As I continue on this path I am reflecting on how an instructor knows when learning as occurred in a class. I think about this a lot when the grades aren't what I would have hoped for. In the beginning I was so dumb and had no idea of how to write a test question or even that most of the time the ones provided by the text book companies could be used. I would go along using what had been used before me or making up questions as I went along. I was sometimes shocked to find students asking me questions on a test about the meaning of words I had used. I took for granted that the students understood such words as "rigid" or "reliable". I learned very quickly not to take anything for granted.
I would spend hours hand typing a test only to have the terrible computers stop halfway through and I would lose everything! This happened on more than one occasion until I complained to my son who happily informed me about the auto save feature. When I look back on those early days I realize it was truly the blind leading the blind.
Now the process of evaluation is much easier. The testing is easier and now I know I don't have to wait till it's time to test to ask them questions to see if they have gotten the information I want them to learn. I know how to make a blueprint or as I used to call it a review sheet to be sure the have studied the concepts that they will be responsible for knowing. I know to base all of this on the learning objectives for the chapter or concept I want to convey to them. Through experience and what we have been reading and studying in our course work I know more about the process than I did when I started this program. That to me is good progress.
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