Low Stress Pretests?
Most students hate tests. Giving a test before they have "had a chance to study" instills fear into most students.
How do we get around this and make the Pretest unstressfull?
I agree that pretests can be stress relievers. In my experience, giving pretests helps me as an instructor to get a glimpse at how clearly I taught the material. I also get on going assessment of where my students are in the learning of the content. I can give added instruction before the test if I find too many students did poorly. The feel the students benefit from pretests as well. They are usually pleasently surprised at how much they do understand and this eases anxiety and acts as a motivator to keep going with confidence.
Hi Yasir:
Good way of stating finding the areas that need more emphasis, and making needed adjustments to better meet the students need.
Regards, Barry
In my opinion a low stress pretest is an important tool that can be used to diagnose areas of potential problems for both the student and the instructor.
Hi Hoang:
Sure, students usually won't mind an exercise if they know it doesn't count towards their grade. Also if they know the purpose - to help you understand how you can help them.
Regards, Barry
Hi Atilla:
Let me ask you a question about student performance.
Now, did you feel stressful or unprepared to answer my question just now when I proposed that question? Probably not. So, by example, one way to diminish stress and angst is to not even think about assessing student performance as a test, but rather an opportunity to see how we can help students learn the most from a course.
I don't think students are stressed at all when I do pretesting. I tell them from the beginning it's not graded and it's purpose is to help you, the teacher, better know whhat needs more emphasis in the course so they can perform better.
Also, I think if we can emphasize how the assessment is related to improved job performance, a better reaction and response will be received.
Let me tell you, pretesting is a valuable tool and more teachers could use it to their advantage. It's all how it's presented.
Regards, Barry
We can tell them that the Pretests doesn't count
