Classroom Assessment Techniques let you know if your students have learned what you wanted them to learn.

1. Background Knowledge Probe
• Find something students know about the next topic. Give them two or three open-ended questions or 10 or so multiple choice questions to indicate their knowledge as they begin the topic.
• Use the feedback in class or analyze it for the next class.
2. Focused Listing
   • Select a topic or concept you will or just have taught - describe it in a phrase. Put the phrase on the board. Ask students to take two to four minutes to list ideas related to the phrase. Do the same yourself.
   • Use the feedback in class or analyze it for the next class.

   3. Memory matrix

   • Draw a simple matrix with row and column headings or distribute in a handout. Fill in yourself using course information. Make a handout with rows and columns filled in; copy on the board or overhead. Tell students to fill in. Give them a minimum number per cell (three is better than one, which might stymie them as they search for the one right answer).
   • Collect and assess.

   4.One-Sentence Summary

   • Select an important topic.
   • First, answer the question "Who does what to whom, when, where, how, and why?" (WDWWWWHW) yourself and put the response into a grammatical sentence.
   • Note how long it takes you.
   • Give the same task to students and double the time allowed.

Adaptations:
Categorizing Grid

• Provide the row and column labels and answers in a scrambled format and have students place them in the right cells.
  Pro and Con Grid
• Focus on a decision or judgement dilemma. Prompt students to take a certain perspective and tell them how many responses you want.