Step 2: Implement
Once you have chosen a focus course and selected a simple CAT to use:
- Let students know beforehand (at the beginning of the class period or at the prior class meeting) what you are going to do.
- Whenever you announce your plans, be sure to tell the students why you are asking them for information.
- Assure them that you will be assessing their learning in order to help them improve, and not to grade them. In most cases, it is best to ask for anonymous responses.
- You may need to write directions for the CAT on the whiteboard or project them on a screen.
- Let students know how much time they will have to complete the assessment.
- The first time you use a particular CAT, it will be helpful to allow a little extra time for responses.
- Collect their finished responses and read through them quickly as soon as you can.
- If you have time to read and analyze the responses fully immediately after class, so much the better.
- However, if you must put the CAT responses aside for a while, this fast "read-through" will help you recall exactly what students were responding to when you later read their answers more carefully.