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Classroom Assessment Techniques or CATs are informal assessment techniques to measure in-progress learning. They are not associated with grades. These activities/techniques gather information on what learners currently understand or do not understand yet. CATs Fosters active engagement and inclusive practices, are easy to use in class. They help students regulate their learning and comprehension while helping instructors learn how well students are processing information/formative information about concepts and content and can be used during the progression of a course or program.
Angelo, T.A. and Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques, 2nd edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers
Defining Features Matrix
Description: This activity requires students to categorize concepts according to the presence (+) or absence (-) of important defining features.
Benefits: This activity helps students apply what they have learned through reading or didactic teaching. It can provide data on their analytic reading and thinking skills. The activity can be done individually, in pairs, or groups.
How to do it: develop a blank grid with categories/concepts and ranks. See this handout for sample grids at this link
Background Knowledge Probe
Description: Collect specific and useful information on students’ prior learning, focusing on specific information or concepts that must be known to succeed in subsequent assignments. This can be done in dialogue with the students or in writing.
Benefits: This activity helps identify gaps or assumptions in knowledge and skills.
How to do it: Begin with one or two knowledge questions that everyone will know to build confidence, then move to other prior skills or knowledge that you want to understand to inform instruction design. Consists of open-ended short answer, Likert scale, or multiple choice questions.
Pass the Brainstorm
Description: A active and engaging way to brainstorm new ideas and approaches to a task or knowledge practice.
Benefits: This activity energizes students and promotes inclusion of all learners.
How to do it: Each person starts with a basic prompt and writes for one minute. Then they pass their paper to the right. Reading what is written from person #1’s paper, the second writer responds to the same prompt but adds to the existing list. Follow this process for 3-5 rounds. Report out for set time limit.
Snowball Fight
Description: The purpose of the snowball fight strategy is to predict, summarize, justify, and think critically. Teachers can adapt the strategy to their own purposes.
Benefits: The Snowball Fight activity enforces writing, responding to text, critical thinking, justifying, and collaboration. The anonymity of the activity encourages students to respond even if they are unsure of the “right” answer.
How to do it: First, have students write the answer to a poignant content-related question on a piece of paper. Students then crumple their paper into a “snowball.” Then, students throw their “snowballs” across the room and retrieve one that is not their own. Students then open the “snowball” and respond in some way to the content of the “snowball.” Finally, you can ask the next question, and allow the students to write the next answer on the paper they have and repeat the process.
Live Lecture Wrapper
Description: Short recall activity to break up the class meeting.
Benefits: Students have an opportunity to self-assess and improve their listening skills. The instructor has the opportunity to reset attention.
How to do it: Tell students that in addition to their regular notes, they should listen for the three most important points. Proceed with the lecture, ask students to record their points. Reval what YOU see as the three most important points. Hold a discussion about the differences between student responses and yours
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