her own teacher considered
her to be dumb. It probably even made her self-esteem lower, which was the complete
opposite of what Ms. Finet was trying to accomplish.

1. Using support from Santrock with appropriate citations (2 Tokens), evaluate Joaquin’s strengths using
Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences (4 Tokens). Quote case study to support your answer (1
Token).
a. Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences is defined as, “Several separate mental abilities that
make up intelligence,” on p. 52 of the Course Packet. (CP p.52) Joaquin exhibits high
strengths in the Logical-mathematical category of Gardner’s intelligence categories. The
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Exam 1

course packet states, “Joaquin is an active and energetic participant in class. Although he
takes few notes, he enjoys analyzing historical events and discussing alternative routes that
history could have taken.” (Case Study #3 p. 5) This corresponds to the logical-mathematical
category because the course packet defines that category as, “Likes to ask questions, explore
patterns and relationships, do experiments, figure things out, and solve problems. Likes to
engage in classification activities.” (CP p.55) The case study mentioned that Joaquin likes to
figure out different ways that history could have taken its course. This equates to asking
questions and exploring patterns and relationships in history and finding new ways to solve
problems. It shows that he is interested in class and enjoys playing an active part in
experimenting and learning new things. His strengths represent that he likes to expand his
horizons in learning situations and find new ways to interpret the content. This can help him to
understand the subject even better.

2. Using support from Santrock with appropriate citations (2 Tokens), evaluate Julian’s strengths using
Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences (4 Tokens). Quote case study to support your answer (1
Token).
a. Julian’s strengths include having good social skills and excelling at making friends and
connections with people. He also is a good leader and takes charge of situations. The case
study states, “[Julian] He has many friends and is captain of the freshman football team and
vice president of the freshman class.” (Case Study #3 p. 5) This quote is an example of
exhibiting traits from the Interpersonal stage of Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. The
course packet explains this stage as, “liking to socialize with peers, talk to people, have lots of
friends, help others, mediate conflicts and organize activities, and work on cooperative
projects.” (CP p.56) Julian is the captain of the football team and the vice president of his
class, so he is good at leading people and organizing activities. The case study mentioned he
has many friends, which means Julian’s people-skills and communication skills are good and
effective. People must trust him as well if they let him lead, so he must be friendly and good at
conveying his ideas by relating to other people’s emotions. His strong suits include being good
at making choices and important decisions to lead the people who follow him.

3. Using support from Santrock with appropriate citations (2 Tokens), evaluate Joaquin’s strengths using
Sternberg’s triarchic theory of successful intelligence (4 Tokens). Quote case study to support your
answer (1 Token).
a. Santrock defines Sternberg’s triarchic theory of successful intelligence as, “intelligence comes
in three forms: analytical, creative, and practical.” (Santrock p.138-139) It also says, “Sternberg
stresses that few tasks are purely analytic, creative, or practical. Most tasks require some
combination of these skills.” (Santrock p.139) Joaquin definitely has strengths that fall in the
analytical category. The case study states, “… he enjoys analyzing historical events and
discussing alternative routes that history could have taken.” (Case Study #3 p.5) The word
“analyzing” is even used in this quote. Joaquin likes to look deeper into the meaning of the
subject he is studying. “Analytical intelligence involves the ability to analyze, judge, evaluate,
compare, and contrast.” (Santrock p.138) While Joaquin analyzes history and discusses
alternative routes for the course of history, he is evaluating what he already knows to be true
and comparing and contrasting the facts of history with the ways he thinks it possibly could
have gone. In doing this, Joaquin is also exhibiting “creative intelligence.” Santrock defines
creative intelligence as, “the ability to create, design, invent, originate, and imagine.” (Santrock
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p.139) Joaquin is definitely imagining alternative scenarios for history and is creating new
paths for the stories to take. The case study also mentions that, “He realizes that he cannot
possibly get all the assignments done in 40 minutes…” (Case Study #3 p.5) Oftentimes, people
who are strong members of creative intelligence are less likely to listen to rules and guidelines.
“Creatively intelligent students might not conform to teachers’ expectation about how
assignments should be done. They give unique answers, for which they might get reprimanded
or marked down.” (Santrock p.139) Joaquin is involved in school, but he does not always get
his homework done. He does not seem to think it’s necessary to get the assigned work done if
he understands the concept. ‘“But Mr. Williams, you know I understand it!’- Joaquin argues.”
(Case Study #3 p.5) This quote is evidence that Joaquin does not see the importance of
finishing homework for a class he likes and excels in.

4. Using support from your course packet/ PowerPoints with appropriate citations (2 Tokens), describe
how Mr. Williams could help create accommodations to assist a named student in this case. Consider
IDEA, IEPs, Section 504, etc. (4 Tokens). Quote case study to support your answer (1 Token).
a. Mr. Williams could have helped Julian by looking into seeing if he could get an IEP. The course
packet defines an IEP as an, “agreement between parents and the school about the services
that will be specifically provided to the student.” (CP p.59) It also mentions that this plan is
revised annually. Mr. Williams could have offered to provide Julian with extra notes that would
help him to understand his history class a bit better. Hopefully, this would make it easier for
Julian to complete his homework on time. He could also keep in mind, that Julian’s disability
involves reading skills, and make the notes as straight-forward and simple as possible so that
Julian would have no problem reading them. It is important that Mr. Williams does not ignore
the fact that Julian, “was identified as eligible for special education in third grade for a reading
disability.” (Case Study #3 p. 5) Now that he knows Julian might need more help, he should
take action to make sure Julian has the resources he needs. This is important because of the
IDEA law. The course packet defines IDEA, or Individuals with Disabilities Act, as, “law that
requires state to provide a free, appropriate public education for students with disabilities with
no exceptions.” (CP p.59) Julian is entitled to a fair education with nothing holding him back if it
can be helped. Mr. Williams could make sure Julian’s other teachers know about his reading
disability so that they can also make accommodations in their classrooms. Mr. Williams could
have a meeting with Julian’s parents as well so that they could decide the best course of action
to make sure Julian’s education matches with his abilities and to try to keep him out of the NSS
or Noon Supervised Study.

5. Which of the following activities would most likely help a student develop his or her interpersonal skills?
(2 Tokens)
a. Designing a science project to investigate plant growth under various conditions
b. Presenting a solo performance on the violin
c. Volunteering to serve food at a local homeless shelter
d. Reading about the French Revolution

6. Mrs. Strasbourg made the following statement to her students. “Learning is an active process. Your
learning leads you to higher levels of development. I will be working with you, guiding you to more
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advanced thinking this year. And you will be working together, learning from one another.” Which
theorist or theorists most likely agree with Mrs. Strasbourg’s statement? (2 Tokens)
a. Piaget
b. Vygotsky
c. Both Piaget and Vygotsky
d. Current and past psychologists

Multiple Choice (20 Tokens)

1. Which does NOT accurately describe a way in which the brain changes over time? (2 Tokens)
a. Between ages 3 and 6, extensive rewiring takes place in brain regions involved in organization,
planning, and focusing attention.
b. The brain shows linear development in which steady changes occur from infancy to adulthood.
c. The very young brain experiences an overproduction of cells, many of which disappear as the
child grows older.
d. Early experiences have a significant impact on the architecture of the brain, and therefore on
the nature and extent of adult capacities.

2. The notion of a sensitive period suggests _____. (2 Tokens)

a. there is a window of opportunity during which certain experiences are necessary for brain
development to occur
b. shortly after learning new material, rehearsal is a particularly effective strategy for increasing
neural connections
c. the brain has times when it is particularly receptive to environmental influences, though certain
capacities can develop after that period
d. shortly after learning new material, sleeping is a particularly effective strategy for increasing
neural connections

3. Conrad notices that the new boy Stefano doesn’t know what to do when the bell rings for lunch. Conrad
goes to Stefano and tells him that the students leave their books at their desks and go to the lunchroom
to line up for lunch. Conrad invites Stefano to go with him and a couple of other boys in fifth grade.
Conrad demonstrates which one of Gardner’s multiple intelligences? (2 Tokens)
a. Interpersonal
b. Linguistic
c. Spatial
d. Intrapersonal

4. Selena’s parents divorced recently, and Selena is having difficulty adjusting to the changes in her life.
According to Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model, which of Selena’s social/cultural systems is most
directly affected? (2 Tokens)
a. Exosystem
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b. Macrosystem
c. Microsystem
d. Chronosystem

5. Dewayne is engaged in the following activities. Which of the activities illustrates conservation? (2
Tokens)
a. Dewayne grouped the words according to their parts of speech by creating columns for nouns,
verbs, adjectives, and adverbs
b. Dewayne subtracted 100 from 700 and then added it back to arrive at 700 again
c. Dewayne poured paint from the gallon bucket into his paint pan and realized it’s the same
amount of paint, but looks like less
d. Dewayne arranged the members of his favorite baseball team in sequential order according to
height

6. Which best illustrates uninvolved parenting? (2 Tokens)

a. Becky and her parents are very close, and they do anything they can to show her affection,
including having no real limits.
b. Kaori’s parents tend to be detached emotionally. They live in the same house as her but don’t
really keep much track of her comings and goings.
c. Mandy is very close to her parents, who provide her with set rules which she knows will be
enforced
d. Fabiola’s parents are very strict, but besides their endless rules, they don’t seem to have much
connection with her.

7. Which of the following children seems to have the most well-developed theory of mind? (2 Tokens)
a. Stefano’s favorite flavor of popsicle is green, so he told his mom to give his friend a green
popsicle too.
b. Gina saved a seat for her friend, but the friend sat next to someone else. Gina didn’t really
care. She was interested in the play.
c. Darby realized that Bryson didn’t mean to step on her when he moved his desk into place for
group work, so she didn’t make an issue of it.
d. Grant apologized for breaking his friend’s toy after his friend threatened to tell his mom about
the incident. Grant knew his mom always made him say he was sorry.

8. Which of the following descriptions of students reveals the greatest level of practical intelligence, as
proposed by Sternberg? (2 Tokens)
a. Judy earned a perfect score on a standardized test that was recently administered to her class.
b. Marco received an A in science each semester during his first year of high school.
c. Antonia designed a hot-air balloon using equipment from her kitchen at home.
d. Geraldo won the spelling bee at his school.
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9. As the teacher asks questions about the story the students just finished reading, Kylie thinks in pictures
and uses visual information. Based on the facets of the visualizer-verbalizer dimension, what might we
conclude about Kylie? (2 Tokens)
a. Her cognitive spatial ability is low
b. She has the phenomenon referred to as the illusion of learning
c. Her learning preference is visual and verbal
d. Her cognitive style is visualizer

10. Jillian is a high school student. She believes that she will become a nurse in the future because her
parents think it’s a good fit for her personality. This example best illustrates which of the following? (2
Tokens)
a. Identity achieved
b. Identity foreclosure
c. Moratorium
d. Identity diffusion

Bonus (2 Tokens) What did you think about this case study exam? What was good about it? What was bad
about it? (2 Tokens)
a. I liked that the case studies were in depth and made us really think about our answers. I liked
that we were able to explain in our own words about how we understand the concepts while backing our
views up with citations from the book and the course packet. I did not like how restrictive some of the
questions felt, and how sometimes it seemed that the answers could be very subjective. It’s the first exam I
have taken like this and I don’t have any experience of how you personally grade these exams. That makes
me nervous because I know this is worth a lot of my grade, and I am not sure if what I wrote matches with
what you think is right. That uncertainty is something I have a hard time getting past when trying to write
good quality answers. Hopefully, I will feel better about the next exam after seeing how you grade my
answers.

Good Luck!