Pretesting
I use an online jeopardy game to pretest my students on the first day of class. This way I can get an idea of where they are and they do not feel that panic of a written test. It makes it a fun experience for them.
Todd,
Right. I call this "previews of coming attractions". Pretesting can give some insight into what may be coming soon or later in the course, and some diligent students might even decide to begin to look ahead and begin to prepare themselves.
Barry Westling
Another thing this can actually help with is the Why question. Why do I need to learn this? A lot of students come into my classes greatly overconfident in their abilities, and upset that they have to take the course as they feel they already know it.
A pre-test not only shows them waht is to come, but also shows them what they don't know and why they need the class.
Josiah,
You may find your textbook publisher may have some pre-made pretests - many publishers provide this kind of thing for users of their products. When given, one thing my students learn is "previews of coming attractions". This helps prepare for what's ahead, as well as for my planning.
Barry Westling
I plan on having some sort of pre-test for my new classes. I figure that I will have to come up with a custom test since we are working with BMW motorcycles. They are far more advanced then general bikes and a Pre-test would help to open their eyes on what to expect from the course.
Stephanie,
Yes, we need to take our students as they are and do our best to bring them as close to our learning outcomes as possible. Many of our students already have led a life filled with negativity. We can be that becon of light, providing hope and encouragement in an environment of kindness and caring -- optimism for a better future and something they may not have experienced much of.
Barry Westling
I like to use a "diagnostic" pretest that is available online and gives students an immediate score along with strategies on how to improve. I also make sure that I take note of the skill-set they already have, regardless of how small. Receiving a lot of negative feedback without encouragement can cause many students to lose their motivation.
Rachael,
Yes, we always want to use the valuable time we have for the greatest benefit to our students. Pretesting is one of those ways (but not the only way) that gets that accomplished.
Barry Westling
Pre testing is a great tool for us to gauge if what we had planned to teach that day is still necessary, or if we have established a prior learning has fullfilled the entery level we can adjust to add some more indepth learning.
Jacquelyn ,
Terrific. If time allows, this is a great technique to use at the beginning of a new class.
Barry Westling
prior to the first lecture I administer a pre test. This allows me to gauge the students knowledge base and provide them with an example of the type of material that they may encounter during the course.
Naila,
I agree Pre-testing is a wonderful tool to gauge each student also it can give them an idea of where they must spend more time and help identify areas of weakness that were unknown to the student.
Christie,
I make my own Jeopardy questions, and conduct them more informally than an actual game format. I would Google your question and see if there are any free or low-cost Jeopardy-like games out there.
Barry Westling
Denise,
I agree that a "preview of coming attrations" sort of pretest helps students by giving a preview of what topics or information is to come, how they might begin to prepare, and perhaps begin to work on areas they identify they may need extra study with.
Barry Westling
I would like to know which website you use for the jeopardy game please.
I do like to pretest. I find it more beneficial to the student. This why they have an idea of some of the thinks they are going to be covering in the class. I feel it helps them with there focus on the things they may need extra help on before it is to late.
Naila,
When I pretest, I get a sense about the whole class, more than individual stuidents. From the concensus I am able to make small adjustments to my regular plan in order to meet the needs of the students.
Barry Westling
Carrie,
This is perfectly suitable and sounds like a great way to gather some information about your students as well as have some fun at the same time.
Barry Westling
