Lab Grading
I started having students turn in their labs during lab as soon as they finish them. This way, if there are blank lines they can either fill them in, or they know they lose credit.
I bring a small file box with me, and as they turn them in, I evaluate them and check off their name on a grade sheet.
This way the labs get graded instantly and seems to keep the students more accountable for their lab time.
Hi Susan:
I do something like you are doing. At my school, we have a grading component called Professional Development. It's a catch-all category that can include, dress, hygiene, attendance, cooperation - and related things like that. It represents 10% of a students grade so it could potentially lower a students overall grade by one whole letter grade.
I too believe lab is for practice. Call it dry-runs, rehearsals, skills development, whatever, this time should be for perfecting specific tasks through demonstration, repetition, and perfecting. However, in my particular work setting, there is also clincal performance among hospitalized patients. At various points in the course there are clinical performance exams. These assessment allow the student to demonstrate the application of the skills they learned in lab and perfected in the hospital.
Regards, Barry
I agree that it is not fair to students to penalize them for learning in a hands-on lab. They learn by accomplishments and mistakes. They need the experiences to actually grasp the knowledge. Unless a student is blatantly not participating, points are not taken away because their technique was incorrect. Areas that I am more vigilant in reducing possible daily points are in professionalism/teamwork, class preparedness (ie: homework), and safety.
Hi Lisa:
Good discussion post, Lisa. Lab grading is one of those areas thart overlaps, pure lab, lab instruction, clinical, or academic instruction. Students learn by doing. Assessing how much a student learned can be a very very convoluted process. Sound like you've found a method that works for you.
Regards, Barry
Our lab grades are based partly on participation and partly on correctly completeling the task. I feel this helps the student feel like they accomplished something even if done incorrectly. It also gives me the opportunity to evaluate my lab teaching style and help the student achieve the lab objective by going over what they did correctly and what they need to work on.
Hi Yesenia:
In many classes, lab is where the student really gets to get their hands dirty, make mistakes, receice advice, and improve through practice, practice, practice. This is what makes good students.
Regards, Barry
We don't quiz our students in lab, but they are required to do a lab practical at the end of their 5 week course. When I'm working with them in lab I check for set up, performance, safety, and clean up. I give them positive feedback and make corrections when I feel they need them. Because they are learning venipunctures, they are required to keep a log of their performance which i sign off. I do feel that it would be beneficial to incorporate a lab quiz every now and then, but that is up to the school.
Hi Teri:
Getting students to discuss their learning expereinces is a great method to interact with the teacher and can assist them feel reinfored in their learning. Although this activity takes a bit more time, it can be invaluable towards cementing relationships and the opportunity to give recognition and advice.
Regards, Barry
We have lab for most of our 7 hour day. I usually bring the class back together the last 1/2 hour of the day and have discussion about what they did and how they feel about their services that day. Many time I can get a student to participate in discussion talking about their experiences when I have trouble in pulling them out in the theory section of our class. All in all I try to bring each person in and that seems to balance the class much better and I have a way to grade class participation.
Teri Lynn Clark
Hi David:
You've found a way to help keep students on track and perhaps stretch a little with information they're unsure of. It sounds like this is workig for you very well. Good job - thanks for sharing.
Regards, Barry
