Week 11 Essay Assignment - The idea that people have different

Week 11 Essay Assignment

Each week you are required to respond to one essay question (25 points-20 points for content; 5 points for writing/APA citation format). Each essay must be 350-500 words in length and citations must be provided when necessary. Do NOT use a title page/abstract for your essays (those parts are only used on APA style manuscripts). Please submit your responses directly to me via email by 11:59 pm of the due date.

1. The idea that people have different “learning styles” is very popular both with the public and with certain groups of educators. What type of evidence would be required to show that “learning styles” need to match teaching methods in order for optimal learning to occur?

2. Do you believe that intelligence is one general factor, or are there several independent types of intelligence? Give some examples of people you know who might be high in one of Gardner’s intelligences, but just average in others.

3. Why do you think that females do not perform as well as males on tests of spatial and quantitative abilities? What kinds of environmental influences could explain the small differences that do exist? What kinds of neuropsychological explanations might there be?

4. Do you believe that males and females have different “ways of knowing”? Give specific examples to back up your answer. If you believe that such ways of knowing do exist, how do you think they develop?

5. Discuss the idea of cognitive styles. How does this concept differ from the concepts of intelligence or cognitive abilities.

6. Use research data to argue against the proposition that “Women should not go into engineering.”