CATs
I had never really thought about the use of CATs for giving the students more information about where they were at in the learning process. This has really given me something to think about. I am willing to bet that this may even alleviate some of the testing anxiety that some of my students experience. Hmmmmm?
Hi Dolly- Thanks for your post to the forum. I'm happy that this module may have given you something useful! Being able to assess informally does indeed get students more used to answering questions without the usual accompanying anxiety. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Dolly,
I have never thought about using CATs either until reading this lesson. I have to admit that I am very excited about how using this can help in the bridge in what I am teaching in lab to how they will use this information for their patients good. The website that was given gives a great deal of information to help in further to develop using CATs in the classroom.
I also agree that by using many of these techniques you will be able to reduce anxiety in students.
Yea - I'd heard about them before and even implemented them in class a couple times. They're useful for tracking what students have learned - both for you and for them. Oftentimes it serves to reinforce to them what they're learning through lecture & activities. Also - it gets them to concentrate on the positives. :)
Hi Katherine- You're right - often when we use CATs students are happily surprised to learn how much they know! Best wishes- Susan
Hi Kendra- I'm so glad that you found the ideas on using CATs exciting! Have fun using them! Susan
I love the idea of using the CATs for assessment. I think the one where the students write what the most important thing they learned and one thing they still have a question about is great! I hope to implement this in my classroom.
Hi Jennifer - I'm glad that you liked the CAT idea and hope that you will find it worthwhile in your classroom. Best wishes! Susan
I never knew that this was a technique. I have been using something similar for several years already. My studentws have to sign out at the end of the day and every few days, they have to tell me something interesting they learned about the topic before I allow them to sign out. It makes them think and hopefully helps them retain that information longer.
Minute papers have been suggested at our school. I have not found them useful yet. I am not sure if I have done these wrong, but I find that students use this as an outlet to complain. "Class is moving too fast" or "We get a lot of information".
Hi Lyn- When asking your students to do a Minute Paper, be sure to give them the specifics of what you want them to write about -
"Students are asked to take a half sheet of paper and summarize the most important thing they learned in that class period and also to list one unanswered question they might have. They can also be asked what was the most interesting thing they learned in class. " Best wishes! Susan
I agree that CATs can be a really useful way to gauge student comprehension. When covering highlt technical information, I can just watch their eyes start to glaze over. This signals me to take a break and let them assimilate the materials before proceding.
