# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Angelo and Cross

Techniques for Assessing Course-Related Knowledge & Skills

I. Assessing Prior Knowledge, Recall, and Understanding
The CATS in this group are recommended to assess declarative learning, the content of a particular subject.

1. Background Knowledge Probe: short, simple questionnaires prepared by instructors for use at the beginning of a course or at the start of new units or topics; can serve as a pretest; typically elicits more detailed information than CAT2. .

2. Focused Listing: focuses students' attention on a single important term, name, or concept from a lesson or class session and directs students to list ideas related to the "focus."

3. Misconception/Preconception Check: focus is on uncovering prior knowledge or beliefs that hinder or block new learning; can be designed to uncover incorrect or incomplete knowledge, attitudes, or values

4. Empty Outlines: in a limited amount of time students complete an empty or partially completed outline of an in-class presentation or homework assignment

5. Memory Matrix: students complete a table about course content in which row and column headings are complete but cells are empty

6. Minute Paper: perhaps the most frequently used CAT; students answer 2 questions (What was the most important thing you learned during this class? And What important question remains unanswered?)

7. Muddiest Point: considered my many as the simplest CAT; students respond to 1 question (What was the muddiest point in _________ ?); well suited to large, lower division courses but not to those which emphasize integration, synthesis and evaluation

II. Assessing Skill in analysis and Critical Thinking
The CATS in this group focus on analysis-the breaking down of information, questions, or problems to facilitate understanding and problem solving
III. Assessing Skill in Synthesis and Creative Thinking
The CATS in this group focus on synthesis-each stimulate the student to create, and allow the faculty to assess, original intellectual products that result from a synthesis of course content and the students' intelligence, judgment, knowledge, and skills.

1. One-Sentence Summary: students answer the questions "Who does what to whom, when, where, how, and why?" (WDWWWWHW) about a given topic and then creates a single informative, grammatical, and long summary sentence

2. Word Journal: involves a 2 part response; 1st the student summarizes a short text in a single word and 2nd the student writes 1-2 paragraphs explaining the word choice

3. Approximate Analogies: students simply complete the 2nd half of an analogy-a is to b as x is to y; described as approximate because rigor of formal logic is not required

4. Concept Maps: students draw or diagram the mental connections they make between a major concept and other concepts they have learned

5. Invented Dialogues: students synthesize their knowledge of issues, personalities, and historical periods into the form of a carefully structured illustrative conversation; 2 levels of invention (select and weave quotes from primary sources or invent reasonable quotes that fit characters and context)

6. Annotated Portfolios: students assemble a very limited number of examples of creative work and supplement with own commentary on significance of examples

IV. Assessing Skill in Problem Solving
The CATS in this group focus on problem solving skills of various kinds-recognition of types of problems, determining principles and techniques to solve, perceiving similarities of problem features and ability to reflect and then alter solution strategies.
V. Assessing Skill in Application and Performance

The CATS in this group focus on students' abilities to apply important-sometimes referenced as conditional knowledge-knowing when and where to apply what know and can do. 23. Directed Paraphrasing: students paraphrase part of a lesson for a specific audience demonstrating ability to translate highly specialized information into language the clients or customers can understand

Techniques for Assessing Learner Attitudes, Values, and Self-Awareness

VI. Assessing Students' Awareness of Their Attitudes and Values
The CATS in this group are designed to assist teachers in developing students' attitudes, opinions, values, and self-awareness within the course curriculum.
VII. Assessing Students' Self-Awareness as Learners
The CATS in this group are recommended to help students express personal goals and clarify self-concept in order to make a connection between the articulated goals and those of the course.
VIII. Assessing Course-Related Learning and Study Skills, Strategies, and Behaviors
The CATS in this group focus both student and teacher attention on the behaviors the student actually engages in when trying to learn. Techniques for Assessing Learner Reactions to Instruction
IX. Assessing Learner Reactions to Teachers and Teaching
The CATS in this group are designed to provide context-specific feedback that can improve teaching within a particular course.
X. Assessing Learner Reactions to Class Activities, Assignments, and Materials
The CATS in this group are designed to give teachers information that will help them improve their course materials and assignments.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
50 Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATS) | Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Angelo and Cross Techniques for Assessing Course-Related Knowledge & Skills I. Assessing Prior Knowledge, Recall, and Understanding The CATS in this ...

# data[].attributes.headline
Examples of pedagogies derived from Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning.

# data[].attributes.subject
Examples of pedagogies derived from Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning.

# data[].attributes.body
Specific

Measurable

Time-Limited

# data[].attributes.body
Learning about and changing one's Self

Understanding and interacting with Others

# data[].attributes.body
Identifying/changing one's feelings, interests, values

# data[].attributes.body
Becoming a better student

Learning how to ask and answer questions

Becoming a self-directed learner

# data[].attributes.body
A year or more after this course/workshop/class/session, I want and hope that students/participants will ________________.

# data[].attributes.body
Introduce yourself

How long have you been teaching?

In terms of teaching and learning, what are three words that describe you?

What courses do you teach? Is the subject matter more practical or theoretical in nature?

What format or modality do you teach, present, or assist with/in?

How familiar are you with Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning?

Please share by adding a post to this column (Click the "+" )

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Resources - Intentional College Teaching

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Curated resources related to our courses Significant Learning by Design Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning The Caring Dimension Significant Learning Outcome Verbs Learning Assessment Methods Learning Activities/Teaching Methods Course Redesign Examples using the 3-column table Dee Fink's Self-Directed Guide to Integrated Course Design Teach Students How to Learn Metacognitive Equity Multiple tools and resources forContinue reading "Resources"

# data[].attributes.headline
Brainstorm situational factors that affect your course/activity (share them here):

# data[].attributes.subject
Brainstorm situational factors that affect your course/activity (share them here):

# data[].attributes.headline
Worksheet to help you identify Learning Goals

# data[].attributes.subject
Worksheet to help you identify Learning Goals

# data[].attributes.headline
Worksheet to help you identify situational factors

# data[].attributes.subject
Worksheet to help you identify situational factors

# data[].attributes.headline
Draft 1-2 learning goals for your course or an activity or module in your course.  

# data[].attributes.subject
Draft 1-2 learning goals for your course or an activity or module in your course.  

# data[].attributes.headline
Please feel free to share your learning goals with others, here.  Feel free to provide constructive feedback on particular goals via comments.

# data[].attributes.subject
Please feel free to share your learning goals with others, here.  Feel free to provide constructive feedback on particular goals via comments.

# data[].attributes.body
Please share by adding a post to this column (Click the "+" above this box).

# data[].attributes.headline
If you don't recall any activities that you experienced as a student, what about activities you have used as an instructor?  What concept were you teaching? Do you think it was successful? Why or why not?

# data[].attributes.subject
If you don't recall any activities that you experienced as a student, what about activities you have used as an instructor?  What concept were you teaching? Do you think it was successful? Why or why not?

# data[].attributes.headline
 Do you recall an activity from your student career that made a particular impact on you?  Tell us about it.  Do you think it achieved the learning goals of the instructor? Why or why not? 

# data[].attributes.subject
 Do you recall an activity from your student career that made a particular impact on you?  Tell us about it.  Do you think it achieved the learning goals of the instructor? Why or why not? 

# data[].attributes.body
Please share by adding a post to this column (Click the "+" above this box).