Get Your Students Hired
I believe that it is important to keep the students informed of their status in the course for the simple reason that it cuts out a significant amount of stress or anxiety from the student. They don't feel like there lost or don't know were there at in learning the skill. I have a class weld sheet that every student gets. I then mark off and date the welds that they have mastered so that they can see where they are in the course. I also make it a priority to return any quizzes or tests back by the end of the day or the next morning. This also cuts out the amount of stress because they don't have to sit and wonder for a long period of time on how they did. Both of these things combined allow the students to relax and be comfortable which allows them to put forth more effort to the course.
In this day and age of technology, we are now all used to getting "immediate" response. The same holds true for students' eagerness to know how they have performed. Even in a ground class, the students have access to their portal online where we (instructors) can put in the grades. The students get immediate feedback which is helpful to both the students as well as the instructors.
Jona,
Very true. Communication conveys expectations and encouragement.
Barry Westling
Manuel,
If the students have access to this, that's a wonderful method to have concurrent feedback.
Barry Westling
Manuel,
Instant feedback is a great tool. It's important for students to feel their instructor is interested in their success.
Barry Westling
Elizabeth,
Yes, without the feedback regarding progress, some students will flounder. Feedback is as important as the lesson content if we consider understanding the course work a measure of learning.
Barry Westling
I think test scores and grades in general are an important communication tool and motvator for students. Clear policies and open lines of communication are beneficial to both students and instructors.
Students need to know where they stand all the time. It gives them confidence when they are doing well in a class. It will also motivate them when they are not doing so well. I never put grade into the computer until the students have had the chance to see there exam and I also don't give exams back until the last half an hour of class.
its important to let them know hoe they are doing in the class so its not a shock what grade they earned. There they can apply themselves more.
Keeping the student informed is important because it will keep them more focused on the classroom material and not in just the grade. In my experience, the students will get the exam score less than a second after they finish with the exam. The reason this happens is that I created the exam program I use to test the student. This program will randomize a number of questions and randomize the answers being displayed. (This is a multiple choice exams).
I keep a spreadsheet of the class items that can be scored on.
These items can be Exams, LABs, home work, Participation in class, and Pre-Post Test.
Michael,
Keeping students informed is nearly as important as the instruction itself, as it provides a sort of compass whether the student is on right track or not.
Barry Westling
It is important to keep students in the loop in how they are performing in the course for many reasons. The most urgent is usually made from the student: he or she wants to know the level of success in the course. It is a human impulse to gauge how well one is doing in a given situation, and a student in need of knowing what letter in the alphabet their grade will be is the supreme example of such an impulse. I try to stay as current and up-to-date in my grading to assuage any of these anxieties with my students. However, this system of punctuality is also beneficial for me as an instructor. By keeping grades current, I can assess how well I am doing in conveying information for students to develop their critical thinking skills. This dialogue provides a healthy ecosystem in the classroom where the students being evaluated in turn affect what new accommodations I need to make as an instructor.
Andrea,
Support and kind words of advice can be very meaningful to students, enough to create a whole change in the students focus and study efforts.
Barry Westling
Jennifer,
Yeah, being able to provide individual feedback on a personal basis can be very meaningful for students. Sometimes, it's just that little bit of encouragement that makes a difference, and the support creates a greater desire to do better.
Barry Westling
Andrea,
Right. Feedback is essential, and the sooner the better so as to provide ample time for students to make corrections.
Barry Westling
Keeping students informed of their status is important for multiple reasons. The first being so that they can somewhat gauge how successful (or not) they are with the course. This also helps show that you care about their success as well. Sometimes seeing a good grade is like a reward for their hard work or a low grade might incite more motivation to do better.
Students have to be aware of how they are doing, so that they will have a chance to turn things around, if needed. A student who is doing poorly has many opportunities available to them, from seeking tutoring or instructor help, to simply dedicating more time to the course and working harder. A student who doesn't know they are doing poorly is not going to do anything to improve, and a poor/failing grade at the end of the quarter is going to come as a nasty surprise to them. Even students who are doing well need the same clear understanding of their progress, as it encourages them to keep doing what they are doing.
A student should never be surprised by their grade at the end of the course. If the instructor doesn't provide timely feedback then those surprises are likely. Getting immediate feedback will help the student and the instructor modify their studying and teaching techniques to increase success. In addition, students can learn from their mistakes.
Bonnie,
Electronic grading is great, but even so, personal communication allows us to convey confidence, sincerity, and kindness - attributes that help suggest the instructor cares and interested in the success of their students.
Barry Westling