some books come with pretests and post tests. I like to use these brcause it gives me an idea of where the student is academically. The follow up post test helps the student recognize that they have improved and retained the information compared to when they first started learning the material.
Ricmanuel,
Yes. When we have knowledge of prior student learning it helps plan and conduct our classes better.
Barry Westling
Provides emphasis on studing. It likewise provides information on the progress of the students and information that are needed to be emphasized on.
Priscilla,
Right. It's like "previews of coming attractions". Better students will identify which areas they may need special attention for, and begin to prepare for that information when it's delivered.
Barry Westling
I feel that pretesting also lets the student know what to expect from the course and how hard they have to apply themselves.
Denise,
It varies in content, format, and length. The idea is to sample your students early on to see what prior knowledge they have. Then, based on examination of the overall results, an instructor may see that students are really strong in one area or really weak in another area. So, based on your observations, adjustments in amount of time spent or where emphasis (more or less)is needed, planning your class by spending time on material that needs no emphasis is avoided. It can be short (7-10 questions) or lengthier (35-50 questions). Also, true false, multiple choice, or fill in the blanks questions can be used, or a combination of all. I would look at the course objectives to determine what the content of the questions should be. If this is your first time, I would suggest a shorter, simpler version to begin with. Good luck!
Barry Westling
Pretest sounds good but how many question should i use to pretest.
Yolanda,
Great! The cool thing is a pretest doesn't have to be long or contain too many questions to get a pulse on the class. Making adjustments to meet the needs of the present class will result in a customized plan that helps this class with course material. As instructors, we benefit when we know something about the prior learning of our students.
Barry Westling
My using pretest as planning tools you can determine a couple of things. First, This will determine how to customize the knowledge level of a student. Second, Determine if the student is studying or has not developed good study habits and third, if the curriculum is to difficult for the student.
Thomas,
Perfect! This is a great example how we can use simple, creative tools to assist in making our classes better each session.
Barry Westling
I have used pretests in the first week of class in order to determine how far along a class is. My class currently is 30 weeks long and at the end I will use a post test to determine if my instructional methods were as effective as I want them to be. I use the results to tweak my lesson plans.
Larry,
Right, as we become more knowledgeable about prior learning, we are better able to prepare our lessons for our students specific needs.
Barry Westling
Using pretest gives You better knowledge of what to have prepared for the Students in the future.
Angel,
It's really a simple idea that doesn't have to take a lot of time but can potentially provide much information about prior learning. When we know something about our students prior learning we are better able to use our time, resources, and put emphasis where it can used for maximal effectiveness. Everyone benefits!
Barry Westling
I have never really thought about the importance of a pretest. I am going to present this to my faculty and get feedback. This is a tool that could really help our students.
Lisa,
I believe every student comes to our classes with unique collections of past experiences and prior knowledge. I use pretesting when my information about prior knowledge is scant or absent. It serves as a barometer of what I might need to adjust, modifify, emphasize, or not spend as much time as I had originally planned.
Barry Westling
in the past, I took it for granted that the students knew what I consider "basic" knowledge, for example, math conversions. I assumed that since they made it as far as my class that they didn't need a review of this. Upon realizing the difficulty they were having with costing out recipes, I realized that more than half of them have either forgotten conversions or barely understood it in the first place. Now, after I give a preliminary conversions quiz I can cater my teaching style that fits the class.
Eric,
I always want to provide the instruction my students need. If I feel I'm taking more time (or too little) on a subject, I feel like I haven't prepared well.
Barry Westling
Harrison,
We can be better instructors when we know something about our students, and pretesting is among the methods that can supply some of that knowledge.
Barry Westling
Pretests can assess the students before the class begins to see where they are as far as experience and knowledge in the subject. This will help you organize your ideas and make changes to the course if need be.
