Classroom Assessment Techniques

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Classroom Assessment Techniques

• Annette Feravich, Presenter
• Office of Teaching and Learning
• Technology Resource Center
• 146 Purdy Krege Library
• 577-0250

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Introduction to CATs

• Classroom Assessment Techniques
• by Thomas Angelo and K. Patricia Cross, 1993, San
  Francisco, CA Jossey-Bass.
• Purpose
• Monitor learning throughout the semester
• Ensure students obtain accurate information
• Uses
• Assess understanding of lecture
• Quiz to determine of students are prepared
• Use as study strategy

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Why Bother?

• Teacher assumptions If its been taught, then
  its been learned.
• Gaps between what is taught and learned can lead
  to appropriate interventions.
• Information regarding student performance
  gathered from tests, quizzes, etc. is often too
  late to improve student learning.
• Assessments improve understanding before testing
  occurs, increasing student motivation.

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Learning Styles

• Herman Brain Dominance Theory
• Sequential, Detailed
• Interpersonal Sensory
• Visual, Holistic
• Logical, Factual

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Blooms Taxonomy

• Learning the ability to generalize or
  discriminate between current and past information

Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
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Sequential, Detailed

• Empty Outlines
• Purpose Determine if students have captured
  important points from lecture/reading, etc.
• Details Create outline with empty spaces.
  Determine if focus should be on main, sub, or
  supporting info
• Whats the Principle?
• Purpose Learn to apply specific principles to
  problems
• Details Determine several important principles
  and develop problems that illustrate principles.
  Have students match.
• Documented Problem Solutions
• Purpose To assess how students solve problems
  and describe problem solving methods
• Details Document steps that students take in
  problem solving.
• One Sentence Summary
• Purpose To answer WDWWWWHW
• Students summarize important concepts using only
  one sentence.

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Empty Outlines

• Purpose Determine if students have captured
  important points from lecture/reading, etc.
• Details Create outline with empty spaces.
  Determine if focus should be on main, sub, or
  supporting info

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Interpersonal, Sensory

• Directed Paraphrasing
• Purpose Translate learned material into lay
  language
• Details Determine both concept and audience.
  Have students paraphrase concept to particular
  audience.
• Student-Generated Test Questions
• Purpose Require students to review, evaluate
  and apply learned material
• Details Self-explanatory

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Misconception/Preconception

• Description Assesses prior knowledge
• Purpose To uncover prior knowledge or beliefs
  that hinder further learning
• Uses Curriculum that have the greatest overlap
  w/real life (common sense)
• Steps
• Identify most troublesome common
  misconceptions/preconceptions
• Create simple questionnaire (multiple choice,
  short answer)
• Determine your own answers
• Give students feedback on purpose/results.

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Visual/Holistic

• Minute Paper/Muddiest Point
• Purpose Get feedback on understanding of
  recently presented information
• Details Ask students one or two basic questions
  that would assess understanding.
• Concept Map
• Purpose Determine mental connection between
  major concepts and other concepts learned
• Details Prepare ideal concept map w/secondary
  and tertiary levels. Prepare parallel example
  for class.

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Concept Map
Conscientiousness
Openness
Extrovert
Agreeableness
Big Five
Humanistic
Neuroticism
Behaviorist
Trait
Personality Theories
Allport
Freudian
MMPI
Cognitive
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Logical, Factual

• Focused Listing
• Purpose Focus attention on most important
  concepts and related details
• Details Determine main topic students list
  related concepts
• Categorizing Grid
• Purpose Correctly categorize important concepts
• Details Give students list of items that fall
  into predetermined categories. Ask students to
  categorize.
• Memory Matrix
• Purpose Recall and organization of important
  concepts.
• Details Draw simple memory matrix where
  rows/columns provide useful categories.

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Memory Matrix
Purpose Recall and organization of important
concepts.
France U.S. Britain
Neoclassicism
Impressionism
Post-impressionism
Expressionism
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Pro and Con Grid

• Purpose Determine students ability to
  categorize according to pros/cons,
  costs/benefits, advantages/disadvantages

CAT Pros Cons
Mis/Preconception
Minute Paper
Focused Listing
Empty Outlines
Memory Matrix
Categorization Grid
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Application Cards

• Description Determine one real-world
  application
• Purpose To determine ability to use information
  practically
• Uses Almost any discipline
• Steps
• Determine important topic that has practical
  applications.
• Ask for no more than 3 applications
• Hands out index cards/slips of paper.
• Students write down at least one possible real
  world application.

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CAT Summary

• Suggestions for uses
• Make sure that you always try out the Assessment
  Technique yourself first.
• Allow more time than you think is necessary.
• Make sure that you give students feedback on the
  assessment.
• CATs indexed by disciplines