It helps to ingage the students that are off task.
Pre-tests give you, the instructor, an excellent source to see the background knowledge that each student posesses. They also give the students a chance to see some of the information that they will learn in the course.
Hi Roger:
Perfect example of the benefits of this tool!
Pretesting works best when it is unknown what students know or don't know about a class or categories within a classs (like Excel).
Regards, Barry
Hi Carlos:
What I get from pretesting is unknown information revealed that shows me where I my need to add or change the emphasis in a class, usually a first timer class, wher little is know about student performance.
Regards, Barry
Hi Althea:
Well, I think you're being very proactive in asking about due dates in other classes. This can run into traffic jams at times for students, and may interfere with all of the class assignments due near the same time.
You're assignment and giving the first days schedule only is rather unique, but I see it's working for you, so terrific. Students usually want to plan all their dates, but your point (as related to this forum post) is that you will be customizing the course based on the individuals, their experiences, abilities, likes and dislikes, etc.
So, in a rather different way, this is a very creative pretesting model. I'm glad you shared it.
Regards, Barry
I give a computer experience survey in my intro to computers class. In the survey I ask the student to describe his computer experience from novice to geek. In my last class I had a lot who described themselves as geeks. When I gave them a basic Excel spreedsheet as a diagnostic test, I quickly determined the geeks had over estimated their abilities. Without this pretest knowledge I would have assumed I had a lot of computer experts in the class. My lesson plans would have been completely over the students heads and many of them would have struggled unnecessarily.
I think pre-testing is a helpful tool. Graded or notit gives you feedback of student abilites & knowledge foundation. It can be useful in tweaking/reviewing your curriculum or tutoring assignments for an individuals.
I've been using a 15-minute pre-test for every English class since I began teaching. It's a one-page, double-sided set of survey and short-answer questions about their experience with reading and writing: do they read for pleasure, what kinds of things do they read/write, what was their most and least favorite experience with English class, etc. I ask them to fill it out the first day of class and tell them explicitly that I will use it to help me plan the course. I find it very helpful in the planning. One issue has been the schedule. I give them the schedule for only the first three days of class on day one. Some of the students don't like that -- they want the schedule for the entire course right away. It has worked to emphasize that I want to plan the schedule based on who's in the room. Also, if they're been to their other classes already, I ask them to tell me the due dates of major projects in those classes. Then I avoid having my major projects due on those same days. That usually calms any anxiety about not knowing the due dates immediately.
Hi Christine:
I don't think pretesting has to be done in every class or even all the time.
Where it's helpful is leraning at what degree of knowledge or performance your students are so that you can tweak your curriculum in order to put the emphasis where it'll do the most good.
Students usually don't mind "a test" if they know it won't count toward's a grade (unless you decide to make it so). I wouldn't recommend making a pretest a graded activity.
Regards, Barry
Hi Maria:
Yes, pretesting can be valuable.
For me, I use it if I'm unsure of the degree of knowledge or performance students have. From that, I make small chanages in my planned curriculum.
Regards, Barry
Hi Marry:
Yes, adult education does bring all the generation together, doesn't it?
For me, pretesting is helpful when I'm unsure what the new students in a beginning class know or what level the perform at. With this knowledge I'm able to put emphasis where it's needed and avoid wasting valuable time on areas where not as much emphasis is required.
Regards, Barry
pretest is very helpful to instructors so we can plan our strategy in teaching also how we can simplify that will make the majority students get the course.
I know in my course it would help with reading and writing ability. In my field of study my student must know how to write so others can read it. They must know how to write client record cards and those that have to use these cards must be able to know what the client had done in the previous appointment. They also must be able to read so they understand formula's. If the student is pretested then I as the instructor would have a better idea how I can help a student be a success.
Hi Patricia:
Pretesting is a tool that instructors can use when they are unsure of the basic knowledge base f their students, usually at the beginning of a class. I don't think that it has to be done every class or all the time, just when the information may help put the emphasis other than where originally planned.
Regards, Barry
Hi Ken:
Pretesting does identify where what a teacher has planned may need to be modified in order to put more emphasis where students will benefit in a greater way.
Regards, Barry
Thank you for this idea. I love it! I teach surgical technology and find that there are a number of students who do not have the needed background to do well in the course. By knowing this ahead of time, I will be more prepared to address the "gaps" in their knowledge.
In adult education, I find myself meeting a group of students with varied backgrounds.
Some may be recent high school graduates, while some are returning toschool after a long absence,( raising children, other career, etc).
A pretest may be helpful to assess current knowledge and skills of each student. This will allow the instructor to structure the course content appropriately.
It can identify content areas where a student is
less proficient. It may also identify what medium specifically the student is having difficulty in
understanding.
Hi Jennifer:
Great. That's the poinht in a nutshell.
Understanding where to place emphasis is valuable in that is saves time covering material already understood.
Of course we still need to make sure all course objectives have been met, but more emphasis given where it's needed will contribute to better student learning outcomes.
Regards, Barry
Hi Arturo:
For me, pretesting lets both the teacher and student know where they are able to perform at the beginning of a class. This may allow a teacher to make small adjustments in their curriculum in order place the empasis where it'll do the most good.
Also, a teacher can do a posttest to compare to what degree the student met the course objectives. And to a lesser degree, it may reveal something about the effectiveness of the teacher (compared to past classes).
Regards, Barry
