Hi Norma:
Good. It can also help busy teachers modify their curriculum to target the weaker areas that might be identified.
Regards, Barry
A pre test is a great way for the instructor to " have their finger on the pulse " of their class. Futhermore the student has a clear idea on their understanding of the information.
A pretest can show the student where they need to focus their study on as well as let them know where they stand in the over all understanding of the class.
Hi Rachel:
Many students feel good about seeing a preview of what's ahead in their course. For some it's exciting, for others, it prepares them for the work ahead. But that's not a bad thing. As you said "it helps each student to understand the course material".
Regards, Barry
By pre-testing you are gaining an understanding of each student's knowledge ability, with this you can then gage you course material for the learning capacities. This help each student to understand the course material more.
Hi Vitoria:
Great. If you have time to do this, pretesting can be helpful for planning. I've found that I don't have time or can schedule this tool every class, and that's ok. But when I do, even the students feel good about the activity because it reveals a preveiw of what's comining up in the course and that can add a sense of excitement if the class is interesting and perteninent to their course of studey.
Reagrds, Barry
Pretests are a good way to plan your class because it allows you to know at what level you need to begin intruction.
Hi Laura:
Pretesting is a helpful and relative simple tool, that's probably underused. Basically, I think by providing a preview of what's to be covered in the class helps me plan for tweaking the class if needed, but also may give some students helpful motivation about what they'll learn in the course.
Regards, Barry
I have not used a pretest in my classes yet; however, I intend to next quarter. I am finding many of my 100-level students are not as prepared or experienced as I assumed they would be. The pretest may tell me how to introduce the class material.
Hi Mary:
I agree. And I think these pre-tests can be designed in such a way that they're fun and interesting to the whole class, but revealing information about where the students are in their preparation. So it's kind of a "win-win".
Regards, Barry
Hi Jason:
Yes, you've describe one helpful use. It's a planning tool for the instructors and a motivational tool for the student - they get to see "coming attractions" of what's ahead in the course. Hopefully, this will lead to an exciting expectation of things to come!
Regards, Barry
A pretest helps an instructor know the level of knowledge your students posess. In career colleges there is a great variety of ages,life experiences, as well as language barriers in students. It is very helpful to know the in-coming level of students so that you can help them obtain a good learning experience.
As an instructor that receives students from different instructors - pre tests help determine where to start and the speed in which to progress in specific areas.
Hi Bonnielee:
You've described a good basic format that helps both at the beginning and end of a class. I think most students would be motivated and maybe even surpised by how much they learned using this method.
Regards, Barry
Hi Nicole:
Both good examples of the benefits of of pretesting. It may not be applicable all the time or for every class, but when some kind of pretesting is performed, it sjould help infrom the teacher where the students are performing and assist with planning for how best to teach the class.
Regards, Barry
I have a short pre/post test that I give. I give the pre test on the first day and then follow up on the last day. It hopefully shows the students that although they may not have known the inofrmation coming into the course. They did learn and aquire knowledge and information by the end of the class. So far, all students have learned something upon completion of the class. I tell them when giving the questions the first time it is ok if they do not know the answer.
I've used a pretest in classes I've taught in the past, it really seemed to work best if it was one in either of 2 ways - the first being if you set up the pretest so that it is more fun - like a Cosmo quiz the students take the quiz laugh and tune in to the lesson (I am teaching reproductive health!). The other way is to give a pre-test as a way for them to focus their attention and interest for the entire course - I used to teach a review class for the licensure exam. Everyone comes in feeling pretty much like it is a "throw away" class because it is only 7 hours. Then they get the pretest which is a sample licensure exam. After I give them their scores (and usually nobody passes) they tend to pay attention and study. Of course, I also started telling tem that the licensure review course was the most important class they would take EVER because their success in that class would speak to if they could be employed in their field after graduation!
Hi Cindy:
Yes, and also helps the teacher plan any changes or adjustments needed based on the results of the pretesting.
Regards, Barry
Gives you a better idea of the students understanding.
Hi Victoria:
There are many variations. A well written course will have Student Learning Outcomes (SLO's) and course objectives. If we teach to these, the stuednt will have been exposed to the most appropriate learning. A pretest could be a sampling of some of the objectives, or more towards critical thinking, asking some questions related to the SLO's might be beneficial. It may require trial and error to find what works best in a given class.
Regards, Barry
