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Mid Term Examination for UTeach Project Based Instruction

The following is a 100 point mid term examination for UTeach Project Based Instruction.

Factual Information (10 questions, 2 pts each= 20 points): often is either known or not known. Does not generally require
higher order thinking skills. Nonetheless, an important component to expertise.

Conceptual information (4 questions, 10 pts each= 40 points): Knowledge rich in relationships and understanding. By
definition, conceptual knowledge cannot be learned by rote. It must be learned by thoughtful, reflective learning.

Transfer (2 questions, 20 pts each= 40 points): the primary purpose of developing critical thinking and information literacy
skills is to enable students to apply carefully and creatively the higher-order thinking skills to new situations, one of the
key concerns is cognitive transfer. Transfer is the ability to extract a particular skill from its original context and apply it
to a novel situation.

You will have until 3:30pm Wednesday, October 20 to complete this take home exam.

* 1. Please provide the following information...

Name:

UTEID:

PBI Section:

Major:

Preferred email:

2. I understand that the Honor Code at The University of Texas at Austin is:

"The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom,
leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is
expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect
toward peers and community."

I also understand that the definition of plagiarism is:

"[r]epresenting the words or ideas you found in a source as your own constitutes
plagiarism". When students get an idea from someone or somewhere else and use it
without crediting that source, they have committed plagiarism--whether they meant to or
not.

On my honor, I attest that I begin this examination in awareness of the UT Honor Code
as well as the rules of the University concerning plagiarism.
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n Yes- I understand and abide by both the Honor Code and rules against plagiarism

j
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n No- I do not understand the Honor Code and rules against plagiarism and would rather be tested with a proctor. If you choose "no"
please click "no" and then log out of Survey Monkey immediately before reviewing any of the remaining questions.
2. Factual Questions - 10 Questions, 2 points each

1. Name the key principles of PBI as described individually by BOTH Barron and Krajcik.
(i.e. treat Barron and Krajcik separately)
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2. What are the steps of the Legacy Cycle?

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3. Project Based Instruction is a method of instruction that completely replaces and

removes any need to teach by method of direct instruction or guided instruction.
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n True

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n False

4. The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury episode we solved in class was entitled:

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n Larry and his Flying Machine

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n The Big Splash

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n Rescue at Boone's Meadow

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n I Want to Fly Like an Eagle

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n None of the Above

5. The ORIGINAL model rocket activity activity Dr. Petrosino showed in class (recall the
video of the students doing a rocket launch and chasing it as it came to the ground)
exhibited:
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n Great motivation and wonderful learning

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n Great learning and engaged motivation

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n Little learning and little engagement

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n Great motivation and engagement but little learning

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n Great motivation and engagement but little content specific learning

6. Scaffolding techniques can include displaying graphics, activating prior knowledge,

modeling an activity beforehand, and introducing motivational techniques to pique
student interest.
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n True

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n False
7. The order of instructional activities in Petrosino, Lehrer and Schauble (2003) were
Flag Pole Data, Fake Pole Data, Pencil, Rocket. This progression was intended to bring
content specific instructional attention to:
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n 1. the size of different objects

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n 2. the same sequence enacted in Barron et. al. (1998)

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n 3. sources of variance in measuring

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n 4. the development of metacognitive instructional activities

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n Some of the Above (choices 1-4)

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n All of the Above (choices 1-4)

8. In Marshall, Petrosino, and Martin (2010), the researchers found that pre-service
teachers reported time and curriculum restrictions as major barriers to implementing
PBI in their classrooms.
j
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n True

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n False

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n More complicated than that (use comment field if needed)

Comment

9. The Eratosthenes problem of finding the circumference of the earth only works on the
first day of the equinox.

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n True

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n False

10. Project based instruction, problem based instruction, inquiry, hands on activity,
case based instruction, Problem Based Learning are all the same.
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n True

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n False
3. Conceptual Questions - 4 Questions, 10 points each

1. Consider either the Jasper episode on the eagle; the original Model Rocket activity; or
the flag pole-pencil-rocket launch described throughout the semester to date. Analyze
whether these projects agree with Kirschners' view of PBI or Hmelo's view of PBI. Use
evidence from the articles to support your answer.
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2. Technology is a common theme in all three frameworks of PBI (Barron, Krajcik, and
Buck) as we have seen so far this semester. What is the purpose of using technology in
PBI? How can technology improve PBI? Pick 3 examples of how technology was used
in PBI from any articles or activities completed so far and examine its purpose and how
it improved PBI and student understanding.
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3. According to "Preservice Teachers’ Conceptions and Enactments of Project-Based

Instruction Journal of Science Education and Technology" by Marshall, J. A., Petrosino,
A. J., & Martin, T., many apprentice teachers find it difficult to apply PBL in their
classrooms due to many factors and constraints. In what ways could a mentor teacher
or school administrator help support apprentice teachers in implementing PBL in their
classrooms?
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4. Explain, in terms of what we know about "human architecture," why Kirschner claims
that minimal guidance instruction isn't as effective as direct instruction. Is Project based
instruction an example of minimal guidance instruction? Explain.
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4. Transfer Questions - 2 Questions, 20 points each

1. You are asked to present to the Hoboken Board of Education on your observations of
the district's enactment of projects in their curriculum. After 2 months of observations
and notes, you reach the conclusion that, while teachers and students are indeed doing
projects, they are not the type of projects that you learned about in your UTeach course
work with Dr. Petrosino during the Fall 2010 semester. Please present what you would
say to the Board of Education keeping in mind you are allocated only 10 minutes to
speak. As a rule of thumb most speech writers allocate 150 words per minute.
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2. In the Project-based Learning article by Krajcik, there are five characteristics of a

good driving question: 1) feasible, 2) worthwhile, 3) contextualized, 4) meaningful, and
5) ethical (page 655). Create a driving question that could be used to explore either a)
plant structure in a biology classroom or 2) linear equations. Once you have created the
question, address how the question meets each key element described above. For this
question ONLY, you MAY consult with your group members for your Manor 3 day
teaching experience in early November.
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