Using Classroom Assessment Techniques (Angelo & Cross, 1993) Susan ‘BOON’ Murray, CCLS, CTRS, RMTR Department 8th Annual UW-La Crosse Conference On Teaching and Learning Tuesday, August 29, 2006

What is Classroom Assessment? “Classroom assessment is both a teaching approach and a set of techniques. The approach is that the more you know about what and how students are learning, the better you can plan learning activities to structure your teaching. The techniques are mostly simple, non-graded, anonymous, in-class activities that give both you and your students useful feedback on the teaching-learning process.” http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/assess.htm

How is it different? “Classroom assessment differs from tests and other forms of student assessment in that it is aimed at course improvement, rather than at assigning grades. The primary goal is to better understand your students' learning and so to improve your teaching.” http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/assess.htm

How Can I Use CATs? (VERBATIM FROM http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/assess.htm) Decide what you want to learn from a classroom assessment. Choose a Classroom Assessment Technique (CAT) that provides this feedback, is consistent with your teaching style, and can be easily implemented in your class. Explain the purpose of the activity to students, then conduct it. 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.

Teaching Goals Inventory Clusters (Angelo & Cross) A Handbook of 50 CATs with step-by-step procedures and practical advice for analysis (Angelo & Cross, 1993) Complete the TGI to identify the cluster and choose a specific technique www.uiowa.edu/~centeach/tgi/index.html TEACHING/LEARNING GOAL SAMPLE CAT Higher Order Thinking Skills One Sentence Summary Basic Academic Success The Muddiest Point Discipline Specific Knowledge & Skills Application Cards Liberal Arts and Academic Values Pro and Con Grid Work and Career Preparation One Sentence Summary Personal Development Reading Rating Sheets How I used CAT#48 Reading Rating Sheets

My Experience with CAT #48: Reading Rating Sheets Purpose – students provide feedback on how interesting, motivating, clear and useful their assigned readings are from the students’ viewpoint: Why are some reading assignments more helpful than others? Why do students appreciate and enjoy some readings more than others Outcome – helps instructor adjust the way they introduce/teach the readings and overall to rethink the selection of course readings

My Experience with Think/Pair/Share: A Cooperative Learning Technique Reframe your learning goals by thinking about the ‘enduring understanding’ in your lesson, not your discipline’s instructional goal. Ask yourself, “What does it mean to think like a [chemist, psychologist, accountant, an evaluator, a facilitator, a programmer]?” (Lee Schulman)

My Experience with Think/Pair/Share: A Cooperative Learning Technique Handout: “Thinking Like a Facilitator” (Murray, 2006) www.dfyl.org Think/Pair/Share is useful for stimulating engagement, checking students understanding of concepts, and having them rehearse, express, and compare their self-understanding with others Time & Effort Required – Very Low Complexity – Very Low Duration – 5-15 minutes (no preorganization needed) Developed by Professor Frank Lyman in 1981 and widely adapted for cooperative learning

A NOTE ON DESIGNING CATs WORKSHEETS

How do instructors benefit from CATs? (VERBATIM FROM http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/assess.htm) Provides short-term feedback about the day-to-day learning and teaching process at a time when it is still possible to make mid-course corrections. Provides useful information about student learning with a much lower investment of time compared to tests, papers, and other traditional means of learning assessment. Helps to foster good rapport with students and increase the efficacy of teaching and learning. Encourages the view that teaching is a formative process that evolves over time with feedback.

How do learners benefit from CATS? VERBATIM FROM http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/assess.htm Helps them become better monitors of their own learning. Helps break down feelings of anonymity, especially in larger courses. Points out the need to alter study skills. Provides concrete evidence that the instructor cares about learning.