These techniques can be incorporated into any class level as they are to determine how well your students are learning and retaining what is being taught. They also will help the insturctor in learning what information is being processed by the students. This will all work together as both the student and instructor will gain information on how they are doing in the class. They can be incorperated in assesing how well they are learning the information especially if the course is a more difficult one like learning a new language.
I too live the minute papers. I will try this suggestion and then involve my staff.
The courses I teach are performance oriented which gives me the opportunity to continually evaluate my students progress through handson practice sessions and worksheets. I try to keep these sessions informal, and low key before getting into formal grading in the last week of the class.
I think minute papers are excellent activites that call for students to comprehend and list what they learned during the day. I am going to implement these in my classes.
I tend to give pre-tests on the first day of class. This helps to focus the students and give them a sneak peek at the subjects they'll be covering in the course.
Hi Richard- Thanks for your post! You are using CATs very effectively. Best wishes - Susan
I use my CAT's to determine if I move forward to another topic or need to review what I have already covered. I have noted several times in the past that should a majority of the class miss a particular point I need to slow down, reverse my instruction, and repeat the previous topic, maybe in different teaching styles.
Hi Jacqueline- I'm glad that you found something useful to take away from this class! Best wishes- Susan
I use this is my classes: List three things you learned. Unfortunately I do not use it frequently or review with the students, but after reading this module and the CAT link, I am going to start using CAT more frequently!
Hi Maureen - thanks for your post to the forum. I really believe in, like you, taking every opportunity to demonstrate how what they are learning relates to our students'future jobs. Making it relevant is important! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
These can cut down on grade shock experiences for students when the larger exams come along such as the midterm or the final exam. Using CATs give me the ability to redirect student energy to troublespots 'before' a grade crunching experience takes place.
Hi Melissa- Thanks for your post to the forum. CATs can save us so much wasted time. As you mention, it helps us to concentrate on the specific areas we need to work on. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
HI Hector - Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree, group projects serve several purposes. I think that one of the most important is that group projects teach our students to work in teams which they will very likely encounter in their future careers. As you mention, it is also an opportunity to develop leadership skills. Best wishes - Susan
After a lecture I get them to tell me how the info might prove useful in their career. I also open a class by asking them to sum up what we covered in the last class. I rotate that responsibility. And I always use exercises for them to demo the skills I want them to learn.
I like to incorporate CATs within each lecture. By doing this it gives me the opportuity to identify what the students understand and what I might need to work on.
As I expressed in another of your forums, I use quizzes and hands-on exercises. Also I add small group projects. Quizzes and hands-on exercises will help them and will help me to assure that the material is understood. Group projects will help me to identify leaders, generate rapport among the students and encourage all other students to interact with their peers.
Hi Hector- Thanks for your post to the forum. The minute papers at the end of class should be just that. Give the students no more than 5 minutes to jot down their thoughts and questions.
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I would like to implement a quiz at the beginning of the class related to the subject covered the previous week and also I like the idea of the minutes at the end of the class, but I am afraid it will reduce substantially the class time. What do you recommend?
I like the one minute idea. It seems quick and can be useful to get some inking of what page everyone is at. The problem in mixed groups though is that the answer is generally a bell shaped curve. For some, I will be going too slow and for others too fast.
HI DaNae- Thanks for your post to the forum. I'm glad that you found the info on CATs useful! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
