Sometimes it’s difficult to know if students really comprehend what they are doing in class. Don’t you wish there were an easy way to determine if students truly understand the content? There is! Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs), popularized by Thomas Angelo and Patricia Cross, are simple, nonthreatening strategies instructors can use to gauge students’ knowledge.

At their most basic level, CATs simply ask students to tell you what they know. They are typically anonymous, formative, and fairly easy to complete and evaluate. Despite their simplicity, they are powerful tools to enhance student learning.

Why use CATs?
Classroom assessment techniques
• Allow instructors to adjust lessons to meet students’ needs
• Give students a voice in class
• Require student engagement (aka active learning)
• Facilitate metacognition and self-monitoring in students

Some examples
• minute paper – before ending class, ask students to spend one minute summarizing the main points of the lesson and explaining what is still unclear to them
• muddiest point – ask students to briefly state the most confusing concept discussed in class and offer suggestions for helping them understand
• suggestion box – offer students a way to anonymously provide feedback on teaching methods or other classroom issues
• application card – ask students to generate one real-world application for a concept covered in class

Want to learn more?
Contact the Center for personalized assistance or visit these web sites -
National Teaching & Learning Forum
Vanderbilt Center for Teaching
Honolulu Community College
More examples from Honolulu
Iowa State University Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

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