FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

What type of learning allows students to be actively involved in discovering content?

1. Cooperative learning

2. Discovery learning

3. Jigsaw learning

4. Direct instruction

The correct answer is: Discovery learning

Discovery learning is a method that encourages students to actively engage in the process of learning by exploring and investigating concepts themselves. In this approach, learners are not merely recipients of information but instead become active participants, discovering facts and relationships through hands-on experiences, experimentation, and problem-solving activities. This type of learning fosters critical thinking and helps students construct their own understanding of the material, making it more meaningful and memorable. The focus of discovery learning is on the exploration and self-guided inquiry, which empowers students to take control of their learning process. By engaging with the content in a meaningful way, they develop skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, leading to a deeper understanding of the subject matter. This method is supported by constructivist theories of education, which emphasize that knowledge is best gained through experiential learning. In contrast, cooperative learning involves students working together in groups to achieve shared learning goals. Jigsaw learning is a specific type of cooperative learning where each student becomes an expert on one part of a topic and then teaches that part to their peers. Direct instruction, however, is a more traditional, teacher-centered approach that typically involves structured lessons and explicit teaching of skills and knowledge, with less emphasis on student discovery.