Classroom Assessment Techniques

Originally published September 25, 2026

Classroom Assessment Techniques: Small Activities, Meaningful Feedback

Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) refer to diverse, often ungraded classroom activities that provide formative feedback on what students have learned that day or in any given moment in your course (Angelo & Cross 1993; Zakrajsek 2025). Instructors can use this feedback to shape elements of the course, clarify difficult concepts or make small adjustments while learning is still in progress in the course. Students can also use the timely feedback from CATs to “take an active role in their education” by identifying gaps in learning and what effort they need to put in before a major, graded assessment (Angelo & Zakrajsek 2024).

Instructors can run CATs synchronously in their classes through analog approaches, like collecting index card responses, or through digital tools, like iClickers or MS Forms or, to use CATs asynchronously, instructors can create surveys on MyLS or link out to polling software such as Mentimeter, Poll Everywhere or even MS Forms. Whether used occasionally, such as at the mid-point of a term, or at regular intervals throughout the course, CATs can help instructors make evidence-informed teaching decisions while giving students opportunities to reflect on and strengthen their learning.

Below are some examples of CATs to consider adopting in your teaching practice:

CATs for assessing and applying course-related knowledge and skills

• Background Knowledge Probe: use this short, simple diagnostic questionnaire before the start of term or prior to the start of a new unit or topic to assess what students already know and what areas require further development. For example, ask students to define or explain key terms or concepts to gauge the existing level of knowledge on that topic and engage students accordingly.

• Application Cards: on an index card, ask students to list real world examples where course concepts (theory, process, application) could be applied or demonstrated. Students are assessed on whether they can apply their in-class learning to contexts outside of the course.

• Recall, Summarize, Question, Connect and Comment (RSQC2): to elevate application and retrieval practices for long-term knowledge retention, ask students to recall and briefly summarize key ideas or concepts from the day, identify a question they still have, and to connect and comment on how that learning relates to a previous class or topic (see also “Closing Connections” in Lang 2016).

CATs for supporting student reflection & self-awareness

• Muddiest Point: collect quick student feedback on the most unclear material in a class by asking students, “What was the muddiest point in this class/unit/etc.?” Instructors can use this activity to reflect on how well they explained topics or how difficult a particular topic was for students to understand. Share back common themes or questions to help show that being ‘stuck’ is a part of the learning process and to address and discuss answers where further clarity was needed. 

• One Minute Paper: similar to the ‘muddiest point,’ ask students to reflect on and answer two questions, based on that day’s lesson, to recall what they’ve learned and what they’re still wondering or struggling with: “What is the most important thing you learned during this class/unit” and “What was the most confusing aspect of today’s session?” Asking focused questions supports students in reflecting on what they can recall in a short duration (60 seconds or thereabouts) and provides instructors with quick feedback on any gaps in student learning.

• Process Analysis: students outline their learning process for completing an assignment or task. For example, ask students to draw what their literature review process looked like or for them to outline the steps they took to solving a problem or case study. Afterwards, share your own process or have them share with each other to help build awareness of both where they might have gaps or errors and/or how there can be different approaches to achieving the same goals (see also “Constructive Error Climate,” He 2020).

CATs for gathering evidence of teaching effectiveness

• Start-Stop-Continue: open-ended questions can be used to collect anonymous feedback half-way through the course to receive focused information on what potential changes or additions can be made to better engage and enhance student learning before the term is done. Ask “what strategies should I start/stop/continue doing to assist with your learning in the remaining weeks of class.”

• Teacher-Designed Feedback Forms: after a class session or in-class activity, ask students to respond to specific questions on how effective the content delivery or class activity was that day. Anonymous responses can be used to reflect on and evaluate the effectiveness of specific teaching strategies, classroom activities or even content delivery methods.

• Assignment Assessments: ask students 2 or 3 open-ended questions regarding the purpose, value and contribution to their learning of a particular assignment (“How did the assignment support a course learning outcome” or “What aspects were the most or least effective”). This CAT offers instructors insight into students’ learning (what did they get out of the assignment) and the effectiveness of the assignment design.

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