Classroom Assessment Techniques (CAT)

Your First CAT

Think Fast:
Imagine you're teaching tomorrow. If you had to use a quick Classroom Assessment Technique (CAT), what would it be?

Write a one-sentence question you'd ask your students to check their understanding.
How would you collect their answers? (e.g., notecards, verbal responses, or Canvas discussion board)

Reflection Prompt:
How might this CAT help you adjust your teaching or support your students' learning in the next session?

This quick exercise helps you start planning CATs that are simple, effective, and tailored to your class!

What is CAT?

Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) are simple, low-pressure ways to check how well students are understanding the material. These methods are efficient, student-centered strategies that provide valuable insights into learning progress. Instructors can use feedback from CATs to adjust activities, offer extra support, or change the pace of the class to better meet student needs.

Why Use CATs?

CATs are not just about assessment—they also enhance learning. Here’s how:

Focus Students’ Attention: Students often come to class distracted by other concerns. Starting with a quick CAT activity can help them focus and prepare to engage.
Spot Trouble Early: A simple check-in at the beginning of class can reveal concepts that need more explanation or clarification, ensuring everyone is on the same page.

Activity: Fish Bowl

Ask each student to write one issue or concept they want clarified on a card and drop it in a fishbowl (cardboard box, hat, etc.) as they enter class. During class, select cards from the bowl and clarify any issues or concepts from the card. This gives students who are hesitant to participate an opportunity to ask questions. You can also do this activity at the end of class and review it at the start of the next class.

Activity: Clicker Quizzes or

Brief low-stakes quizzes at the start of class can help students recall information from homework or a previous lesson. It’s also a great way to check on how well students understand the material. Using clickers or a polling tool that provides immediate results can inform that day’s instruction. It is important to correct misconceptions right away so that students do not remember wrong information.

CATs Improve Student Engagement

When instructors use CATs in the classroom, students are more likely to participate in the activities of the class. Students may feel that they have a voice and that their instructor cares about their learning. You may also bring out friendly (no losers) competition, peer support, and make it okay to be wrong.

Activity: Student-Generated Test Questions

Ask students to prepare two or three potential test questions and the correct (or A+) responses for each. It is best to do this 2-3 weeks before the exam so there is time for feedback and correcting misinformation. Use the questions for a review sheet, and include at least some of the questions in the real exam.

CATs Connect Prior Knowledge to New Learning

At the beginning of the semester or a new content unit, it is important to learn what students know so that you can target instruction and focus on what they need most as well as the pace that is most appropriate. CATs can ask students to apply knowledge and skills learned in class to their own lives, which can help them make sense of new information.

Activity: Background Knowledge Probe

Prepare a short, simple questionnaire with 2-3 open-ended questions to collect information about what students know about a class subject. Use simple language and encourage students to provide thoughtful answers. This activity is particularly useful for students who have had some previous coursework (in high school, for example) or experiences. Gather and compile the responses, and share the results with students in a subsequent class.

Activity: Misconception Check

Provide a common misconception about a topic and have students explain why they agree or disagree with it. This is best used when reviewing a lesson to check for understanding and to help students walk through their thinking process.

CATs Check for Understanding

CATs are a form of formative assessment. Formative assessment provides information to the instructor about how well students are learning. Formative assessments help students identify their strengths and areas where they are struggling.

Activity: One Sentence Summary

The One Sentence Summary requires students to synthesize information into a single sentence. Ask students to identify the who-what-when-where-why of something they read or did in preparation for class. This technique can also be used to help students connect ideas over time or in an instructional unit. Instructors can quickly scan and compare responses.

Activity: Color Cards

Provide each student with a set of three color-coded cards. Red means Stop, I need help; Green means Keep going, I understand; Yellow means Slow down, I’m a little confused. In a Zoom class, you can ask students to use emojis like thumbs up/thumbs down or a set of smiley faces, or .

CATs Enhance Learning and Performance

CATs can be self-assessments for students, too. Students want immediate feedback about what they are doing well and what they need to work on. Reflective activities can support student metacognition and help them develop their awareness about learning new material. Low-stakes assessments can help students improve their performance on high stakes assessments – like exams – because they help students process the material and gives them opportunity to practice skills.

Activity: The Muddiest Point

Ask students to write in response to the prompt, What was the muddiest point in (the lecture, the homework assignment, the reading, the film, etc.)? You can group responses by theme and decide what to spend more time addressing in an assignment or activity.

CATs Wrap Up and Prepare Students

A thoughtful and purposeful closure to the class session helps students to reflect on their experience. These activities support retention and recall by asking students to go over information they learned and identify anything that is unclear. Instructors can use the information to adjust instruction for the next class session.

Activity: The Minute Paper

At the end of class, ask students to answer a question or reflect on something from that day’s class and allow time for students to respond. Questions might include:

What was the most surprising and/or unexpected idea in today’s discussion?
What was the most important idea, concept, or point you are taking away from today’s (this week’s class) class?
What do you understand now that you didn’t before today?
What’s one question about today’s course material you want answered?

Activity: 3-2-1

At the end of class, have students write down or complete an online survey (you can use ) to ask about the day’s lesson: 3 things you found out, 2 interesting things, and 1 question you still have.

Download This Guide (PDF)

Choosing and Using CATs Effectively

Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) can boost student engagement and learning, but it’s important to choose the right methods for your classroom. Here’s how to make the most of CATs:

1. Align with Course Goals
Select CATs that fit your course objectives and design. Plan when and how to use them for maximum impact. Ensure they serve a clear purpose, such as gauging understanding or addressing misconceptions.

2. Act on the Feedback
Review student responses promptly. Address key findings in the next class or a Canvas post. Use the feedback to clarify concepts, correct errors, or adjust your teaching approach.

3. Encourage Participation
Make it clear that participating in CATs is essential. While they’re typically non-graded, you can offer participation points. Focus on completion rather than accuracy to foster a safe environment where students feel comfortable making mistakes and taking risks.

4. Use CATs Regularly
Incorporate CATs as a routine part of your teaching. Consistent use helps students see them as an integral part of the learning process.

5. Foster a Supportive Learning Environment
Remember, learning is a journey. Students progress at different rates and face unique challenges. By monitoring their understanding and adapting your teaching, you can create a positive, student-focused classroom where learners feel valued and supported.

References:

Angelo, T. A., & Cross, K. P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers (second ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

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