Helpful pretesting
Pretesting if done right can be a great learning tool. As the instructor you already know the course content. Now you just make a test to show the students what they are about to learn. You can also identify who the weaker students might be so you can be prepared to help them. You can also make up some more advanced challenges for the students who could possibly become bored if they are not challanged.
Amer,
Good to hear about your success with pretesting. I use it in my courses as well and the results help me to target my foundations instruction more accurately. Has this been your result as well?
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I agree that pretesting is an effecient way to assess the knowledge of your students as well as their skill sets. It's a great way to build upon and mold it in the new ciriculum.
Maria,
Right you are about defeating the purpose of pretesting. I would suggest that you give the pretest, have them put their names on the test and collect them. Get the information you need from the tests so you know what the baseline is for this group of students and then you can tell them that you have decided not to use the results as a part of their grades. This gives the results you need, and takes some of the pressure off of the students once they have done their best on the test.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I agree pretesting is a helpful tool and aids the instructor on which area areas the focus should be brought
I used pretesting as a means of determining the knowledge and skills level of my students on the topic I am about to teach. I always tell them to write their names. On the other hand I also tell them that this is not graded. Once they know that the test is not graded, the students don't take time to answer the test. By doing so the test result does not genuinely reflect the student's knowledge of the subject matter I am about to tesch. In short, it somehow defeats my purpose.
I have to agree that it is a helpful tool to gauge how the course would be ran. It gives me a clue on what areas I just need to review as topic and what areas I need to spend time on for instruction.
Pretesting allows me to see where the students are. What topics I need to discuss further and what topics can I ease off on.
Pietro,
I agree with you about the value of pretesting. I use pretests in my classes and they really help me to target my instruction because I know the baseline from which the students are operating.
Gary
I find that the pretest also set the tone for the student for what to expect in the class. The direction in which it is going, they see the importance in what they have previously learned.
I agree. Pretesing is very helpful to the students as well as the instructor.
Rosamond,
I like to use it as well. Pretesting gives me a baseline for the class which enables me to better customize my instruction for that particular class.
Gary
Pretesting is a great tool it helps all students and save time.
Keith,
I use pretests in all of my courses for the reason you cite. They really help to establish a baseline of operation for a new class.
Gary
A pretest is a very helpful tool in instruction you can gauge the knowlege of the students and make and needed adjustments to the course
I agree that pretesting helps the instructor get a comprehensive overview of the students, where they're at, what they retained and where and how we need to get there.
I like the process of pretesting it helps me understand exactly what I need to add to the coarse to help them understand there tasks It gives me a starrting pointe
