Vol. 1 No. 1

The SMSU-West Plains Assessment Committee

November 2003

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Online Resources for Teaching & Learning

Dr. William Wagner, Professor of Chemistry

There are vast numbers of thoughtful treatments on the scholarship of teaching and learning.

On the Faculty Senate Blackboard Course page under External Links are links to a number of documents, many of which are assessment related. Below are a few:

Please add your own finds.

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Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATS)

By Mick La Lopa

Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATS) are designed to allow the classroom instructor to find out in a relatively short time what students are learning and to use that information to make changes in the delivery method used or in the assignments required. According to Angelo and Cross (1993), a CAT has the following characteristics:

1. It is learner-centered. Classroom assessment should allow the instructor to focus on gathering information from observation and using that information to improve student learning, rather than on observing and improving the instructor's teaching.
2. It is teacher-directed. A CAT that is chosen by the instructor will be used by that instructor in a specific context. Thus, the "individual teacher decides what to assess, how to assess, and how to respond to the information gained through the assessment" (Angelo and Cross 1993, 4). This information can be used only by the instructor and need not be shared with anyone else.
3. It should be mutually beneficial to both students and instructor. Angelo and Cross (1993) believe that "because it is focused on learning, Classroom Assessment requires the active participation of students. By cooperating in assessment, students reinforce their grasp of the course content and strengthen their own skills at self-assessment. Their motivation is increased when they realize that faculty are interested and invested in their success as learners" (pp. 4-5). An instructor can also improve teaching by asking these three questions: What are the essential skills and knowledge I am trying to teach? How can I find out whether students are learning them? How can I help students learn better? As teachers gather information from students and answer these questions, they improve their teaching and better understand the learning process.
4. It is formative in nature. The purpose of using classroom assessment techniques is to improve student learning - not to grade student's work. It is extremely important to remember that assessment is not about comparing student work to understand who understands the material and who does not. Assessment should focus the instructor on finding out how to improve activities so that all students (or at least most of the students) have a better learning experience.
5. It is context-specific. Classroom assessments are designed to address the specific needs of a specific class. In addition, the personality, methodology, and time available will all have some impact on the CAT that is chosen and how much information is given. Angelo and Cross state "what works well in one class will not necessarily work in another" (1993, p.5).
6. It should be ongoing. Classroom assessments should be an ongoing process that informs the instructor of how the class is going on a regular basis. This "feedback loop" is essential in assessment. Instructors who use a variety of CATS over time and use that feedback to make appropriate changes will find that students begin to participate more actively in the assessment process and in the class. After the first assessment and implementation of feedback, the instructor can use the same (or different) assessment again to check on the efficacy of the new/revised activity. Thus continuing the feedback loop.
7. It is rooted in good teaching practices. Using a classroom assessment technique and, even better, a series of CATS, simply involves what good instructors are already doing. "Teachers ask questions, react to students' questions, monitor body language and facial expressions, read homework and tests, and so on. Classroom assessment provides a way to integrate assessment systematically and seamlessly into the traditional classroom teaching and learning process" (Angelo and Cross 1993, (p.6). In order to use a CAT, it is best to start with one simple technique and then follows up on that feedback with another. In other words, start simple! That is why Angelo and Cross (1993) suggest using these three steps in the process.

   Step 1 – Planning.

   Select one, and only one, of your classes in which to try out the classroom assessment. Decide on the class meeting and select a Classroom Assessment Technique. Choose a simple and quick one.

   Step 2 – Implementing.

   Make sure the students know what you are doing and that they clearly understand the procedure. Collect the (usually anonymous) responses and analyze them as soon as possible.

   Step 3 – Responding.

   Make sure that your students know what type of information you received and how you will use that information. This can be done in an informal way: "About half of you seems confused by this point and another third by this point. Let's talk about these two points."

Reference

Angelo, T.A., and Cross, P.K. 1993. Classroom Assessment Techniques, 2nd ed. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass.

Reprinted with permission from http://www.cafemeetingplace.com/archives/tip3.htm

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Book Review:

Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers by Thomas Angelo and K. Patricia Cross.

Evelyn Vetter, Head Librarian

Written for college instructors, this book is one of the classic works in the assessment field. This book not only tells the advantages of assessment but how to plan and implement assessment projects. It's reassuring to read that we can start small and become involved in this process one step at a time.

The authors tell how to choose the right technique – even techniques to assess learner attitudes, values, and self awareness – and how to go beyond the assessment collection stage into improving student learning.

Remember those assessment technique lists circulated by the library recently? This book is the source for those techniques. Each technique is explained in detail with examples of successful projects.

This reviewer gives the book two thumbs up. Two copies are available at Garnett Library – one on Reserve and one that checks out. Many more copies are available through MOBIUS!

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Do Assessment? Let us Know

This newsletter represents a new campus initiative designed to let various campus communities know what efforts and activities related to assessment occur on our campus by all campus constituencies. If you have ideas, resources, data or material you would like to share with our administration, faculty, staff, and students, please consider sending it to one of the following people: Evelyn Vetter, Kay Garrett, or Leigh Adams who e-mail addresses appear below. Material submitted may be edited due to space. The deadline for the next issue is January 15, 2004.

EvelynVetter@MissouriState.edu

LeighAdams@MissouriState.edu

KayGarrett@MissouriState.edu