AEPA Professional Knowledge - Secondary Exam

The Professional Knowledge - Secondary test measures pedagogical knowledge and skills. It was developed to assess the general competence of prospective educators. The test content is drawn from three subareas based on AEPA learning objectives: Student Development and Learning (36% of the test); Instructional Planning and Management (45%); and the Professional Environment (19%). The test covers human development and how to use knowledge of human development to promote student development and learning; also covered are the topics of diverse student populations and creating a learning environment that respects diversity. Test-takers should expect content, not only on curriculum development and effective instructional methods (e.g., to promote literacy), but also on student assessment, classroom management, supporting student motivation, and meeting educational goals (e.g., state and federal goals). Lastly, the test measures knowledge of how to create and maintain effective relationships between schools and homes and schools and communities in order to support student learning, as well as knowledge of the professional roles, expectations, and responsibilities of Arizona educators.

AEPA Professional Knowledge - Secondary Practice Questions

Professional Knowledge - Secondary

1. What should a teacher define before creating a lesson plan?

A: the existing knowledge of the students
B: the goals of the lesson
C: behavioral boundaries
D: the limitations of the school technology

2. What kind of sequencing features a transition from complex theory to specific detail?

A: whole-to-part sequencing
B: external constraint
C: chronological sequencing
D: thematic topic sequencing

3. Which of the following is NOT one of the components of Marzano's cognitive taxonomy?

A: retrieval
B: analysis
C: comprehension
D: metacognition

4. The part of a needs analysis that defines the difference between ideal and current conditions is known as the _______.

A: equivocation analysis
B: differential summary
C: discrepancy analysis
D: stress test

5. What is the main criticism of true-false tests?

A: They are too easy to produce.
B: They can be completed too quickly.
C: They prevent the teacher from addressing complex or ambiguous subjects.
D: They allow too much extraneous information.

Answer key

1. B. In order to create an effective lesson, a teacher needs to bear in mind the ultimate goals of the lesson.
2. A. Educators use whole-to-part sequencing to give students a general idea of the subject matter before introducing specific details.
3. D. The four successive stages in Marzano's model of cognition are retrieval, comprehension, analysis, and utilization.
4. C. A comprehensive needs analysis will outline specific steps to eliminate discrepancies.
5. C. Most teachers find that true-false tests are too simplistic for all but the most straightforward material.