Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs)

Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) are widely accepted methods to assess student learning quickly and easily. They are often not graded, and if they are, relatively few points are assigned. The purpose of these CATs is to help you, as the instructor, know to what extent your students are "getting" the material BEFORE examinations or papers are completed. It also helps the students to develop a better understanding of how well they understand the material. The most important consideration in using CATs is to be sure to let your students know that you appreciate and use the information gleaned from these exercises. If students perceive the information as valuable to you or to themselves, they will be more likely to provide meaningful responses.

The following CATS have been culled from 50 classroom assessment techniques, described by Angelo and Cross in a popular book by Jossey-Bass. They have been placed into a format that is designed for easy use. Flexibility, high probability for success, ease of analysis, and adaptability were the primary criteria for inclusion. These CATs should provide reliable assessment for large classes as well. Finally, these CATS are widely used by faculty from many universities and from a variety of disciplines and have a history of success.

Though the top five CATs require low levels of time and energy, other extremely effective CATs require a mix of low, medium, and high levels of time and energy. Appropriate use of technology can significantly reduce the amount of time and energy spent implementing all CATs. Devorah Lieberman coined the term technoCAT to refer to CATS that employ technology. When technology is integrated appropriately, instructors have more options: they can collect data both inside and outside of class.

The selected CATS will serve as a great introduction into assessing student learning in the classroom. If you would like to explore other classroom assessment techniques, please consult Angelo and Cross' Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers, Second Edition (1993), or contact the Faculty Center for Innovative Teaching at 989.774.3615.

Top Five CATS
CAT 1: The Minute Paper (Assesses Prior Knowledge, Recall, & Understanding)
CAT 2: The Muddiest Point (Assesses Prior Knowledge, Recall, & Understanding)
CAT 3: The One-Sentence Summary (Assesses Skill in Synthesis & Creative Thinking)
CAT 4: Directed Paraphrasing (Assesses Skill in Application & Performance)
CAT 5: Application Cards (Assesses Skill in Application & Performance)
TechnoCATS
Background Knowledge Probe (Assesses Prior Knowledge, Recall, & Understanding)
Classroom Opinion Poll (Assesses Awareness of Attitudes & Values)
Course-Related Self-Confidence Survey (Assesses Awareness of Attitudes & Values)
Interest/Knowledge/Skills Checklist (Assesses Skill Self-Awareness as Learner)
Misconception/Preconception Check (Assesses Prior Knowledge, Recall, & Understanding)
Pro and Con Grid (Assesses Skill in Analysis & Critical Thinking)
What’s the Principle? (Assesses Skill in Problem Solving)