Hi Luis- Thanks for your post to the forum. As you mention, we need to continually "check-in" with our students to assess where they are so that we can adjust our instruction if necessary.
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
It's not a difficult proposition. A good instructor will continually asses his/her students to determine if they understand the information they are being taught.
I have used and still use some informal "check up" assessments to see where we are as a class. It is very helpful to identify areas of concern, what needs to be retaught, what needs more practice, who is ready to move on etc.
I haven't used a lot of CAT's but will now. I usually ask questions at the beginning of class to see what they remembered from the previous class. I like the CAT ideas!
Hi Randy - Thanks for your post to the forum. I promise that you will find much value in using CATs! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
In being a new instructor I hope I'll be able to pick up on using CATs to see where students are at, and see how I am doing.
Continually asking good questions allows you to judge both your and the students performance.
I find CATs very useful in piecing together several steps in a multi-step process, so that the students aren't surprised when they need to apply the new knowledge in full later.
I begin each class with a journal exercise. The students write for five full minutes on a quote which I have posted. Students share their responses, which stimulates further discussion. It works really well...students get to share their personal beliefs and feelings, and end up feeling empowered in the process.
I use CAT's so that I can tailor my teaching methods to deliver the content to the different student learning styles.
On a daily basis, I do an individual Quick Quiz based on the skills from that day's learning as I evaluate the student's work. It gives me a immediate check and opportunity to discuss any questions or "aha's" that may have occurred during the course of the day.
Hi Kelly - I agree- an important advantage of CATs is that we can get regular early response to our instruction. Best wishes - Susan
Excellent assessment tool to evaluate the materials presented and will allow the instructor to make an necessary adjustments to the teaching styles used.
I do this currently by giving mini quizzes at the beginning of class to see what students remember from the previous class. It's also good to have them keep a journal as well.
Hi Thomas - Thanks for your post to the forum. That is indeed the purpose of CATs. They make student (and us) aware of what they do and do not know. Best wishes- Susan
Previously, I graded most of my students' work however I now use CATs more often. I find the CATs keep the students focused on the learning instead of the grade.
There are many things you can do in a residential class such as a pop quiz or a one minute paper. In online classes, regularly scheduled quizzes are used.
HI Ellen -Thanks for your post to the forum. I'm glad you found this module useful! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I love the idea of minute papers, and it's something I have never used so is new to me. I'm going to use it! I think it's a great way to see what's sticking in student's minds and see if they are learning what I'm trying to teach.
I often use them before I begin a day's lesson to review/remind them what we covered before. I think this helps to connect separate days' material and prevent any disconnect that comes from being delivered on different days. I also will use a CAT at the end of class to help me collect information about what the students have focused on or been confused about during that day's lesson.
