Pretesting our students is very helpful because we have a unique situation where we are running a module builder. Every nine weeks we have students joining already enrolled students. Even though the subject matter changes every nine week and you don't necessarily need the previous module knowledge to understand the current module, it does help when a student has previous experiences or knowledge.
Billy,
Obtaining knowledge of prior learning of current students does help create a more specific, focused lesson based on how these current students can benefit more fully from new class material.
Barry Westling
It helps me to get a frame of reference as to what the students know, and to adjust my assignments or lectures accordingly.
Steven,
Planning for each course, even if it's one that is taught over and over again takes some tweaking to cater to those individual students. Pretesting is one good way to learn about students level of prior learning.
Barry Westling
its a good tool to let you know where your students are an where you need to start teaching.
Ann marie,
Yes, with a more accurate basline, students will benefit by having their instructor understand how to make the class more focused, effective, and interesting.
Barry Westling
Lauren,
This is a good example where gaining some information about the students prior knowledge aand abilities can assist the instructor make choices about the class content and delivery that will be specifically meaningful and effective for the current class.
Barry Westling
It helps to provide the instructor with a baseline.
When the new quarter begins in my computer classes, I have my students complete a diagram of the computer and ask a few questions about computer hardware, software and their overall knowledge of computer applications. Afterward, we discuss their previous experience with computers and talk about what they want to learn from the class over the quarter. I look over their assignment answers after class and take into consideration what they want to learn from the class. By giving them some say in the overall instruction of the computer course, they feel more involved and seem to be more excited about the class as a whole. I have found that my older students are less comfortable with computers (which is commonly expected) and see the class as a challenge, while the younger students seem to be more excited about the course and are typically more computer savvy especially in regards to basic computer operations, application software/social networking. I usually have to work more one-on-one with my less savvy students to help them catch up to the more technologically advanced students.
Monica,
Another primary use of the pretest is to determine what prior knowledge students have so as to facilitate better planning and maximum utilization of time.
Barry Westling
It enables me to assess if what is being taught is being retained by students
Antonio,
What I do is take the learning objectives or daily topics as a basis for making a pretest. I determine out of everything the students are supposed to learn, what is the most important. From there, questions can be developed that assess either prior knowledge of a topic, or the degree to which students are familiar with the topic(s). A related method is to determine what students should know coming into the new class and building questions from it. Either way, the instructor learns something specific about the incoming students, and they should be more interested because you are focuising on material they need to learn. When students feel that they are apt to be attentive, focused, and engaged.
Barry Westling
In all the years I have taught, I have known about this, but I did not implement it. I just had an "AHA" moment. I really should determine where my class is with a simple pretest.
I will have to figure out how to implement this for a future class, since they have all already started. What if they get discouraged by their lack of knowledge? I can tell them until I am blue in the face, it is just to see what I need to focus on, but will that be enough?
David,
Very good. Planning classes based on specific students needs is a form of being student centered, and that almost always results in better student outcomes.
Barry Westling
We use this pre test at the beginning of the course to find out what the students know and have learned in the previous courses they have taken at our school and how much of this information has been retained.
Kimberly,
Pretesting is an optional activity, best used when little information about prior learning is known.
Barry Westling
I have not used pre-testing as a planning tool before but think this is a great idea. It will allow me to focus on areas needing more attention and accomodate all of the students.
Paul,
Right. Also, based on information from a pretest, I can empasize more or less on a given topic. The goal is to preserve valuable instructional time.
Barry Westling
A pretest help one with their instructional planning by establishing a class base-line of knowledge of the students. Through a pretest, one can determine if there is a need to cover some basic knowledge before getting into the class material. Additionally, it can be used to determine if there is a core of students that already have an understanding of the material. One can use the pretest to determine the start point of instruction for the class.
Tricia ,
For me, if I'm relying heavy on the textbook and it contains a pretest, then I'll use it. But if I want to assess the students prior learning thorougly and in preparation for my class, my own pretest does a better job because I can customize the assessment to suit my areas nof assessment in ways most textbooks cannot.
Barry Westling
