To be effective the evaluation system must show the actual learning that took place...Grades are a means to an end, only necessary to gauge the learners grasp of material... concepts and how to place them into practice. Ultimatly when the student leaves, grades are important to help in securing a job, but then the actual learning takes over and keeps them in the position that they have acquired. Much of the grading process should therefore be placed on the actual performance of the learned task in a lab environment. A balance of the two should lead to success. To little book learning and we don't understand what goes into the process, too much and we become book smart and loose sight of the task to proform. Example: Basic electrical principles learned by book and on paper are great, but seeing a student diagnose an electircal fault to a successful conclusion shows the learning has worked....I do agree with the course material relating to useless busy work which can lead to loss of interest or overwhelm a student and make them loose focus. Funny thing, from my earliset memory I personally recall school and expectations to be surrounded by getting that perfect grade, you know people telling their children, here is a reward for a good grade...Ironic don't you think?
Hi John:
Well, you certainly have a good point. Of course, the lesson surrounded the topic for when an instructor is in the process of developing their grading system. At many institutions, this is a practice that occurs each time a new class begins.
Regards, Barry
Where I work the grading system is already "set in stone". We have to follow the grading sytem to a "T". It would not be fair for one student to take a course with a certain grading system and then another student gets another grading system when they take the same course with a different Instructor.
Hi Ryan:
Yes, in you situation, that would be a lttle more difficult. I would employ the Socratic method in this instance. This is essentially asking qquestions, then responding to the student. In this way, you as the instructor can determine hoiw much you are "clarifying" and how much the student is asking you to tell them the answer.
Regards, Barry
I teach a canned course so the entire curriculum including the grading polices are already set. This makes it easy for students to move from class to class and not have to adjust every three weeks. The only challenge that I face is on the final hands on evaluation, which is pass or fail for the course. Some students need a little help understanding the text of the test they are performing. It is a fine line between helping with comprehension of how a test step is written and guide a student with a concept that they didn’t learn in the course.
Hi Ronald:
I suppose at times most teachers find students that they enjoy as individuals more than others in the class. Of course, as professionls, when setting up testing and grading, all students have to treated equally and given the same opportunities.
Regards, Barry
It has been my experience to be consistant with all students and to not play favorites. This can get sticky just because you like some one better that should not interfer with the individuals grade.
Hi Thomas:
Sounds like you are using a very specific grading system that works for you and your students. Great!
Regards, Barry
Hi Andy:
Flexibility in the evaluation is great (if you have authority to modify it - many instructors do not). Tweaking things to fit the student types, class, or topic can be very helpful.
Regards, Barry
Hi Andy:
I understand. Some instructors are just set against EC. But others are fine with it. Mainly, if it's used, you want to make sure its fair and available to everyone.
Regards, Barry
Hi Andy:
Great. Student Learning Outcomes (SLO's) define the class and help determine what you're going to assess.
Regards, Barry
I find paper tests are cut dry. we use standard tests for the class.!0 points 7=70, 8=80, 9=90,10=100. Lab sheets are given 10 points. 5 for paper work quality. 5 points for what I observe in labs setting as far as skill level. fair is using the same standards Safety, tool usage and how course contend is applied and resources are used to OEM. standards .
Hi Brian,
I tend to agree, hoever it also should depend on the type of school or class I am teaching at. I know that I need to grade on-line students different than on-ground students. even the type of assignments given are different, therefore we need to always be flexible as well with our grading scales.
Hi Steve,
I don't mind giving extra credit if the student is current on their assignments and feel as if they are on the border of a grade.
From my experience, not many students will even take advantage of it, so if someone does the extra credit assignment, I feel as if they care about the topics.
Hi Barry,
Basically, I feel the biggest challenge is making sure that I reach the objectives of the class. I want to make sure that the grading is lined up properly with the assignments that is fare for the students as well as acheivable.
Hi Steve:
I'll have to say that extra credit is a controverssial subject as not all teachers embrace the idea of awarding it.
With that said, I can add that when it is used, sometimes the EC can contribute just enough to get a good student a passing grade when circumstances have prevented completion or delays or poorer performance with the regular assignments. Others might say that, while unfortunate the circumstances, earned points are the only ones that count towards the grade.
If used, it absolutely has to be fairly administered and should be presented at the beginning of a course to avoid accusations of favortisism.
Regards, Barry
I am not a fan of extra credit. Often times extra credit ends up being a reward for previously poor grades. If a grading structure is well set up, there should be no reason for extra credit. Grading must be an objective way of determining progress.
Hi Stephen:
I think experienced instructors are familiar with the slower student who takes more time for an assignment than others in the class. I've always admired those students who go on to achieve success inb their profession who were slow learners but stuck with it. It's inspirational!
Regards, Barry
My biggest challenge in setting up a grading system is rewarding effort, as opposed to just results. Some students enter my class with more experience/ higher skill level, and thus achieve results with less effort, while others struggle just to achieve competancy. And yet the work ethic and habits developed by the strugglers oftens produces better long term results. But it's difficult within a strictly competancy-based evaluation system to evaluate to this.
Hi Chan:
Hopefully, instructors can have some input into the grading system and evaluation process. Good ideas come from all elements of the school, not least among them the instructors.
Regards, Barry
