Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning

UWA SPOT/SET Project

109)          the teacher has been aware when students are having difficulty in understanding a topic.

Attention to student feedback can increase your awareness of students in difficulty

·        “It’s hard to tell if students have understood” (pp.67-69) in Habeshaw, Gibbs & Habeshaw (1992) gives practical suggestions to ensure you get reactions from your students about what they have just been taught.

·         ‘Assessing Learner reactions to Teachers and Teaching’ in Angelo & Cross (1993), gives useful strategies with pros and cons for each.

  •  “A Berkeley compendium of suggestions for teaching with excellence” provides suggestions concerning difficulty in understanding including:
    • Empathize with students' difficulties in learning (Davis, Wood, & Wilson, 1983b)
    • Balance the difficulty of test items (Davis, Wood, & Wilson, 1983a)
    • Require below "C" level students to see you (Davis, Wood, & Wilson, 1983c)

 

Angelo, A., & Cross, P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques - A handbook for college teachers (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Davis, B. G., Wood, L., & Wilson, R. C. (1983a). A Berkeley compendium of suggestions for teaching with excellence: Balance the difficulty of test items [World Wide Web]. The University of California. Retrieved 20 October, 2002, from the World Wide Web: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/compendium/suggestions/file196.html

Davis, B. G., Wood, L., & Wilson, R. C. (1983b). A Berkeley compendium of suggestions for teaching with excellence: Empathize with students' difficulties in learning [World Wide Web]. The University of California. Retrieved 20 October, 2002, from the World Wide Web: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/compendium/suggestions/file26.html

Davis, B. G., Wood, L., & Wilson, R. C. (1983c). A Berkeley compendium of suggestions for teaching with excellence: Require below "C" level students to see you [World Wide Web]. The University of California. Retrieved 20 October, 2002, from the World Wide Web: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/compendium/suggestions/file120.html

Habeshaw, S., Gibbs, G., & Habeshaw, T. (1992). Fifty-three problems with large classes - Making the best of a bad job. Bristol: Technical & Educational Services.