One of the probable results of reviewing the assessment techniques outlined in Angelo and Cross is that many faculty will recognize that they have been utilizing some of these activities in their classes without being aware that the activities were named and had formal identification with assessment. The assessment techniques discussed by Angelo and Cross should be considered to be examples that can be easily modified to a particular situation in individual classes. Similarly, a wide variety of additional resource materials are available that may provide starting points for the development of techniques tailored to individual classroom situations. Our initial task is determining which problem-solving technique to use or adapt to our classrooms. Examples of common problems are presented to students and they are expected to identify the basic type of problem represented by each example.
Students often view problems as separate or distinct situations that share little common features.
Recognition of problem types is the first step to solving the problem and increasing the student's experience in understanding the type of problem involved should increase the speed and accuracy with which subsequent problems are solved. Faculty benefit by learning if students are correctly identifying types of problems. If students are incorrectly classifying the types of problems, corrective measures may be taken. The material to be presented in any course can be presented more efficiently and effectively when students quickly recognize the type of problem involved. Each individual example should represent only one type of problem type.