From Adult Learning and Development (1998)

Epistemological Quiz

1. Think about how much control you have over your own learning. Some ability to learn may be attributed to your acquiring techniques and ideas that help you remember, comprehend, and apply knowledge. There are some people who believe the ability to learn is all inherited, or it is all acquired through experience. Where do you stand on this issue? Write your percentages for these two categories so that when you add the percentages they equal 100%: inherited ability to learn ________%, acquired ability to learn ________%.

2. Think about the speed of learning. Some people think learning is quick or not at all. Others think learning is a slow gradual process. Still others think learning takes a moderate period of time, but not so long that it would be considered gradual. Where do you stand on this issue? Write your percentages for these three categories so that when you add the percentages they equal 100%: quick learning ______%, moderately quick learning _______%, gradual learning ______%.

3. Think about how knowledge is ORGANIZED within your mind. Chunks of information could be isolated in separate compartments, or chunks of information could be separated with a few links that lead to several other compartments, or large networks could be heavily connected to many other networks of knowledge. How would you describe the organization of knowledge in your mind? Write your percentages for these three categories so that when you add all three percentages they equal 100%: isolated compartments _______%, compartments with a few links _______%, networks with may links _______%.

4. Think about the STABILITY of knowledge. In your opinion how much of knowledge has been discovered and is unchanging, how much is yet to be discovered, and how much will always be changing or evolving? Write your percentages for these three categories so that when you add all three percentages they equal 100%: discovered and unchanging _______%, yet to be discovered ________%, always evolving ________%.