Formative Assessment
Classroom Assessment Techniques
Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) offer a means to generate quick ungraded feedback about student learning and instruction. Depending on their purpose, they might be used to assess:
- prior knowledge, recall and understanding
- students’ awareness of their attitudes and values
- skill in analysis and critical thinking
- students’ self-awareness as learners
- skill in application and performance
- learner reactions to class activities, assignments and materials
Common cats include: one minute paper, the muddiest point, pre-knowledge check, mid-session check, and in-class polls. For more examples and descriptions of CATs see the Vanderbilt Center for Teaching Resource on CATs
References
Cross, K. P., & Angelo, T. A. (1988). Classroom Assessment Techniques. A Handbook for Faculty.
Providing Feedback
Sharing feedback one or more times during the course, rather than only at the end, can provide students with a motivating sense of progression. Feedback can be important for reinforcing successes and, in opportunities for growth or correction, it can help students understand not simply that they did something wrong but also (a) where and how they got off course and/or (b) how feedback is a valuable resource in many contexts, such as writing, design, etc. Providing feedback only at the end of a course can lead students to compare themselves simply to their peers rather than have a sense of their own learning trajectory and potential.
Some instructors hold individual meetings with students to share their standards and expectations, and address the degree to which the student is meeting them. These conversations can also allow students to define and measure their work against their personal objectives for the course and serve as opportunities to reflect on what tangible next steps they can take in order to progress. In this way, these conversations can be a backdrop for students to take ownership of their learning.
Finally, feedback can focus exclusively on the assignment at hand, or it can be used more expansively to address a student’s larger educational context and development.
References
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of educational research, 77(1), 81-112.