Classroom Assessment Techniques

(CATs)

Kay Schneider

Director of Assessment

Learning Outcomes

for Today’s Session

Participants will:

1. Identify classroom assessment techniques that

faculty could use in one of their courses.

2. Identify best practices related to the

implementation of CATs.

Select all that apply:

• I am not yet familiar with the concept of CATs.

• I have not implemented CATs in any of my

course(s).

• I have occasionally implemented CATs in my

course(s).

• I regularly implement CATs in my course(s).

• Assessment is a four-letter word. I’m only here

for the food.

Definition of Assessment

“A process that asks important questions about

student learning, gathers some meaningful

information on these questions, and uses the

information for academic improvement.”

Source: Palomba, C. & Banta, T. (1999). Assessment Essentials: Planning, Implementing,

and Improving. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Overview

CATs provide faculty and students with feedback about

students’ learning in order to support achievement of

the course outcomes.

• Quick

• Informal

• Typically ungraded

• Conducted in class or online

Background Knowledge Probe

Purpose

• Become aware of the diversity of backgrounds, experiences, or levels of expertise in your classroom.

• Create a bridge between students’ previous knowledge and new material.

• Check for misconceptions that may hinder student learning of new material.

Adapted from: http://www.cte.cornell.edu/teaching-ideas/assessing-student-learning/what-do-students-already-know.html

Background Knowledge Probe

1. Provide your responses to the following multiple

choice questions…

2. Rate to what extent you aware of the purpose of

calculating a Z-score.

3. Write 1-3 sentences to describe how to calculate a

Z-score.

• Provide feedback about students’ progress (preempt

misconceptions and poor performance on tests,

quizzes, projects, etc.)

• Give insight into day-to-day teaching methods and

student learning processes.

• Obtain just-in-time feedback about the teaching and

learning process.

• Provide students with a means of gauging their own

learning so they can modify study strategies as

appropriate.

• Provide students with low-stakes (non-graded)

opportunities to demonstrate proficiency.

• Applicable to classes of all sizes, since the activities

are not graded.

CATs Assess….

• Content knowledge and skills

• Analysis and critical thinking skills

• Synthesis and creative thinking skills

• Problem solving skills

• Application and performance skills

• Awareness of attitudes and values

• Self awareness as learners

• Reactions to class activities, assignments, etc.

Defining Features Matrix

Purpose

• Assess students’ categorization skills.

• Assess students’ abilities to distinguish between

similar concepts.

• Supports learners’ ability to identify critical distinctions

between concepts.

Defining Features Matrix

Metamorphic Rocks

Source: http://www.uakron.edu/dotAsset/2292489.pdf

Rocks formed by . . .

Characteristic

contact

metamorphism

regional

metamorphism

Formed at temperatures above 200 C √ √

May originally have been an igneous rock √ √

Form as a result of increasing pressures √

May surround plutonic igneous rocks √

Slate is an example √

Form as a result of melting

Defining Features Matrix

Common

Core

Curriculum

Curriculum in

the major

field of study

Introduces basic scientific

procedures, principles,

concepts, laws, and theories

relevant to all applied

sciences.

Calculus I-III

Field session

Studio format

Directed Paraphrasing

Purpose

• Assess students’ ability to translate specialized

and/or scientific information into non-technical

language.

• Assess students’ ability to internalize their own

learning.

• Assess students’ writing and/or speaking skills.

Implementation

• Can be done in written or oral form.

• Can require instructor critique or students can

critique each other in small groups.

Directed Paraphrasing

• Develop 1-3 sentences to explain how tectonics

influence sea-level history and sedimentation patterns

to an audience of business owners who are not likely

to be scientists or engineers.

• Describe the concept of subduction zones for a group

of 5th-grade students who are familiar with volcanoes

but have not yet learned about subduction zones.

Think - Pair - Share

• Brainstorm some strategies for implementing one of

the following:

o Background Knowledge Probe

o Defining Features Matrix

o Directed Paraphrasing

• Discuss with a neighbor.

• Share with the group.

Minute Paper

Purpose

• Determine if students can identify main points of

a class session.

• Support students’ skill development in

distinguishing main points from details.

• Support students’ skill development in

evaluation and recall.

Minute Paper

• What is the main (or most useful, meaningful,

surprising) concept you have learned during this

session?

• What is the main take away from today’s class?

Muddiest Point

Purpose

• Obtain feedback regarding which topics are

confusing to students.

• Enable faculty to modify assignments, in-class

activities, etc. to address confusing topics.

• Determine range of students’ confusion: is there

one concept that is confusing to many students or

a variety of concepts that are confusing to a small

number of students?

Muddiest Point

Implementation

• Can be implemented at the end of a single class

session.

• Can be implemented at the beginning of class,

related to a homework assignment that was done

outside of class.

• Students or the faculty can provide clarity

regarding the topic(s) of confusion.

Muddiest Point

This CAT can be particularly useful for Mines

students:

• Who may not have experience asking

questions about areas of uncertainty.

• Who may be uncomfortable admitting they do

not understand something.

Memory Matrix

Purpose

• Assess recall of course content.

• Assess ability to quickly organize the information.

Memory Matrix

Source: Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers

Structure Functions Enzymes

Mouth

Esophagus

Stomach

Pancreas

Liver

Concept Map

Purpose

• Students synthesize information to display their

connections between related concepts.

• Determine congruence between students’ and

faculty members’ visual representations of related

concepts.

Think - Pair - Share

• Brainstorm some strategies for implementing one of the

following:

o Minute Paper

o Muddiest Point

o Memory Matrix

o Concept Map

• Discuss with a neighbor.

• Share with the group.

Best Practices

Use CATs to determine:

• How many students have achieved the learning

outcome?

• Which students have achieved the learning outcome?

• What do successful students do that other students do

not?

o Consider how you can encourage all students to

adopt best practices.

o Consider how you might restructure the course

activities, assignments, etc. to include the best

practices from successful students.

Best Practices

• Align the CAT with the learning outcome(s).

• Rehearse and/or plan the CAT before class.

o To determine how much time to allow.

o To modify it to your specific class.

• Describe purpose of the CAT to students.

Feedback Action

Best Practices

• Share results of CATs with students: recognize

successful learning strategies and provide

suggestions for improvement.

o “Most of you demonstrated proficiency related to x and y.

Keep doing what you are doing (keeping up with

homework, studying with peers, etc.) to continue this.”

o “Some students need to invest more time in practicing how

to do a and b. Please come to see me during office hours,

utilize the Writing Center, review your notes from the

previous class session prior to coming to class, etc.”

Best Practices

• Administer simple CATs before administering more

complex CATs.

• Select CATs that align with the time you have

available

o in class for administration

o out of class for review

Best Practices

• Emphasize to students that CATs support learning

and success in the course (feedback translates to

strong performance on assignments and exams and

most importantly, achievement of learning

outcomes.)

Best Practices

• Modify CATs to meet your specific course, the

learning outcomes, students’ needs, time

available, etc.

• Use CATs as an opportunity for students to work

in groups.

• Compare each group members’ memory

matrix.

• Have students discuss and resolve muddiest

point(s).

• Etc.

New Resources at ALL

Thank you to Lisa Dunn!

This Session Contributed to

Your Achievement

of the Learning Outcomes

Agree Neutral Disagree

Outcome 1: Identify classroom

assessment techniques that faculty

could use in one of their courses. 3 2 1

Outcome 2: Identify best practices

related to the implementation of

CATs. 3 2 1

Contact Information

Kay Schneider

Director of Assessment

kmschnei@mines.edu

http://inside.mines.edu/assessment