Get Your Students Hired
My biggest challenge is making sure items are wieghted properly. Not puuting too many points in one area, and enough in another.
Hi Erika:
Rubrics are perfect for subject areas and assignments where there could room for some degree of subjectivity. The rubric attempts to define beforehand expectations the teacher will have in grading the assignment, and also gives the student some fore knowledge on what will be needed to earn the designated points.
Some students have commented that, while rubrics helped define what was expected, they relied too much on compliance (in order to earn the points) which interefered with their creativity and freedom in expresssing their ideas in the content of their assignment.
In the end, we want to make sure that we are accurately measuring the degree of learning, or degree to which the students met the student learning oiutcomes. Therefore, balancing the various components and using a variety of categories provides the best method to capture the different learning styles, backgrounds, and levels of difficulty for students.
Regards, Barry
I teach English, and I find that setting up a point system that is objective for essays is one of the most challenging parts for my grading system. In order to create fairness, I created rubrics for each essay that clearly mark the categories for grading, and they detail in each section what is necessary to gain those points. I have found this allows my grading system to be clearer for me and the students. They understand what they need to accomplish, and they understand what they are lacking when they lose points.
Hi James:
Setting up a grading system can be a systematic process and with guidelines (institutional), thought and planning, a little trial and error, a fairly good system can be obtained.
Weights of the different components is probably the biggest challenge. Like you recalled, value vs perception of value.
In the end, we want to be fairly sure that we are measuring student performance and that the grade is a true reflection of learning, not just a compilation of points.
Regards, Barry
The biggest challenge I see with a grading system would be assigning points for each part of the evaluation as an incentive for the student to complete all assign work in a timely fashion to achieve the best grade possible.
I agree with module 105 in that instructors must create a balance between perception and value for the students. The students must have the perception that the work is worth the points being given in relation to the final grade.
Hi Earle:
Objectivity should be tied to objectives. The measure of how close or to what degree the student attained meeting the objectives should be the framework for developing the various assessment components (i.e., balanced). Reviews and study sheets are good ways to make sure everything to be assessed has been covered or at least students know whare they may need for review (fair).
Regards, Barry
Hi Robert:
These questionsprobaby trouble most teachers from time to time.
One way to keep a perspective is to use your course learning objectives. Weighing what seems to be most impotant alomg with th methods of evaluating those segments is one approach.
Having a variety of frequent, smaller daily measures helps balance grading as well. Over time the homework, exercises, discussion, projects, and related assignemnts begin to give a teacher a sense of who is doing the work, who isgrasping the material, and where a shift in emphasis may need to be made.
Regards, Barry
Making sure is objective, fair and balanced. I personally track all test questions and total grades of all classes to ensure they are statistically relevant.
For me, it's the small minutiae that I use to determine the admittedly subjective element of grading. If and when it comes to incorporating such things as class participation (and it does), I constantly wrestle with the percentages. I always reassure students that I don't operate on a quota system (because I don't want students to feel obligated to make some trivial comment just to hit their quota, and because I don't want to walk around with a clipboard recording who said what). But then I have to decide - does the guy who *appeared* to nod thoughtfully and take in the class lecture but never made any comments or questions get the same points as the class clown who made a couple useful comments but also got the class distracted? Do I want students to earn and accumulate points in order to earn their way up to the 100 (or whatever) by participation and professionalism, or do I start students at 100 and then deduct for insufficient participation?
I am always confident in my ability to assess grading, but less confident that I'm being fair and consistent and defensible in making those subjective decisions about participation.
Hi Ruth:
Designing a grading system becomes a bit easier if we rely on well written course objectives and student learning outcomes (SLO's).
Once we know what is to be taught, then the instructional component is the primary focus.
Grading systems shouldmeasure student learning, and that learning should have come mostly from the SLO's and objectives. The way to measure are numerous. And we want balance so that students who may have different leraning styles to be able to demonstrate their abilities as well.
Variety in selecting component grading usually provides a good way to balane grading, so that there is not too much weigh on a single component.
Overall we want to be assured the student gained the knowledge - not mastered some process we've conjured up.
Regards, Barry
The greatest challenge for setting up a grading system is first deciding and determining what should be graded, how, and why. Picking the right system for you, that you are comfortable with and can give you what you need as the instructor and how it impacts the students. For years I have only wanted the actual grade book that I have in my hand. Recently I have been using gradekeeper and once I set it up for the semester with the categories and scores, it is a God-send. It helps with students who are jittery about where they stand as I can immediately tell them how they are doing, what they are missing, and what they need help in.
Hi Medhin:
Good. Sometimes the institutional standards are preestablished and the teacher has little control over changes.
But when we do have some control, balance, accuracy, completeness, and aligned with course objectives are among the considerations.
Regards, Barry
Hi Berry:
I absolutly agree. The grading component that measures the degree of learning ability of the students has to be fairly distributed.
Hi Marc:
"Entitled students" drives me crazy. The only way to show them where they are off is to put them in real work setting situations, (clinical, lab, guest speaker, or field trips) and some of thm begin to see the larger picture and that it's all not about them and just their lives that matter.
Regards, Barry
Hi Medhin:
Yes, and test anxiety isn't the only factor. We want the graded components to be fair, distributed evenly and above all, truly measure the degree of learning that has occurred.
Regards, Barry
One of the biggest challenges I've had is student expectations. In our increasingly "get the gold star"/"everybody's a winner" society, the bar seems to be inching downwards. I strive to raise it up.
But I have many students who think that if they show up every day and turn in their work, regardless of the quality, then they deserve an A.
weighing the student knowledge based on grading is challenging. some students may not score good grades in the test because of test taking anxiety.
Hi Gerry:
For me, mgrading should measure performance: Nacademic, lab, clinical, extern, and paid work performance. We start at the beginning. A grading system should be fair and accurate, and balanced as to the components that contribute towards those grades. It's better when many factotors contribute to the grade since diggerent learners test differrently. Sometimes, its trial and error.
Regards, Barry
My biggest challenge is the question I ask myself and that is when I go to the dentist and have a filling done, do I want my assistant know what she is doing clinically and why he/she is doing what she/he is doing or do I want him/her to have a high GPA? As a program Director, I am addressing that as we speak. I feel that their test grades inflate their GPA because I may have a student that is good in test taking, but clinically they are not competant, but the test grades keep them afloat. I want their Lab grades to reflect their competency so I feel confident sending them out on extern as a representative of my program!
Hi Frank:
Yes, much subjectivity is eliminated when a grading rubric is used. It can also pre-define what characteristics acceptable, vs. good, vs. outstanding performance will be measured.
Regards, Barry