Pedagogy MCQs

Frederick Herzberg's two-factor theory distinguishes motivators (achievement, recognition, responsibility, growth) that produce satisfaction, from hygiene factors (pay, conditions, policies) whose absence causes dissatisfaction but whose presence does not strongly motivate. In education it suggests that meaningful work, recognition and growth genuinely motivate teachers and learners, beyond mere external conditions.

Summative assessment is conducted at the end of a course, term or unit to measure overall achievement and judge whether learning objectives were met — 'assessment OF learning.' Examples include final and board examinations and end-of-term projects. It contrasts with diagnostic assessment (at the beginning, to gauge prior knowledge) and formative assessment (during learning, to give feedback and improve instruction).

CAI means Computer Assisted Instruction — the use of computers as a tool to support and enhance teaching and learning. It delivers interactive, self-paced and often individualised instruction through drills, tutorials, simulations and games, giving immediate feedback to learners. CAI is part of educational technology and helps address different learning styles and paces, making learning more engaging and accessible.

Reconstructionism (social reconstructionism) holds that education should be a driving force for continuous social reform and improvement. It uses schooling to critically examine and solve social problems and to prepare students to rebuild a more just and better society. Its emphasis on change across all areas of life distinguishes it from philosophies focused on preserving tradition or transmitting fixed knowledge.

Maxims of teaching are time-tested general rules or principles that guide a teacher in presenting content effectively — for example, 'proceed from known to unknown,' 'from simple to complex,' 'from concrete to abstract' and 'from particular to general.' They make learning natural and easy by building on what students already grasp. Maxims are broader guiding principles, distinct from specific methods or techniques.

A barrier-free environment removes physical, communication and attitudinal obstacles so that all learners, including those with disabilities, can participate fully. Ramps, accessible materials, assistive technology and inclusive attitudes support the principle of inclusion — educating diverse children together with appropriate accommodations. Accessibility is essential to realising every child's right to education.

Lawrence Kohlberg proposed the theory of moral development, describing how moral reasoning matures through three levels — pre-conventional, conventional and post-conventional — each with two stages. Reasoning progresses from obeying to avoid punishment, through conforming to social rules, to reasoning based on abstract ethical principles. Educators use it to understand and nurture students' ethical decision-making.

Ivan Pavlov discovered classical conditioning through his experiments with dogs: by repeatedly pairing a neutral stimulus (bell) with food, the bell alone came to trigger salivation. It explains how automatic, reflexive responses become associated with new stimuli. In education it accounts for emotional associations with learning — for example, how a positive or fearful attitude toward a subject can be conditioned.

Pragmatism holds that reality is dynamic and constantly changing, so truth is not fixed but is whatever works in practice and produces useful results. Championed by John Dewey, it emphasises experience, experimentation, problem-solving and 'learning by doing.' In education this translates into child-centred, activity-based curricula that adapt to real-life situations rather than transmitting fixed, eternal truths.

Pedagogy is the art and science of teaching — the study of teaching methods and strategies used to impart knowledge and facilitate learning effectively. It covers how teachers plan, deliver, manage and assess instruction, taking into account learners' needs and contexts. While it relates closely to education and the learning process, its specific focus is on the practice and theory of how teaching is carried out.