Hi Dave:
A challenge many instructors face is how to maintain consistency. Some methods are oulined in this module. Good instructors will always be looking to assure consistency in their tests and quizzes and evaluations.
Regards, Barry Westling
Hi Scott:
Correct, fair and flexible they should be. Fairness is best assured when consistent policies and planning are employed. An instructor wants to be sure their tests measure what topic content is applicable to their course.
Regards, Barry Westling
exactly, it has to be consistent to be effective. I think consistency is the key.
Hi Tim:
Isn't it interesting how different instructors approach the grading for lab sessions?
Of course, there is no correct answer for use in every setting. So that is going to require the instructor to evaluate what learning outcomes are important or essential to the learning experince. Sometimes, this takes some thought and planning.
I could argue that if just doing the lab meets the desired learning objectives then full credit could be awarded.
However, in my experience, there are usually systematic steps, operations, analysis, and conclusions that are associated with a lab assignment. That is where the quality of the learning is assessed. And from that, points assigned based on components of the lab experience.
Always bring it back to what is the desired learning outcome.
Regards, Barry Westling
We i have alot of labs that are graded.I have seen some instuctors give the students a 100 just for completeing a lab and some will go more into how well and proficient they prefomed the lab.
I like to keep the grade system the same through out and fair to all.
that the grading system will be fair and flexible enough to handle different situations that may occur
Hi John:
Extra credit always has to be treated carefully and to some it's use in the classroom is controversial.
The bottom line is really "what learning has ocurred" rather than "what grade the student has received". But grades are grades and student look to them for feedback about their performance. And obviously there are many grading systems that exist.
Care must be given that top performing students don't feel alienated by lower performing students receiving extra credit. To some students extra credit can be a "dismotivator".
When EC is used, a fair system that the whole class is aware of and understands from the get go will help diminish later difficulties. When EC only comes up at the end of the course is when problems are likely to emerge.
I think your "Honors Work" is an excellent way to both offer EC and utilize it fairly to all students.
Great suggestion from your working experience!
You are right on the money. Students smell unfairness and the tests given must validate material covered. Concerning Extra Credit, to me extra credit can be used to help a student to increase his average grade. However the amount of extra credit must be weighted very carefully. In my class, the extra credit done by a student that already has a grade average of "A" is considered Honor's Work and such is indicated on his report card. This procedure seems to help the better student as well as the poorer student and the material seems to enforce the learning of the student.
It is true we want to use a grading system that is accuarate and fair.
We also want to assess what the student has learned. Graded assessments can do this, but they are not perfect. Care is needed to not overlook assessing a student's performance by a grading system that fails to show the teacher what the student has learned.
For instance, a written test may assess information the teacher feels is important. But some students may not be able to express their knowledge through written work and therefore, may not appaer to perform well.
Having a variety of assessment tools will help assure the teacher that all students are assessed fairly and comprehensively.
