David,
Either way, informing students helps them know where they stand. And I think any time an instructor can communicate personally with their students, that adds trust (and perhaps respect) among the students towards their instructor.
Barry Westling
Kathryn,
Yes, and adult learners are savvy consumers who want (and deserve) current, up to date information about their status in order to make decisions regarding improvement or areas that may need more attention.
Barry Westling
It is important to let students know what their grades are as quickly as possible so the students know how they are doing in the class. This gives the the opportunity to improve if they are not doing well. On the down side of this topic, sometimes students choose not to attend class on days in which they can "afford" not to earn the points.
It keeps the students motivated and gives them tangible feedback as to how they are performing. If they are doing well they will want to continue doing so. If they are doing poor then they are motivated to perform better.
Andrea,
Good comments about student accountability. We can assist the process by keeping them informed, but they are ultimately responsible to do the work and keep on top of their performance and status.
Barry Westling
Joel,
Holding students accountable is good. We can assist, but little kids, there is something about a shared responsibility for keeping track of their performance. Anything written, signed by the stuident, is always a good idea.
Barry Westling
Spring,
Yes, trust, and respect. If we convey care, concern, and offer encouragement that assists better performance, students become aligned with the instructional plan, and better student outcomes is the likely result.
Barry Westling
Heather,
Yep! And all communication an instructor can provide conveys care, concern, and a willingness to assist.
Barry Westling
I feel it is important to keep students informed of their status at all times to keep their anxiety down. Instructors often forget that we literally hold the future of our students in our hands. Failing a course can have a detrimental effect on the student and his or her family. Keeping them informed of their status allows them to make adult decision regarding preparation and study combined with their non-school responsibilities.
I encourage my students to track their grades weekly. This encourages them to be proactive rather than reactive.
We also post mid term grades at the 1/2 way point in the course. This is a good indicator for the student of where they stand. Also at any point during the course we can fill out student action reports. This can be used if a student has excessive absences or is in danger of failing. The student must sign the form so this usually has a good imapct as they realize the situation they've put themselves in.
The main reason that it is important that you keep your students informed in the class is so they understand where they are in the class. If you do not speak with them, then you are not assisting them with their career goals, they can say well my instructor never spoke to me about my grades in the class and so forth. Speaking to your students also builds trust.
Keeping the student informed of their status helps to encourages them. The student need positive reinforcement. A good grade highlights strong points, where a lower grade brings to the student's as well as the instructor weak points.
Nashon,
I think the personal contact we give students can convey performance, but also do many other things like allow us to listen to their needs, share steps for success, and boost their hopes for completing the class.
Barry Westling
This is a must because it helps to boost the confidence of the student doing well and also helps the student that are not doing so well to understand the support needed.
Roy,
Great! As adult learners, they are also consumers who want (and need) feedback for reassurance or guidance if improvement is needed.
Barry Westling
Marco,
It is the responsibility of the instructor to keep their grades up to date. Adult learners are apt consumers and want information that pertains to their grades and performance. Students should also be responsible to keep track of their own progess.
Barry Westling
Kelly,
Right, conveying performance status, sharing grade information is needed, as is offering support, encouragement, and advice about success strategies. Sometimes, just the personal connection will provide the student with added hope for success in their class.
Barry Westling
I find that if I post students grades by the next class meeting, they seem to be better able to judge their own progress, or lack thereof, and can bring them a sense of accomplishment.
Students should be informed at all times of status in the course. There status should never be a surprise.
However, this is not something that is done over night. Teachers need to update their grades by grading things in a timely manner. This takes a lot of time and is sometimes really hard to complete.
As a former student, just finished grad school, I found that being informed by a professor of my progress in a class helped me to evaluate my performance. Not knowing if they level of work is high enough can be daunting. It also helps to reassure a student that they are performing well. By knowing their strengths and weakness in your course, a student can adjust performance.
