A professor asks his students to write down core ideas that they learned during that class on a piece of paper. These ideas can be the concepts the student understands the most or concepts that needs clarification. These are usually submitted at the end of class and any issues are addressed by the professor at the beginning of their next session. This is a simple and effective direct reaction method that allows the professor to quickly evaluate the class' overall performance.
In this exercise, students are asked to apply a concept learned in class in a real life situation. This exercise tests a student's true understanding of the concept. From this exercise, the professor can immediately identify potential problems in the content's clarity; for example, a professor may need to explain a philosophy concept again if a student applies it to an incorrect real-life behavior. Additionally, this exercise also allows students to remember main concepts by tying them directly to a real-life object or situation.
Students may be asked to keep a personal journal that is closely tied to the course or as a reflective tool in their learning. This is a self-monitoring tool that professors use in order to track learning growth throughout the semester. Some possible ways to keep a journal are as a comprehensive variant of the application card where broad concepts are applied in real-life situations or to document their ongoing attitudes about assignments, projects and content in the class.
Commonly used by school boards and accrediting organizations, this method requires a reviewer to sit in a class and take notes on a professor's style of teaching. The reviewer makes qualitative notes on a professor's delivery of content, student interaction and overall class impression. Reviewers can then talk to the professor afterward and discuss her subjective observations on the class. In formal peer-review sessions, however, accrediting organizations may require reviewers to assess a professor against standardized qualifications; this would be used as a measure to critique the professor's competency and to make suggestions for improvement.