Pretests can be helpful to my students when I have more than 5 students in a class. When I have smaller classes I can work with them on an individual basis.
Bryce,
Yes, most can't fake what they don't know.
Barry Westling
Joseph,
Time would seem to be a limiting factor. Perhaps just asking one thoughtful question and surveying the responses would be most appropriate.
Barry Westling
it gives a version of evaluating the students on what they know and understand not just what they say they know
Have you ever used a pre-test on the first day of a short, 1-2 week course, with a mandated curriculum? I see the value but don't have a lot of wiggle room on course content nor much time to make significant changes in material.
Erica,
This is good, and really, benefits the instructor as much as the students. I would really not have to spend time on some of the simpler parts of a course if my students already have a good understanding. On the other hand, if students should have knowledge but don't, I will save time knowing this in advance so I can review basics before moving on.
Barry Westling
Jeanette,
You make a good point. I think pretesting is valid and appropriate only if the instructor sees value in it, and feels they can benefit by having more specific background information about what level of knowledge their students collectively possess.
Barry Westling
Pretests allow for the instructor to plan lectures and activities more effectively. The pretests allow for the instructor to know where each student stands in understanding previous information.
I can see the advantage and disadvantage of pretesting. I think it depends on the subject you are teaching as well. I agree that pretesting for some courses can have the potential to set the class back because now the instructor feels they have to go over material that the students should already know.
Pretesting was great for the Basic Adult Math class I use to teach. I knew exactly where I needed to start with each student. If they already had the skills down for adding and substracting I didn't have to teach that again. In this type of class it is a lot of one on one so pretesting is a plus.
Angie,
You've got a good point, pretesting is only a starting point. What I find is it helps understand what (if anything) the class as a whole already has mastered so that valuable time doesn't spent on information students already possess, where that time could be spent on other, more challenging aspects of the curriculum.
Barry Westling
I think they can be a good starting point, but a test doesn't always give you the whole picture. Some people do not test well, no matter what the test is about.
Kimberly,
Yes, the pretest is a good tool for the instructor to determine what prior learning their students possess. It helps decide how best to provide "right-sized" instruction to match the level of the students.
Barry Westling
Yes, pretests are a good judge to see the level of your students. Sometimes a student is place in your class and really should not be there. A pretest is good to find out early and help the student placed in the correct class. I like using pretest to see the level of my students.
Jenny,
Good point - understanding. That's what we want our students to leave with. Pretesting can add to that process of achieving the understanding of course material.
Barry Westling
Davina,
Yes, we want to spend most of time dealing with information the students need to know, and the pretest is one great tool that can illuminate the need.
Barry Westling
Dan,
I think that can happen. For me, I'm usually only pretesting upcoming, new information, and I won't review what I haven't yet taught. Good point about a potential disadvantage of pretesting.
Barry Westling
Kim,
Yes, pretesting is a great tool for use by instructors.
Barry Westling
I have found great value in pretests as they not only allow me to assess backround knowledge, but also allows the student to understand the course objectives. It also directs the student to areas they need to review in order to meet objectives and success in the course.
Pre-tests can be a great teaching tool, especially to see where the students fall in terms of their foundation. Even if the students have the same background, it's a very useful tool to see where the concentration should be and what areas the students excel in. It's a very good way to see where you should begin a class.
Tena,
Great! Pretesting is a tool, and for instructors that use it, they find it helpful for many of the reasons you cite. I don't always pretest for every class. When I need to have a baseline knowledge of what students prior knowledge is, that's my cue to consider doing a brief pretest to assess.
Barry Westling
