Administering pretests will help focus the instruction in class and streamline the course content.
Tracy,
I think good instructors assume nothing about prior learning of their students, which is why a pretest can provide valuable information about where to focus more (or less) emphasis in order to maximize the student and instructors time.
Barry Westling
A pretest can help an instructor to determine which students have mastered previously taught material and which ones need more help. If the majority of the class misses certain pretest questions the instructor can refocus the lesson plans to revisit the material.
If only a few students need additional help, one on one instruction can be scheduled.
Students don't usually mind a pretest because it does not effect their grade. It can also give the student a sense of what information is being expanded upon in the class.
Jeffrey,
Yeah, students often have only vague ideas about materials and resources they'll be involved with. Pretesting can be an effective tool to get students familiarized with upcoming events.
Barry Westling
Ann,
It's great to be able to spend more time on more difficult or new information, and among various methods, a pretest can help assess what areas the class has a good understanding of at the outset.
Barry Westling
Pre-testing sets how my class needs to start. If I have to give basic skills as a reminder, I have the materials. I do not spend much time on reviewing what they should have learned already.
I suggest to them to take tutoring classes if they need more review.
Kathleen,
I've done learning style assessments, and where possible, have applied it in my student-centered approaches to facilitating classes. Students also like to learn or reaffirm their dominant traits, and I encourage them to apply their special attributes to applications in classroom assignments.
Barry Westling
Using pretests allows instructors to get a feel for their students' potential and abilities. I love to use the assessment on learning styles so that I can gear my lessons to meets the learning needs of all.
Wayne,
I don't always pretest - I do it when when my planned time in a class will be tight and I want see if there is any area I can put less emphasis, based on the students past learning. Less frequently, I've given a pretest at the beginning of a term just to redo it at the end of a term to show progress, and as a motivational tool.
Barry Westling
I have not used pretests before but I like the idea of using them as they are a good tool to use in order to establish a baseline of class knowledge. I guess the work of putting material together in order to construct a pretest has been something that has inhibited me from doing so. I will try to get started with pretests the next term that I have.
Rebecca,
As much as most students generally don't like tests, I've found students will embrace doing a pretest because they can see their own performance without a consequence that affects their grade in class. Of course, as a planning tool, the instructor benefits by understanding where more (or less) emphasis is needed in a particular segment.
Barry Westling
I agree. Pretests will allow the instructor to gain an understanding of what instruction is working and the opportunity to review information that was not retained or learned
Shannon,
Right, and pretests can always be as little or as much as the instructor wants to put into it.
Barry Westling
It gives the instructor a baseline on what the students know or do not know and it gives the instructor a plan.
Elmer,
Good example of a practical way that pretests can assist students!
Barry Westling
Pretests allow teachers to see if what is being covered in the lesson or unit is already mastered. For example, if you are teaching 9th grade geography, you might give a pretest to see how well students understand latitude and longitude. If they all know how to use these then the teacher can skip that lesson. If only a couple of students have a problem, then they can individualize their instruction to bring them up to speed. If the majority of students are struggling with the information then they can continue with the lesson.
Glenn,
Wonderful, and great example for the beneficial use of the pretest.
Barry Westling
I use pretests to find the base for instruction and it helps to find students that are lagging behind the curve.
Michael,
That sounds awesome. Knowledge of prior learning can be invaluable in the planning process.
Barry Westling
I pretest all students before the class starts so I know which students are where in their education level.
