Students grading their own work
I have tried this method with very good results. I will print out the key and as a student finishes the test, I quickly check it over to make sure all answers are filled in, hand them a red pen, and let them grade their own test. They love the instant feedback and I have never had a problem with dishonesty. It also shows them that I trust them which teaches them integrity and ethics.
Angela, Sounds like a great approach to speed grading. Some schools have confidentiality rules in place that prevent student grading. You can work within those guidelines by assigning each student a unique code number. Tell the student to use the code number instead of their name on their exam.
Dr. Melissa Read
I have never thought to allow the student to grade their own assignment, but I allowed them to switch assignments and grade their class mate (only the the students agree to allow others to see their work)
I agree with this being risky depending upon the course. I have had to abandon this practice for work that required easily changeable answers. I have yet to experience a class where one student takes the opportunity to change their work and submitt altered work. There is no way to call the student out on such behavior and it is extreeemly unfair to the honest students. I prefer to check the work myself, return the graded work with references to the correct answers and then go over it in class. It takes more of my time but I feel like I owe it to the class, as a whole, not to allow the opportunity for cheating.
Yes, and identifying those opportunities can be tremendously helpful Ray.
Indeed true Christopher. If you can keep them honest in their assessments, the self grading is a fabulous learning opportunity.
I allow my students to grade their own homework assignments. I believe it opens up a meaningful discussion and helps highlight areas where the students may be stuggling.
I agree, it also shows them what subject areas that they are going to need to work harder on.
I have not tried this in class, but I am very interested in doing so and seeing the results, thanks for sharing.
I think this method really depends on the type of work.
If this was for math, I would fully agree. The student can logically see what was added incorrectly and have a better understanding future math problems.
However, should the assignment be a personal reflection essay, a student may become upset in grading herself for grammer errors over a sensative topic so soon after writing. More emotion is placed in the writing tasks than math, social studies, or science.
Perhaps the best way to go about this having a student self-grade a writing assignment is to give the first or second assignment back to the studnent at the end of the course. Since time has passed and additional knowledge has been gained, the student may feel more comfortable and have the ability to objectify her personal writing.
I love this method because the students can ask if they awnsered incorrectly and understand why.
I do use this method. The students do appreciate the instant feedback, but at the beginning of the term I ask the class if everyone is comfortable with their fellow students knowing their scores.
It is amazing how much color can impact perception Melissa. This is a really great point and key consideration. We must make sure our feedback is positively received.
I agree with you. I too do not like using a red pen. I choose to use black or blue so that students do not focus on the negativity of getting something wrong. I would rather them focus on what information they missed and why they missed it (what if any misunderstandings they have). I also have to agree that even though I want to trust all students, I know that not all students will be honest.
I use this method as well. It allows them for immediate feedback and if I need to reiterate any materials, this is the time for me to do so.
My experience has shown the students have enjoyed grading their own work. They like the instant gratification of knowing how they did. Additionally, they can ask questions if appropriate. It is also better to resolve any disputes as quick as possible.
I think having students grade their own work can be risky depending on the type of student it is. Not all students are trustworthy. It may help save time, but in the long run if you have to go back over it, how much time have you saved? One thing that you stated was giving them a red pen. One of the things that was impressed upon our class in education was that a red pen can be seen as a negative. It is bold, red can be seen as an angry color. It can make small mistakes look worse than they really are. I prefer to grade my own tests because I can then see where that student may be confused about the material, and where clarification may be needed. One last thing, if many students miss the same question, then maybe it's the question and not the student.
Excellent, I'm so glad to hear this method works for you Harry. It's more than just a way to grade efficiently. It's also a wonderful learning experience for the students. So there's double value in it!
