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Finding Out How Things Are Going

One of the great mysteries of teaching can be finding out how things are really going for students in your course…before the test. What are they learning? Is it really what you think you’re teaching?

There are a number of strategies for getting the answers to these questions from students that do not involve the formal testing and grading process of the course. These strategies are intended to help you, as a teacher, make adjustments to your teaching as the course progresses, to help students develop as thinkers and learners...to help them succeed. These strategies are often grouped under the label of “classroom assessment” or “formative” evaluation.

Technology can help.

You can devote a section on your web site to classroom assessment and ask students to post responses to questions such as “What was the muddiest point in today’s lecture?” or “Write for exactly one minute about what you learned today.” You can then sample these responses and get an idea of what’s going on. You should try to get maximum class participation if this kind of exercise is to have real value.

You can also do a “bubble sheet” survey of your students about your teaching, consisting of a number of items that you draw from a question databank or items that you make up yourself. The answer sheets can then be computer-scored, and you will receive a report of the results. This kind of survey can also be done on-line, but anonymity should be preserved.

You can create “focus groups” among your students to discuss the culture, assignments, tests, workload and other details of the class. You can then ask them to share their responses with you via internet communication technologies.

Glossary of Related Terms.

Blackboard
Bulletin Board
Chat/Instant Messaging
Discussion forums
Personalized Teaching Survey
Web sites

 

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