What they learned, what I learned: pre and post-assessment

They learned some logic, I learned some things about teaching and learning logic.  That makes us a pretty happy bunch.  One of the best moments in class this semester was the penultimate day, just before the final exam, when I handed out the same pre-assessment we had done on the first day of class.

On that first day, students approached the logic questions on the worksheet with wrinkled brows, worried frowns, and a little confusion.  While many students were able to reason through the logic of the questions and get some right answers, there wasn't much confidence.  When I handed them the same questions THIS week, I saw expressions of relief, comfort, and confidence.  They were smiling.  Students were able to quickly get the right answers, and were confident not only in their answers, but in why they were correct and what efficient logical rules and structures got them there.

Most importantly, students were also able see just how much they've learned in Logic this semester, and have a sense of accomplishment in what they've done.  I'm confident that this boosted their logical self-esteem going into the final, and also likely reinforced everything they've learned as they leave the class (hopefully to apply their logical tools throughout the rest of their lives).  Of course, it also gives me a sense of what this class has learned, as I continue to change and build the course from year to year.

So, that's one thing I've learned:  the value of a pre and post-assessment assignment.  Seeing the calm and confident way in which students used logic by the end of the semester in comparison with the start was a bright moment for me.