I use something like this in my class to split a long lecture day where I'll use half the day to cover necessary items and have a CAT like assessment to see what students would like to cover as a deep dive on some course related information that is scheduled to be covered in a more aggregate way.
it can let me know how well the material is being delivered and whether or not i need to evaluate my teaching style or re-evaluate the content of what im teaching. I use the one minute idea quite often. It lets me know what i need to explain more or less of. It lets me know where the students stand on the topic being covered. I love feedback, it helps me improve to be the best for my students.
HI Michael- Thanks for your post to the forum. You describe an excellent way to utilize CATs! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I can give them at the end of class and begin the next class meeting with a summary of the results. I would also use the summaries as opportunities to engage the class in a discussion of various ways to approach material that seems to have been problematic for most students.
Hi Michael - thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, lecturing without checking for understanding is pretty much useless. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I think that CATs are important tools that instructors need to use to make sure that the students are receiving the message and that the message is loud and clear. I can talk until I am blue in the face, but if the students are not getting it (not comprehending), then my teaching method is not working.
I think that to incorporate a technique, you have to know your students and the best way to evaluate their learning. This way, you can give relevant feedback that will apply to them. I would recommend a check on learning every 15 minutes or so throughout the class.
I feel by having the appropriate feedback, we can use that knowledge to better ourself on preparing our classes for not only lecture prep, but on course quizes and/or tests.
HI Stacie -Thanks for your post to the forum. I'm glad that you like the Minute Paper idea and hope that you will find it helpful. Best wishes! Susan
The 1 minute paper is a great idea that will help me figure out the areas that the students may struggle with. The feedback will be great and I will be able to address the exact items the students need
It lets yoou know how your doing.
Hi Joseph - Thanks for your post to the forum. I really like the evaluation that you described that is given early inb the term. There is still time to make changes in how the instructor is teaching and make the class successfull. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
We use a number of assessment techniques. We have always had helpful evaluations by either the Program Coordinator or the Dean of Faculty.
The students also evaluate each of their instructors every term with the Faculty Dean reviewing the comments and suggestions individually with each instructor.
I teach on two campuses; one campus requires an annonymous brief written evaluation shortly after the beginning of each term. The questions asked the students are:
What do you like about the course?
What don't you like?
What can I do to improve the course?
What should I stop using because it is not effective?
Our program has a list of about 75 "core competencies" developed by a national organization focused on education in the field in which I teach. I like to have students rate themselves on these competencies, indicating where they feel they are in the range from "very confident" to "not at all confident." I often have them do this for the whole list of 75 prior to beginning their internships and then to base their internship goals on the sections where they feel less confident. This has been an excellent way for the students to see their progress and for me to measure how well I'm teaching what students need to know.
I assess plates and plate presentaion throughout class to give constant feedback and appraisal.
CATs let me know me know how well the students are learning and recieving the corse info and to find their weak points so I can reinforce what they don't fully understand
One minute papers at the end of class is really good. I think that having engaged students is also a great assessment technique.
I am excited to try out the punctuated lectures CAT. To get students to pay attention to when they are drifting off or just not "there", then asking them to write down how they feel what they were doing was either helping or hurting their learning will really help in getting students to be "present" in the classroom.
YOu can find out what the students are learning and how to use it in real life. NOt just out of the book.
the minute paper is awesome! it really shows me what I need to focus on and gives me a better understanding of what students understood..or not
Hi Diana- Thanks for your post to the forum. I think that you will really like the one minute paper- as you mention, it will give you really useful feedback. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
