Get Your Students Hired
practical use of a pretest? I find it relatively unnecessary to use a pretest...if you do it before a class to see what students already know, then how would that change the actual content of a class that is already compiled for delivery?
Jeffrey,
I use pretesting as well because I want to establish a baseline on the incoming students. By knowing where they are at in their knowledge and skill areas I can customize my instruction to focus on their needs and supply support where needed. Plus pretesting gives the students an idea of what we are going to cover in the upcoming class sessions.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Pre-testing and post-testing has its place in the class room because all student groups are different in terms of the base knowledge of each student. It can help the instructor customize his content for delivery to that particular group. I also use the pretest to force students to prepare for the class by pre-reading the outlines on what the lesson will be about.
Michael,
I see your point in that curriculum is already set before students arrive for the first day of class. I think the greatest benefit of pre-testing is to the student, rather than the instructor.
Cheers,
Steve
Prairie,
I have used pretesting for many years because the results help me to customize my instructional delivery. I have a base line on my students and then I build from there. I am much more targeted and able to provide support as a result of what I have learned on the pretests.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I've never given a pre-test, but I can see how it might really complement the syllabus. So often, the syllabus is a dry document for the students. No matter how much an instructor might try to liven up his/her syllabus, students have cognitive dissonance as far as syllabi go; in other words, they're used to them being boring and not fundamentally useful. All this to say that rephrasing the course objectives and the learning outcomes as questions in the pre-test, and showing the relevance of these outcomes, might serve to engage the student more deeply in them. Also, I think a pre-test can serve as a kind of preview of things to come.
I like to use the pretest to help the student's awareness of their starting point and where the weakness may be.
I agree with Steven. I think pretesting is a good place to start!!! This way you can see where you need to go with your class or how you need to switch up you lesson plans.
Nancy,
I do to. I use it in all of my classes for the reason you stated. I get a baseline for that group of students and can build from there in terms of instructional planning.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I find pretesting extremely helpful for my Math class. I can determine how quickly I can move through the first chapter and focus on more difficult concepts, being that students do well on the basics.
Randy,
Thank you for sharing this example of curriculum and instructional modification based upon pre/post testing. By seeing concrete results from such information you are able to now target instruction more specially and in more detail. This information I know will be valuable to other instructors and departments.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
We used pre-test / post-test to determine if specific classes were providing students with he information. On one class we saw significantly lower spread between pre and post test. When we critically re-read the student comments we found that we needed to add field trips so students could see the application of the material. The next time we taught the class we were much more successful in training out students!
Steven,
I use pre-testing to give me a base line on the current group of students. I then can customize my instruction based upon what I have found out from the pre-test. It helps me to target my teaching better.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I think the pre-test is a good idea. Something could be created with some questions that can help an instructor check where the students are with their base of knowledge. Information is power, I don't see the downside.
Deborah,
I use pretesting in my courses so I can establish a baseline for my instructional planning and content selection. I get a lot of valuable information from the pretests as well as insight into my new students.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Austin,
I like this point. You can't start if you don't know where the beginning is and you can't finish if you don't know what the end result is to be.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I disagree. I teach two "Review" classes designed to prepare students for certification exams. I begin the quarter by telling them "you cannot effectively study if you don't know what you don't know." I use the results of the pretest to allow the students to help guage the amount of time we spend in each area.
This is exactly right!
It is of paramount importance to know where your starting point is/should be.
Scott,
Good point about how to survey the class and get a feel for exactly where each student is and what type of support is needed to keep them moving forward with their learning.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I find a review works better.the student who goes through a review or pretest will either study or not.It is good to flush out the urgence of what one does not know to give them theopportunity to study and catch up!