Which instructional approach is exemplified by a teacher motivating students through rewards for achieving high scores?

The instructional approach exemplified by a teacher motivating students through rewards for achieving high scores is behaviorism. This learning theory focuses on observable behaviors and the ways they're affected by the environment, particularly through reinforcement and punishment. In this case, the use of rewards directly aligns with behaviorist principles, which hold that positive reinforcement can increase the likelihood of desired behaviors, such as achieving high scores.

Behaviorism emphasizes the importance of external stimuli in shaping behavior, and using rewards as motivation is a key strategy employed in this approach. Students are encouraged to perform well by the prospect of receiving rewards, which serves to reinforce their engagement and accountability in the learning process. This strategy contrasts with approaches like constructivism, which prioritizes learners actively constructing knowledge, or cognitivism, which focuses on mental processes.