I have used pretests for every class I have taught
The pretest lets them know what to study for and it helps them out when the real tests come around
It has worked very well for me
Norman Mcwhorter
Lima,
You got ity. Not that pretesting always has to be don - I do it only when I have no clue about student past. But it is very helpful to modify areas that may need some tweaking in order to save (instructor and student) time and class resources.
Barry Westling
Instructors always have their course plan ready ahead of their first class. Although they know their content and are well prepared to deliver their instructions, there is one parameter they do not know too well: Their students's background. A pretest is a good tool to help instructors undersand the background of their students in order to plan their instructions to better meet the needs of their students.
Daniel,
Yeah, hopefully students won't get frustrated. Pretesting is a great tool for instructors to riughtsize their class (as much as possible). This idea is aligned with being a student-centered instructor, where we customize or modify curriculum to meet the individual student needs.
Barry Westling
Pretesting will help clarify questions about background knowledge and allow establishing a median line among the students in class. It will give the instructor the ability to plan at a level that will not frustrate the advanced students or the ones with less experience in the topic.
Suzanne,
This can be a helpful tool, especially when little is known about prior knowledge. The biggest help to me is reviewing the results, and determining where more (or less) emphasis may be needed. Also, occasionally, I've repeated the pretest near the end of the course to demonstrate how far students have come. This usually has a very positive result.
Barry Westling
I have not used pre-tests before. However, after going through this module I think I am going to start to use them. I really like the idea of not grading them. I think my students will be more attentive and it will give me a better idea of their level of knowledge for the course. I will be able to prepare better. I have heard it working with other instructors but never actually used that method myself.
Molly,
As a student centered instructor we try to individulize instruction as much as possible. Pretesting is but one method to learn where the need is.
Barry Westling
Kari,
Great. A pretest is a simple but effective way to get a quick assessment of where students are regarding prior knowledge.
Barry Westling
I think it can help the instructor is they are still planning or even help the student with benchmarking their needs in terms of study etc.
For a pretest will help me to understand the student’s needs and abilities to complete classroom assignments. Students might be shy and reserved but on paper they shine I will never know without some assessment.
James,
Great! I don't always pretest, but it can be a helpful tool for when there is a question about how much and in what areas need more (or less) emphasis. And I don't make these comprehensive, nor are they graded. I usually just take 5-6 key course objectives and create perhaps 10-12 questions to give me an idea how the class does as a whole.
Barry Westling
This was a new idea for me. Well not quite new as I have surveyed a class on a variety of aspects prior to starting. For instance in Speech class I survey (verbally) what their individual experiences have been in speaking before a group and the like. This unit helped me see the applicaiton in a larger way.
Allen,
Perfect! This is exactly how pretesting can benefit instructors in helping their students.
Barry Westling
I use a pretest when I receive a class that I havn't taught in the past. In healthcare, a lot of the information learned in semester one is needed to understand the more complex information in semester two. So, if I am getting a new group into semester two I need to evaluate their understanding of the necessary 1st semester information before proceeding with new information. Using a pretest helps me understand where the new class is and identify any areas I need to cover before proceeding.
Sherry,
Great! Some classes, pretesting works better than others. I don't grade mine and I find students are more willing to "give it their all" when they know they won't be graded.
Barry Westling
I have done "pre-testing" in my insurance class, and I have found it works wonders
Chris,
Right. This is one of more important benefits of pretesting. I think the more we know about our students and their prior knowledge, the better we will be able to assist them with new learning.
Barry Westling
I really liked Mr. Mack's reply on using pretests to identify gaps in background knowledge that allows for development of the class material to address those issues. I think I will start using pretests more often.
Ruby,
Perhaps a pretest at the beginning of the course would not be a good idea. One way you might use pretesting is as a review before an exam. I know some instructors don't like this practice, but I say if we want our students to learn, and a brief pretest beforehand helps them prepare and they do better as a result, then I'm willing to do it. Of course, each has to decide what works best for them.
Barry Westling
