improve your teaching by assessing student learning during every class session

Improve your Teaching

by Assessing Student Learning During Every Class

SessionAMATYC ConferenceAnaheim, California

October/November 2013Dr. Kim Tsai GrangerKgranger@stlcc.edu

CATS:

CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES

THOMAS A. ANGELO

& K. PATRICIA

CROSS

WHAT IS “CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT”?

“Classroom Assessment helps individual college teachers obtain

useful feedback on what, how much and how well their students are

learning. Faculty can then use this information

to refocus their teaching to help students

make their learning more efficient and more effective.”

Angelo & Cross, page 3

WHAT IS “CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT”?

How will it improve student learning if mathematics faculty monitor student learning throughout the semester?

How much of this monitoring is enough monitoring?

What is the Purpose of each of the following assessments: Module/Unit Exams (3-6 per semester) Weekly, Graded Quiz By-Weekly, Graded Quiz

WHAT IS “CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT”?

An approach designed to help teachers find out what students are learning and how well they are learning it.

Learner-Centered Teacher-Directed Mutually Beneficial Formative Context –Specific Ongoing Rooted in Good Teaching PracticeAngelo & Cross, pages 4-6

WHAT IS “CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT”?

CATs are simple tools for collecting data on

student learning in order to improve it.

Angelo & Cross, page 25

WHAT IS “CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT”?

CATs are NOT graded, nor are they intended to

replace traditional means of evaluation.

WHY SHOULD I USE CATS?

Fewer “surprises” at Midterm and Final…or even at the time of a unit test!

Gives students the opportunity to improve before a graded assignment, such as a test or exam.

Improves rapport with students.

HOW DO I USE CATS?

Plan What do you want to assess? Choose a CAT that provides this feedback, is

consistent with your teaching style, and can be easily implemented in your class.

Implement Explain the purpose of the activity to students,

then conduct it. Respond

After class, review the results and decide what changes, if any, to make.

Let your students know what you learned from the CAT and how you will use this information.

HOW DO I USE CATS?

Close the Loop!

TIPS FOR SUCCESS USING CATS

If a CAT doesn’t appeal to your intuition and professional judgment, don't use it.

Don't ask your students to do a CAT you haven't tried on yourself.

Allow for more time than you think you will need

CLOSE THE LOOP - Let students know what you learn from their feedback and how you and they can use that information to improve learning.

BEWARE…SOMETIMES IT’S LIKE HERDING CATS!

Sometimes it is like Herding Cats!

SOME EXAMPLES

DIRECTED PARAPHRASING

In 1-3 clear, concise sentences, please write your definition of _______________, or at least what you think it should be. Construct a definition that would make sense to your fellow students regardless of their academic major.

DIRECTED PARAPHRASING

In 1-3 clear, concise sentences, please write your definition of _______________.

Ideas to Fill in the Blank?

MUDDIEST POINT

What has been the "muddiest" point so far in this session?

That is, what topic remains the least clear to you?

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

MUDDIEST POINT

What has been the "muddiest" point so far in this session?

That is, what topic remains the least clear to you?

Ideas on how

to use this?

MINUTE PAPER 1. What are the two [three, four, five] most

significant [central, useful, meaningful, surprising, disturbing] things you have learned during this session?

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

2. What question(s) remain uppermost in your mind?____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

TRANSFER & APPLY

Write some intriguing ideas, techniques, strategies, and tactics from this session.___________________________________________________

Write a related application problem. ____________________________________________________________________

CHAIN NOTES

Students pass around an envelope on which the teacher has written one question about the class. When the envelope reaches a student he/she spends a moment to respond to the

question and then places the response in the envelope.

PLUS / MINUS

Ask student to divide a paper into two columns (+ / -). Plus means that students believe something worked well and helped them learn and minus describes how students would make changes to improve their learning.

Pluses and minuses can address class activities, instructor performance, texts, and classroom environment.

I LEARN BEST WHEN . . .

Ask students the following questions The most effective thing we have done in

this class that helps me learn is . . . The least effective thing we have done in

this class which keeps me from learning is . . .

One thing I wish you would change . . . List three things that other teachers have

done that really helped me learn more

QUESTIONS?

Kim GrangerSt. Louis Community College—Wildwood

Campus

KGranger@stlcc.edu