I find this most difficult when a new course is being taught. Whether it is new to me or new to the program. Both of these circumstances create difficulty for me because of the simple fact that I may teach some of th material differently thn others. Of course I am staying within the guidelines of the school and course objectives but this seems to create issues for me.
Hi Lori:
I agree, and will add that electronic records and grading systems make this a somewhat more accessible task. Some classeses that put too much weight on categories that less important interferes with our purpose to measure learning, or to what degree learning occured.
Regards, Barry
I think it is incredibly important to set up a grading system that is crystal clear to the student. The student should not only know how many points he/she earned but what that breaks down to in percentage points as well as the ultimate final grade break down. This also goes hand in hand with clear and detailed feedback on each assignment. By reading the instructor's feedback a student should have no question as to how many points were deducted and why.
Hi Paul:
Great! I think clear expectations is among the biggest problems teachers encounter when they experience difficulty with student understanding. These goals, objectives, and standards should be clearly reviewed beforehand, in writing, and reinforced regularly. It's rare that a student can recall every bit of information presented on just one or two presentations.
Regards, Barry
Before going to an eletronic system the biggest issue was not setting up the system but getting on time access to the students. The students have immediate access as I grade the assignment and enter the assignment with our new system. The only other issue I see is making sure the student is well aware of the grading system and the expectations. This is posted on my website, in their syllabus and in the course description.
One of the biggest challenges is spreading out grades evenly. As an instructor one should be careful to not make one area to large of a percentage towards the final grade so that it won't make or break a student.
I think one big challenge is finding a good balance between theoretical evaluation and practical evaluation. I teach a speech class, so there is plenty of both types of knowledge. I have to be careful not to let either the quizzes on information from the book/lectures or the practical speeches carry too much weight. There should be that balance so I know the students can both understand the theory behind speech composition and the practice of speech delivery. Thus, I have to have a grading system that ends up scoring both areas of knowledge fairly evenly.
That some students grade on a different level. Some students are book smart but skills are not up to part then you have students with good lab skills and no knowledge on the books
Hi Anna:
Many teachers will use a grading rubric, a tool that defines in advance how many points one will recieve depending on various factors. This should be developed and discussed at the beginning of a class, and obligates both teacher and student to it's rules. This the objective way to assess performance fairly and evenly to all students uniformly.
Regards, Barry
The biggest challenge as I see it is everything that is left for interpretation, meaning whatever is left to instructor’s discretion. I always point out on the beginning of the course that some grading categories are left to instructor’s discretion, but I find it sometimes difficult to justify and explain.
Hi Quebec:
Balanced component grading, although sometimes difficult to achieve, provides the most realistic evaluation of a students progress. This system is also most beneficial when students are given all the grading requirements at the start of a class, and the teacher is diligent to follow the rules uniformly for all students. Using a grading rubric can also help assure objectivity.
Regards, Barry
Every instructor wants to make sure that their grading system is fair. With setting up a grading system, there must be consistency and fairness. There should also be areas that reflect "just in case" moments. As an instructor, it is important to spell out the specifications and expectations for the course on day one so that there are no misunderstandings. Continuously reinforce and encourage students to meet deadlines and not procrastinate when submitting and preparing for exams and projects.
Setting up a grading system requires that enough points have been allotted to an assessment element so that the student pays attention. One needs to weigh the importance of that learning activity over others without minimizing the importance of any one. Looking over the types of learning activities and balancing their importance on the point system is a real challenge.
The biggest challenge is when the facility you work for already have a set grading system that might not work for some students. Some students are more hands on and test taking is not there strong suit. I wish sometimes i can accomodate those students. They will recieve a much higher grade but I have to follow protocol.
I grade tests and exams most strictly, as they are the summation of knowledge up to that point. I also grade projects strictly, because they take alot of work, and are a good example of how the student can think and convey his/her thoughts and reasonings. The challenge here is to make sure the students know that all things are NOT going to be graded equally, and that everything counts, and that they should devote attention to doing well in all aspects of the course.
Hi Elizabeth:
If your institution allows, you can incorporate oral assessments as part of your grade. If students are underchallenged by traditional testing models, try new ones that are more "on the spot".
Regards, Barry
Hi Simone:
One thing that may help is setting up a rubric in your class syllabus and giving it out to the students the first day of class so the expectations are clear and recognizable from day one.
Regards, Barry
If there are rubrics, then it's pretty easy. If there are no rubrics, then you have to evaluate what is important and assign points to that more so than areas of learning that are not as critical. Plus, you have to make sure you give the proper emphasis when teaching the students too, so they have an idea and will have a better chance for success.
One of the biggest challenges I have is weighting several key outcomes against one another, compressing them into a single score--sometimes it seems nicer if you could just weight several things over 100 points! Somehow, normalizing grades to where homeworks are diminished in value for example can seem to defy what you intend where the "scope" of a set of assignments is concerned.
I teach Public Speaking and I find it hard to evaluate each student because there are so many levels of ability.
I use a rubric for all speeches and change the point totals and information needed for each one and all are posted on our portal system so they can see what each category is worth and what I'm looking for in each category.
Rubrics seem to cut down on the "how come I got this grade" and also helps them improve the next time. I also increase the point totals for each speech as the term goes along.
