Formal Techniques

· In-class activities. Having students work in pairs or small groups to solve problems creates space for powerful peer-to-peer learning and rich class discussion. Instructors and TAs can roam the classroom as students work, helping those who get stuck and guiding those who are headed in the wrong direction.

· Quizzes. Gauge students’ prior knowledge, assess progress midway through a unit, create friendly in-class competition, review before the test -- quizzes can be great tools that don't have to count heavily toward students' grades. Using quizzes to begin units is also a fun way to assess what your students already know, clear up misconceptions, and drive home the point of how much they will learn.

· Online assessment. Many online learning modules have built-in assessments where students solve problems or answer questions along the way. This can provide you with analytics on student responses and class performance so you can tailor your instruction to their particular learning needs.

· Class Deliverables. In-class activities are designed so students, usually in groups, are required to submit a product of their work for a grade. Among the variety of techniques that can be used, the most effective will balance individual and group accountability and require students to think about authentic complex issues. Team-Based Learning uses four criteria in the design of collaborative application exercises.

Summative (High-Stakes) Assessments:

· Exams. This includes mid-term exams, final exams, and tests at the end of course units. The best tests include several types of questions – short answer, multiple-choice, true-false, and short essay – to allow students to fully demonstrate what they know.

· Papers, projects, and presentations. These give students the chance to go deeper with the material to put the knowledge they’ve acquired to use or create something new from it. This level of application is an extremely important and often overlooked part of the learning process. These types of projects also give students who do not test well a chance to shine.

· Portfolios. Submitting a portfolio at the end of a course can be a powerful way for students to see the progress they’ve made. More than just a collection of students' work from the semester, good portfolios also include reflections on their learning. Asking students to spell out the concepts or techniques used with each piece, the themes addressed, and hurdles faced also brings a sense of completion to the learning process.

Date: 2015-10-18; view: 395; Нарушение авторских прав