Bonus or Extra Credits Points
I would like to know or if teachers subscribe to handing out bonus/extra credit projects. This has been a real question for me. I am not sure if this is something that should be on the sylabus at the beginning of the class or given to individual students to bring up their grade. It is a question that is faced in grading and I would like to know how teachers handle it.
josh
I see it differently.
We offer extra credit. and I find that 90% of the students who respond to the offer to earn extra credit are studentss you don't need it anyway- students who are "good students"
I see it differently.
We offer extra credit. and I find that 90% of the students who respond to the offer to earn extra credit are studentss you don't need it anyway- students who are "good students"
HI Christian- Welcome to ED 103! I agree that it is important to make sure that the "extra points" are earned on projects/papers that truly involve significant extra work. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career! Susan
I always offer extra credit opportunities to my students, but I think it's very important to make sure to offer the same opportunities for all students (the A students looking to keep their A as well as the struggling students who need a boost to pass). I make sure that the students work hard for these extra points in certain areas covered in the class (writing an extra paper, etc.). This way they gain even more of an educational experience in appropriate subject matter while putting in an effort to raise their grade.
I taught a class that didn't have any extra credit available. When I became the lead instructor, I was able to develop an extra credit assignment. The only students who took advantage of this were the "A" students who were in fear of not keeping their status. The students who had poor grades RARELY did extra credit. Now, I only offer bonus questions on assesments but in a different context to also make it fair for the students who don't test well.
I agree. My thought on grading is that students start off with an A in class and how they perform will guage how many points they have left. If a student is focusing and participating as required, even bad test takers have a chance.
Hi Josh - good point! I often see instructors giving extra credit to students who are in danger of failing because they have not been attending or turning in assignments. This, in my opinion, only reinforces that behavior.
This is a good guideline for giving bonus/extra credit points, especially for students that don't test well but know the course content. But how about the marginal students, those that miss some classes and hand in work late, what do you do with those students? Should extra credit be arbitary?
josh
I have given bonus points. There is a criteria for being able to get bonus points. First you have to earn them. Not all students test well. Therefore, the student who has shown effort, has stayed after school for extra help, & offered to do an extra assignment, I will allow bonus points. These points will boost a failing grade but will not be enough to give them 100. The extra project is evaluated to make sure the student has learnt the information. The whole point is to make sure your student knows the material. If by doing an extra credit or bonus project helps them understand the content of the lecture then I don't see anything wrong with it.
I do not believe in giving bonus or extra credit points. I have found in the past that the students who ask for extra credit are the ones that were slacking off all quarter in the first place. I mainly do not use extra credit for the reason that I believe I am rewarding students who were not recieving the actual credit for the class in the first place.
I do reward good students at the end of the quarter. If they are on the border of the next grade up, I will look at their points, participation, etc. and boost them up if they were good and acted responsibly. That is the only form of bonus points I give.
