CATs Classroom Assessment Techniques Background Knowledge Probe May
CATs Classroom Assessment Techniques
Background Knowledge Probe • May require short answers or be multiple choice • Provides a preview of what is to come • Can be used pre and post • Helps determine baseline knowledge level • Memory skills, study skills & habits
Classroom Assessment Technique Outline • Introduction • Link with Cognitive learning theory • Characteristics of Classroom Assessment • Teaching Goals Inventory
The primary purpose of assessment is to provide feedback to students and teacher so that learning can be facilitated Mc. Keachie (2002)
Cognitive Learning Theory • What is going on in the mind of the learner • 3 Key processes – Attention – Encoding (deep processing) – Metacognition
Cognitive Learning Theory • CATs can – Improve student monitoring of their comprehension – Establish patterns of thinking
Let’s do another assessment
Half-Minute paper • Students take a minute to write down a question or an important point • Share with the student next to them • Then you ask for oral questions
Your Question • What are some characteristics of good classroom assessment?
Characteristics of Classroom Assessment • • Learner centered Teacher directed Mutually beneficial Formative Context specific Ongoing Rooted in good teaching practice
One-sentence summary • Who does what to whom, when, where, how, and why? • In a grammatical 1 sentence summary
Teaching Goals Inventory • • Higher Order Thinking Skills Basic Academic Success Skills Discipline Specific Knowledge & Skills Liberal Arts and Academic Values Work and Career Preparation Personal Development www. uiowa. edu/~centeach/tgi/
Analytic Memo (for Higher Order Thinking Skills) • 1 to 2 page analysis of a specific problem • Uses analytic and writing skills • Can be used as a first draft of a graded assignment • Time consuming
Muddiest point (for Basic Academic Skills) • Give students several minutes at the end of class to write about the muddiest point of the day
Student Generated Test Questions (Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills) • What do students think is most important • Evaluate methods and materials • Learn terms and facts
Invented Dialogues (Liberal Arts and Academic Values) • Helps students synthesize their knowledge of issues • 2 levels – Use actual quotes – Invent reasonable quotes
Group-Work Evaluations (Work and Career Preparation) • Detects group problems early • Helps students with management and leadership skills, working with others, ability to work productively • Emphasis on process
Punctuated Lecture (Personal Development) • Stop in mid-lecture • Have students reflect on their learning and listening behaviors • Students take a minute to write down their reflection anonymously • Follow up with a mini-lecture on metacognition
Direct paraphrasing • Helps with ones ability to translate highly specialized information into language clients will understand
Application Cards • On an index card list 1 real-world application for what we have learned
Resources • CATs: A student’s gateway to better learning by Mimi Steadman and Marilla Svinicki • Cross, P. , Angelo T (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques: A handbook for college faculty, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Resources • Mc. Keachie, W. (2002). Mc. Keachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers
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