Assessment Strategies for Student Learning.
Summative assessment - takes place at the end of the course; usually graded and therefore high stakes.
Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs for short)
- in-class exercises that helps instructors teach or reinforce a concept in class
- collects feedback during class
- provides gauge for instructors on what students have learned in class (met learning outcomes). Indirectly, it helps us reflect on our teaching strategies and strengthen our teaching skills.
- for single-session classes, CATs can serve both as formative and/or summative assessments (for that session).
- CATs are useful active learning exercises appropriate for single- or multi-sessions classes.
Classroom Assessment Techniques
Contains detailed instructions for a variety of CATs for use in the class. Each link contains the activity and a lesson plan to guide the usage of the CAT in your classroom.
A. Background Knowledge Probe
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| Target Topic(s) orient to basic web search
orient on boolean operators |
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| Class Level 1000,2000 |
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| Class Type single-session |
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| Prep Time print worksheet |
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B. 1000 Level Misconception
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| Target Topic(s) introduction to library catalog; conceptual |
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| Class Type single-session |
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C. Categorizing Grid
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| Target Topic(s) develop understanding of the organization of knowledge
help develop skills in selecting tools for research |
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| Class Level 1000, 2000, 3000 |
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| Class Type single-session |
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| Prep Time some, print exercise |
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| Class Time 10-15 mins |
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D. Checking for Understanding
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| Target Topic(s) applicable to any topic instructor wants |
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| Class Level all, incl. Grads |
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| Class Type single-session
multi-session
semester |
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| Class Time 6 mins plus discussion |
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E. General Questions
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| Target Topic(s) class evaluation - most useful if doing 2 or more sessions |
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| Class Level all, incl. Grads |
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| Class Type single-session
multi-session |
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| Prep Time print questions |
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F. Grouping Sources of Information
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| Target Topic(s) understanding what different sources offer (e.g., Encyclopedias vs articles) |
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| Class Level 1000,2000 |
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| Class Type single-session |
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| Prep Time print worksheet |
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| Class Time full class outline |
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G. How to find a scholarly article
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| Target Topic(s) searching databases and catalog
using citation management tool |
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| Class Level all, incl. Grads |
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| Class Type single-session
multi-session |
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| Prep Time print worksheet |
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| Class Time full class outline |
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H. Minute Paper
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| Target Topic(s) concept evaluation tool - all topics
baseline info to start class - all topics |
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| Class Level all UG levels |
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| Class Type single-session
multi-session
semester |
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| Prep Time decide which option |
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| Class Time 2 mins; 12-18 mins
depends on which outline chosen |
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I. Evaluating Sources Checklist & Summary
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| Target Topic(s) evaluating sources - checklist
summarizing information concisely |
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| Class Level 1000,2000 |
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| Class Type single-session
multi-session |
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| Class Time class demo and exercise |
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J. Paraphrasing Boolean operators
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| Target Topic(s) overview on boolean operators
overview on truncation |
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| Class Level 3000,4000 |
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| Class Type single-session |
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K. Pre-Post Class Quiz
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| Target Topic(s) applicable to various topics covered in class (e.g., peer review; reading citations, etc.,) |
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| Class Level all levels, incl. Grads |
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| Class Type single-session
multi-session |
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| Prep Time print questions |
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| Class Time 4 mins, 2 at start and 2 at end |
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L. Scholarly Popular Categorization
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| Target Topic(s) understanding differences in scholarly and popular materials |
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| Class Level 1000,2000 |
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| Class Type single-session
multi-session |
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| Prep Time create questions, send to students in advance |
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| Class Time full class outline |
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M. Working with a Topic
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| Target Topic(s) construct searchable question
identify subject headings
narrow down research |
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| Class Level all UG levels |
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| Class Type multi-session |
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| Prep Time demo topics |
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| Class Time in class exercise, demo |
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