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Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) Assessment Bites Workshop #1October 5, 2006 Presenter: Mimi Harris Steadman Ed.D.

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Welcome & OverviewSession Objectives

Participants will:

help themselves to lunch during the session.

Be able to distinguish Angelo & Cross’s CATs from institutional assessment.

Leave with a half-dozen CATs ready to use in their classes.

Try one CAT this semester, if it fits their goals and needs.

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Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers

Thomas A. Angelo and K. Patricia Cross (1993)

San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

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CAT: The Minute PaperInstructions: Please answer each question in one or

two sentences. 1) What was the most useful or meaningful thing you

learned during this class?

2)  What questions remain uppermost in your mind as we end this class?

Reference: Angelo, T. A. and Cross, K. P. (1993) Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. 2nd edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

 

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To do- Warm Up: TTYPA*Discuss: What type of feedback would the

Minute Paper provide the teacher? In what way is the Minute Paper a

learning activity for students? Would you consider using a Minute

Paper in your class?

*Turn to your partner and…

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Connecting CATs to Learning Theory

Teaching involves figuring out what learners already know, building upon their existing knowledge, and helping them construct their own connections between new and prior knowledge so they can understand and retain course material.

“Passive learning is an oxymoron; there is no such thing.”Pat Cross, “Opening Windows on Learning” League for Innovation in the Community College, June 1998, p. 21.

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Institutional Assessment

“Assessment is the systematic collection, review, and use of information about educational programs undertaken for the purpose of improving student learning and development”

(Palomba and Banta, 1999, p. 4).

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Classroom Assessment Small Scale Teacher Directed- teacher selects,

designs, administers and chooses how to respond to results

Formative Improves teaching & learning in

progress by immediate feedback to teachers and students

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Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) simple and quick assessment devices

that provide feedback on student learning

monitor students’ comprehension of course content and self-awareness as learners

foster active student involvement in learning

provide feedback on student reactions to the course

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What do CATs do? Assess prior knowledge and

misconceptions Background Knowledge Probe Misconception Check Course Related Self-Confidence Inventory Autobiographical Sketch (for writing, math,

oral or presentation, for example)

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To Do- CAT: Background Knowledge Probe

1. Prior to this session, had you ever heard of the Minute Paper technique?YES NO

2. Have you ever attended a workshop on Classroom Assessment?YES NO

3. Have you ever read/skimmed Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers by Tom Angelo and Pat Cross?

YES NO

4. Have you ever asked students for feedback on your teaching or classroom activities in the middle of the semester (other than using a required college teaching evaluation form)?

YES NO

 

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What do CATs do?

Monitor student learning and comprehension Minute Paper Muddiest Point Memory Matrix Focused Listing

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CAT: Memory Matrix (Biology example)

Instructions: Take 10 minutes to complete the matrix below. This assignment is ungraded and anonymous.

Property of Water Explanation Example of Benefit to Life

Cohesion and high surface tension, adhesion

Hydrogen bonds hold molecules together and adhere them to hydrophilic surfaces.

Leaves pull water upward from roots in microscopic vessels.

High Specific heat

High heat of vaporization

Expansion upon freezing

Versatility as a solvent

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To do:- Design a Memory Matrix for Your Class

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What do CATs do?

Provide feedback on student reactions to instruction and course activities The Train Midcourse Evaluation Teacher-Designed Feedback Form

. 

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CAT: Teacher Designed Feedback Formor Midcourse Evaluation Form (Sample Questions)

Instructions: Please complete this anonymous feedback form based on your reactions to the course so far. I will share the results with the class next week.

1. On a scale from 1 to 4, please rate the clarity of today’s session.1- totally unclear 2-somewhat unclear 3- mostly clear 4-very clear

2. Overall, how would you rate the pace of this class?1- moves too fast 2-about right 3-moves too slowly

3. What did you find most helpful about the way the course is organized? (Please list one or two specific examples.)

4. How could the instructor help you improve your learning during future class sessions? (Please list one or two specific suggestions.)

5. What could you do to improve your learning in future class sessions? (Please list one or two specific suggestions.)

Reference: Angelo, T. A. and Cross, K. P. (1993) Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. 2nd edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

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To do - Draft Questions for a Midcourse Evaluation FormInstructions: Brainstorm a few CAT questions. Consider what areas of teaching

and learning you are trying to improve, and what areas of student learning you want to assess. Think about the type and amount of data you will get back, and how you will use it.

ex. How often did you complete the assigned reading prior to lecture?

Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never

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What do CATs do? Assess students’ self-awareness as

learners Punctuated Lecture Group Work Evaluation Documented Problem Set Solution

Serve as student learning activities in the areas of rehearsal, synthesis, elaboration, comprehension monitoring, and more.

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CAT: Group Work Evaluation Form

1. Overall, how effectively did your group work together on this assignment? (Circle one)1 2 3 4 5

Not at all poorly adequately well extremely well

2. How many of the five group members participated actively most of the time?1 2 3 4 5

3. How many of you were fully prepared for the group work most of the time?1 2 3 4 5

4. Give one specific example of something you learned from the group that you probably wouldn’t have learned on your own.

5. Give one specific example of something the other group members learned from you that they probably wouldn’t have learned without you.

6. Suggest one specific, practical change the group could make that would help improve everyone’s learning.

  Reference: Angelo, T. A. and Cross, K. P. (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers, San Francisco:

Jossey-Bass.

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What do CATs do?

Serve as data collection tools that support broader department- or institution-wide assessment efforts.

 

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Benefits of Classroom Assessment

Advantages of Classroom Assessment to Students:

Control and Voice in the Classroom

Involvement in LearningMetacognition / Awareness of

ProgressBetter Instruction/Caring Teacher Steadman, M.H. (1994). CATs for Community

Colleges:Changing Both Sides of The Teaching-Learning Equation. Practitioner-based Research Report Funded by the The National Center on Adult Learning, Empire State College Saratoga Springs, New York.

Advantages of Classroom Assessment to Faculty:

Tuning in to Students' Voices/Student Satisfaction

Teachers as Learners: Reflection and Strategic Change

***90% of teachers surveyed reported making a change in their teaching as a result of doing Classroom Assessment.***

Improved Student Learning & Involvement

Faculty Community: Making Teaching a Priority

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Guidelines for Classroom Assessment Before getting started, select a specific

learning objective or teaching goal you want to assess.

Start small. Keep it simple and quick. Choose techniques that will provide you

with useful feedback and also involve your students in learning.

Plan ahead how you will analyze the data, and how you will respond to areas needing improvement.

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Guidelines (Continued) Don’t ask what you don’t want to know. Work with other teachers. Don’t ask students to try a CAT you

haven’t first tried out on yourself. Involve and inform students:

Explain the purpose and process, Expect them to need time and practice, Always feedback CAT results to

students.

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To do- CAT: Focused ListingInstructions: Jot down a few key words or

phrases that describe Classroom Assessment, based on today's presentation and your reactions to it. This assignment is ungraded and anonymous.

______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________

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CAT: Focused Listing ResponseClassroom Assessment

is: Learner-centered

and teacher- directed

Mutually beneficial

Usually ungraded and anonymous

Formative Context specific Ongoing Simple and quick Rooted in good

teaching practice

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To do To do - CAT: Applications CardInstructions: Please take a moment to recall the ideas, techniques and strategies we’ve generated during this session. Quickly list as many applications as you can.

Interesting Ideas

Reference: Angelo, T. A. and Cross, K. P. (1993) Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. 2nd edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Possible applications for my work:

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Resources

Angelo, T. A. and Cross, K. P. (1993) Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. 2nd edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Angelo, T. A. (ed). (1998). Classroom Assessment and Research: An Update on Uses, Approaches, and Research Findings. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 75. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Cross, K. P. and Steadman, M. H. (1996). Classroom Research: Implementing the Scholarship of Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.