3. What kind of strategies can you use to study in order to help you remember information better for the AP exam?
In order to study for the AP exam, students can use the spacing effect which is the tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention than is achieved through massed study or practice. They can also use acoustic and semantic encoding, mnemonic devices, and recall. Acoustic encoding is the encoding of sound, especially words, semantic encoding is the encoding of meaning, including the meaning of words. Also they can use visual encoding because that is the encoding of picture images. Mnemonic devices are aids, especially techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices. All of these strategies can help a student remember their information in order to receive a good grade on the AP exam.


Cognition- the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering and communication
Concept- a mental grouping of similar objects, events, ideas or people
Prototype- a mental image or best example of a category. Matching new items to the prototype provides a quick and easy method for including items in a category
Algorithm- a methodical or logical rule/ procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem. Contrasts with the usually speedier but also more error-prone
Heuristic- a simple thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgments and solve problems efficiently, usually speedier but also more error-prone then algorithms
Insight- a sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem; it contrasts with strategy based solutions
Confirmation Bias- a tendency to search for information that confirms one’s preconceptions

3. Explain the relationship between functional fixedness and problem solving. Provide an example that illustrates the relationship (this should be no more than 2 sentences).
Functional fixedness creates a hinder when trying to solve a problem. For example, you are in the bathroom when you run out of toilet paper and you don’t think about using a tissues because it is not its normal use.


4. How can you use what you know about thinking and language to improve your learning strategy? Provide two examples.
You know that when learning a new language, one must be taught slowly like a child; therefore for the learning strategy you must remember that. For example, in the learning strategy instead of teaching many concepts separately, you can combine all the common concepts so that it is easier to compare and understand them all. Also, as an example, you can show informative movies and have the class take their own notes on what they think is important and once they are done with notes you can have a whole class discussion. With this all types of learning strategies are incorporated.


Lauren Lountzis Pd.7