Students may lack the foundation required to understand the course material.
When we cover formulas in Excel, I always make sure that they understand the basic mathematical concepts such as the order of arithmetic operations. You cannot write formulas without knowing basic arithmetic.
not only is it important as to the actual teaching
general education skills need to be assesed at the students enrolment
Hi Judith - As you mentioned, our students are often at different skill levels. We need to be aware of this and do whatever we can to assist the students who may be struggling because of this. Best wishes for continues success in your teaching career! Suan
Almost like a placement test, knowing where a student is in general education will help an instructor to still reach students who are all on different levels of education. Knowing that up front will determine the instructors plan of action.
Instructors need to have a gauge on how to quiz and test students
It allows you to have a starting point of basic skills. Figuring out what your students are strong or deficient in helps you to gear your lessons to their skill levels.
These skills are very important for the success of our students. Whatever discipline we teach and whatever the career choice of the students, these general education skills are part of being successful.
In the culinary arts ,students often feel that general education is not important. In my class, I have students talk about the dish they have prepared, give them written projects and have them cost simple recipes. All these ensure the basic skills of general education and have them understand the importance in any industry.
Hi Tim - Thank you for making that very important point. There are the very basic skills that are the necessary foundations for what we try to build upon. Unfortunately we do get students who really can't read or do basic math. When that is the case, changing curriculum or delivery will not be useful. Best wishes! Susan
If a student does not possess a good command of these skills, the instructor may (incorrectly) conclude that the student has not studied the materials or worse: that the instructor has failed to "reach" the student, causing needless re-evaluation of the curriculum and delivery techniques.
In order for me to teach effectively I need to know what level the students are ready to accept the material at. By doing an assesment I know where I can start presenting new material and what "remedial" information I should present.
Hi Eva- welcome to Ed 103! Especially in the open admissions environment/e.g.no SAT required ,we need to be able to evaluate starting points for our students. Remedial work may be required but often the instructor, with that knowledge of the student's abilitites, can be of enormous help. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career! Susan
The assesment of general skills is important because this will let the instructor know at what level of comprehension their students might be at. The instructor can then adjust their style of teaching to the class. By doing so, more students will understand & retain more of the information being given.
Hi Earle - We run into this problem often. Since we rely on what amth skills students should have learned K-12, we get students who sometimes are way behind their classmates. Unfortunately it is usually impossible make up for that in just one class. Best wishes - Susan
You know where your beginning point needs to be and if there is one or two students who are behind the rest of the group. I teach a class that requires students to apply basic math concepts but if converting fractions or solving for percent skills are lacking they will struggle.
they need these skill to succeed
You have to figure out the level of foundation your students have to develop your plan of action. If students cannot read you certainly do not need to give them reading comprehension tests. IF basic math skills are present in some but not others then trying to find the start point is imparative.
You have to know where to start. That is my final answer.
