Abstract:

"How do educators and students explain the gap between cognitive knowlege and success on standardized tests?" This question is especially relevant to teacher candidates who after years of study are preparing to take an exam that determines whether or not they become certified to work in their field. The high stakes associated with the certification exam may lead to increased testing anxiety and decreased self-efficcy which can increase the gap between cognitive knowledge and performance on the exam. This scenario prompts educator preparation programs to ask, "Why is there a disconnect between pedagogical knowledge and performance on exams?" Mental Immersion is an innovative approach to close the gap bewteen pedagocial knowledge and success on teacher certification exams.

Test preparation typcially focuses on a review of content and pedagogy rather than a strategy to apply knowledge of content and pedagogy to test questions. Mental Immersion presents an effective strategy to enhance the application of knowledge to test questions through the use of positive presuppositions, visualization, personal language using "I" statements from the student perspective, think alouds, and auditory and visual scaffolds. Steps in the process involve reading the test question and underlining important information in the prompt. The next step requires students to determine content assessed, followed by an opportuntity to visualize the scenario and context of the test question. Finally, an expert provides a think aloud eliminating answer choices to determine the correct answer. The strategy concludes with a summary statement articulating the correct answer to the test question. Mental Immersion can be implemented in face-to-face contexts or electronic environments.

Benefits of Mental Immersion include improved content knowledge, increased sense of efficacy, and enhanced abilities to make connections. Mental Immersion provides a review of content through think alouds as an expert explains why a correct answer is correct and eliminated answer choices are incorrect. Positive presuppositions increase self-efficacy through self-talk using statements such as "I can" and "I know." Visualization using sensory information creates multiple pathways in the brain enabling students to make appropriate connections in diverse contexts.

Mental Immersion offers a unique strategy for test preparation beneficial to certification candidates, course instructors, and educator preparation programs.

Keywords:

Mental Immersion, Test Preparation.