I use extra credit to encourage students to go beyond what is required and to help them with possibly a area that they had more difficulty with.
Linda,
In my classes if a student has missed assignments, tests, or other graded work, it will affect their grade. But it's the learning these graded assignments represent that pose the problem. I'll downgrade late tests and drop the lowest term quiz grade, but to be fair to all students, artifically raising a grade skews the accuacy of student performance. I choose not to give extra credit, but I understand that each instructor and institution has to decide what works for them.
Barry Westling
Extra Credit should be there to help students in case of a problem. It should not take the place of classroom work, or homework. It can help the diligent student make up for a laps
Todd,
Yes, and needing extra credit sort of underscores why I am generally against giving it -- artificially raising a grade. I want to help and assist my students do their best and yet I cannot see merit in rewarding sub-optimal work when the student has not legitimtely earned it. Each instructor has to decide what works for them. For me, I choose not to go down that road.
Barry Westling
I never give any points for extra credit unless all of the regular assignments are done and turned in. Tht helps prevent students from trying to replace regular work with extra credit.
If someone is all caught up with where they are supposed to be and do an extraordinary job on a particular assignment or do extra assignments I am not opposed to extra credit, however most of the time if they are all caught up they are not the ones that need the extra credit.
cory,
I feel too often extra credit is sought after for points or to improve a grade. I'm not supportive of that. However if students seek extra credit to add to or excelerate their learning, I am more than will to ofer it, not for points that will impact their grade but to enhance their learning.
Barry Westling
as a general practice I don't use it. I don't like to promote the idea that there is any kind of "out" or second chance once they are in the industry.
I don't want to promote the "public school mentality" in my class, that "this is school, not life" and I constantly try to reflect that in my materials, my labs, and my attitude
Shelia,
Right. I sometimes say "if it's important enough to be done as extra credit, it probably is important enough to be added to the regular, required assignments".
Barry Westling
I do not support extra credit, unless given for all students. It usually always rewards the student that is not as serious or giving the course what is needed to be successful.
Christopher ,
I believe extra credit for learning purposes is great. I also believe extra credit to add points, raise or alter grades defeats the purpose of measuring learning, and is especially unfair to students who diligentlty work hard ton earn their grades.
Barry Westling
This module really had creative ideas of how to apply extra credit. I plan to add many of these ideas to my instructor operation binder.
Tricia ,
Extra credit is basically unfair to diligent students who do all their brequired work, strive to do their best, and accept the grade they earn.
Barry Westling
I am not a big fan of extra credit. I want the students to do well on the required work...I will use extra credit for a student who may be out for illness to help them catch up and have additional learning tools.
Mabelle Joy,
Yes, EC can be viewed as unfair by the good students who are diligently working hard for their grades based on the assigned work given and discussed at the beginning of the course. EC to bolster grades rarely improves student learning. If an EC assignment is that good, it ought to be part of the regular, required curriculum.
Barry Westling
I believe that it will be better not to give any extra credit because it can be a source of complaint from students who are working hard to get good grades based on scheduled deadlines and expectations.
Paul,
A challenge for any instructor is to use a grading system that accurately measures learning. Although I believe it's possible for an extra credit assignment to add to student learning, I also think that it usually distorts the grading system by virtue of it being "extra". So if points and grades are the focus, EC is OK to use. If we want to measure learning, we have to rely on the grading system in place at the beginning of the course.
Barry Westling
Personally none, I believe if a student cannot complete the work they were given then how are they going to do more work to improve a grade. On the other hand I have thrown bonus questions on exams to see if the students picked up anything I had missed. In those cases I added the points to the students grade but not “points possibleâ€. This allowed some students to finish a course with over 100%. The students liked it and it does not hurt anyone elses grade.
Charmelia,
I'm with you. EC focuses on points and grades, and little on learning.
Barry Westling
Not much. My school frowns on extra credit so I don't implement an extra credit plan.
Kathryn,
I believe all grading criteria should be presented and discussed at the beginning of the course, printed in the syllabus, and maintained without arbitrary adjustment throughout the course. Too many students can be tempted to substitute required work for EC work and expect to get credit. To me this doesn't seem fair to good students who earn all their grades honestly and as directed.
Barry Westling
