sometimes students are not aware of how close to failing they are and by keeping them informed they will work harder to pull up their grade also if a student is doing well they could still feel disheartened. by letting them know they are doing well it will encourage them to continue doing so
Jennifer,
Your post brings up anther question about the effectiveness of the grading system in place. If our purpose is to measure learning, then the grading system needs to be fair and accurate. It would great to have a system in place that is reasonable to the student but comprehensive in measuring learning. Too often there's a deficit between "the grade" and information the student has mastered. I think individual time spent with each student, sharing advice and suggestions for success are as important as being the facilitator for the course because it provides an opportunity to fill in the cracks about student performance that grades alone cannot.
Barry Westling
I feel that if you asked the students this question, their answer would be "because I want to know if I'm getting an "A"...or something similar. What I find to be the biggest struggle is getting the student to determine whether or not they have a comprehensive understanding of the concepts and to critically think about whether their grade is the number one factor in determining their overall success and amount they have learned throughout the course. Many times it is important for the student to see "big picture" and evaluate themselves based upon their general knowledge of the subject.
David,
This sounds good. Students should value their special personal time they have with their instructor, and besides informing of status, needs a student may have can be expressed and solutions explored.
Barry Westling
It is important to keep all students aware of their progress in your course, this can help the student know how they are doing in the course and help the instructor know which students might need some extra attention and or tutoring.
John,
This is a great behavior to exhibit in the classroom and I think students benefit from the "instantaneous nature" of on the spot grading. I do this with quizzes, but tests take a little longer. Still, I try to prioritize getting student grade information to them as quickly as possible.
Barry Westling
Christopher,
I don't think we can underestimate the value of the importance sharing grade and performance status with students. They appreciate it and benefit from sincere advice and suggestions given by experienced educators who convey care and concern for their students successfulness.
Barry Westling
Paul,
One way we show we care is providing valuable suggestions, advioce and encouragement, even if it's informal. The more frequent we can do this, the more trust, respect, and credibility an instructor will receive from their students.
Barry Westling
Gina,
Mid term reports are great. The more frequent we can give feedback, even if it's informal, student swill both appreciate and benefit from the valuable advice and suggestions from a conscientious instructor.
Barry Westling
Cheryl,
Good instructor communication involves progress made as much as being the facilitator of providing new information.
Barry Westling
I hope this doesn't sound naive or frivolous, but I have found that learning about dog training has helped my teaching. We lost three older dogs in the past year and acquired two new puppies. Determined to raise them to be better behaved than our past pets, I have devoted serious time and effort to learning about dog training from professionals. One of the most basic critical priniciples is using reinforcement as close to the behaviour as possible. With dogs the rule is within 30 seconds. With this in mind, I began experimenting with grading tests one by one as they are completed and returning them immediately. This has been very well received by my students. One might reasonably think that the highest achieving students would not benefit as much from quick feedback as those less accomplished, but I have found the opposite to be true. The highest achievers seem to put more pressure upon themselves and are more anxious in spite of their consistent high scores.
Although grades are online, instructor and Program Director contact with the student is vital when grades drop below acceptable levels. This prevents a greitgating circumstances that can be addressed with student services to at deal of misunderstanding by the student and often encourages them to improve before it is to late. At times,there are mitigating circumstances such as housing or loss of work that can be addressed through Student services to help the student improve.
When grades are good, then keeping students informed helps keep up the energy and mometum.
It is important to keep students informed of their status in the course at all times because that is a teacher’s professional courtesy. Students will be inquisitive by nature, and will want to know where they stand in the class. Being able to produce a students status instantly lets the student know that you care about their progress.
That way it gives them an idea of how well they are doing in a course. Our school sends out midterm advising forms that show how well a student is doing in class.
So they know where they stand and where to improve.
Ricmanuel,
Yes. Motivation is derived when students sense they are making progress towards something they value. We have the opportunity to provide that information to help motivate and inspire.
Barry Westling
It keeps the students on track and motivated.
Heather,
I try to meet personally a few times over my term (19 weeks). I use electronic grading where students can see their grades and progress immediately, 24/7. Even so, my time visiting with with them gives me the opportunity to praise, recognize, support and encourage, as well as give advice and suggestions. This helps foster trust and build respect between me and my students.
Barry Westling
students should know where they stand in the course at all times. It should not be a surprise to the student that they failed or did not do well in the class. This will help the student to know if they are meeting the goals and standards of the class or that they have set for themselves.
Richard,
Reassurance is really a helpful trait that can provide optimism, hope, and inspiration, even to students who may not be performing at their best. I think whenever we can personalize information sharing it promotes a more positive student-instructor rapport, which by itself can add to improved student performance.
Barry Westling
