Giving a quiz every week helps to inform the student of their progress.
Hi Yonne, Those frequent quizzes also give you the feedback that you need to have before moving on to a new topic. Susan
Susan Polick
Hi Dorothy, Thanks for your post to the forum and for sharing some good examples of formative evaluations. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
Hi Molly, Thanks for your post to the forum. I like your approach! Too often, I think we are so wrapped up in getting as much information across in a short period of time, that we don't allow our students the time to really digest what they are learning. Great point! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I use a quiz after each topic. I think this helps the student retain the information. It is fresh in their minds.
I use summaries and reflections. Students stop and reflect, make sense of what they have heard or read, derive personal meaning from their learning experiences, and/or increase their metacognitive skills. These require that students use content-specific language.
I like handing it back as soon as possible too. Students always prefer that, so they can find out what they got wrong and why. It is definitely a point of discussion and helps them know what they need to learn, or how they need to study for next time.
Some formative evaluations we do are practical applications of the chapters (ie speeches, 1 page papers that cover a topic we have discussed, note-taking practice and concept mapping). The evaluations are usually different so the students have a chance to produce knowledge a couple of different ways.
Hi Sarah, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, getting tests back to students asap and giving feedback is so important! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
Having a quiz or test and grading/returning them to the students has been helpful. We discuss corrections and students are able to retain incorrect topics answered. I also have the students do presentations on certaing topics and give them feedback.
Hi Jim, Ah, very clever!! I like the quiz right after the presentation of material. It must certainly encourage your students to pay attention. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I give a quick quiz following breaks--the question(s) will cover the material discussed earlier. Not only do I get a feel for what the students have learned, but also get them back from break on time.
I use discussion as a method of formative evaluation. Using discussion about specific topics i give my students the opportunity to develop their abilities to analysis, evaluate, and solve different problems.
Hi Lisa, Thanks for your post to the forum and for sharing good uses of, and preparation for, formative assessments. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I always try to start every day with a verbal review quiz about basics/what has been covered so far. It places students in the right frame of mind and reinforces key concepts.
I like to use a variety of formative evaluation methods. I use the standard quizzes, mid-terms and finals; however, I also use Chapter Reviews to discuss the material and review the information prior to any quizzes. I also give the students an opportunity to ask questions.
I use weekly quizes and feedback to keep the students informed of their progress.
I teach computer software programs and the publisher has a simulation program that I give after each chapter to see if the students can complete the tasks that were introduced in the chapter.
Hi Amy, I agree that discussions can be good formative evaluations but will only be valuable if they are used to guide future instruction. Best wishes! Susan
Susan Polick
I use discussion at the end of class period as well to see how they are learning and if there is something that needs to be changed or adapted to help there ability to get the information in and retain it. They seem to enjoy it as well. It can sometimes be a confiedence builder as well.
