Assessing students’ prior knowledge allows you to target knowledge gaps and misconceptions, as well as to create a bridge between students’ previous knowledge and new material. This also helps students to construct connections between old and new knowledge. 

Strategies for Assessing Prior Knowledge 

You may decide to provide a class activity, pre-class assessment, or a survey at the beginning of the semester. For example:

• Make a list of 10-15 statements related to course content, including commonly held misconceptions. Have students mark "true" or "false" next to each statement.
• Use Canvas Quizzes and Qualtrics Surveys:
  • Create a series of multiple-choice questions.
  • Post to Canvas as an assignment for the first class.
  • Do not grade the assignment, except perhaps to assign participation points.
• Prepare two or three open-ended questions. Ask students to respond in two or three sentences to each question.
• Create a Gallery Walk:  
  • Place images, graphs, and excerpts from upcoming course content in the middle of a poster paper. This placement leaves room around the material for students to write.
  • Hang images around the room.
  • Create groups of two to four students.
  • Place one group in front of each poster. Give them five minutes to write observations about what they know or what they’re wondering about the material.

Strategies to Address Learning Gaps

Students come to your class with differing levels of prior knowledge, either from high school or from other university classes. As an instructor, there are several steps you can take to provide support, including providing extra materials, normalizing getting help, checking in early, and assessing student knowledge often.

• Consider providing extra materials such as readings or videos on subjects where you identify that some students may have a learning gap.
• Describe ways to overcome challenges and get help:
  • Share experiences in which you felt challenged and how you overcame the obstacles.
  • Let students know that not only is it acceptable to make mistakes, but also that such struggles are an essential part of learning and growing.
  • Offer several resources for regular help, including office hours, review sessions, online question-and-answer forums, and the Learning Strategies Center’s programs.
  • Emphasize that the earlier instructors and teaching assistants are aware of your situation, the better they are able to support you.
• Facilitate peer support: Guide students on strategies for helping their peers in positive, supportive ways. When students learn together by explaining concepts to one another, it reinforces their understanding of the material.
• Encourage students to form study groups: Explain the importance of a study partner or group and offer opportunities to connect with study partners by: 
  • Helping to match students with a study partner by using questions from this sample questionnaire.
  • Directing students to the Learning Strategies Center’s program for finding study partners.
• Alert students early about their progress in the course: Students might not even know they are behind, and without early feedback, they may not have an opportunity to remedy the situation before the end of the semester. 
• Provide several low-stakes assessments and distribute them evenly throughout the semester to give students an opportunity to recover if they have a rough start. This will offer students plenty of opportunities to demonstrate their learning, practice skills, and adapt to academic life at Cornell.
• Check-in with students often to see what is working or not, and make modifications to the course based on their feedback. Ideas include:
  • Checking in during class verbally or with a classroom poll.
  • Surveying students with the Mid-Semester Feedback Program.
  • Opening up a discussion board.
  • Having TAs meet regularly with designated groups.

To discuss ideas and strategies for supporting students, visit our online drop-in sessions or contact CTI to set up a consultation.