Hi Sharon:
Teachers view grading different ways. Some will drop the lowest quiz. Others may give a bonus question on an exam. To me these are examples of adjusting the grade, but it's based on learned material and demonstrates knowledge, as opposed to "giving away points" for extra credit assignments that, while some learning may occur, diminish the defined learning that should have occured.
Some schools actually prohibit the awarding of extra credit for many reasons. But they've done it in order to improve the learning, not inflate grades.
Regards, Barry
I'm more then willing to offer my class extra credit, but only if they have completed the other assinments first.
I also do not agree in EC for it does reward the slackers. However, sometimes the instructor did not get the information across so that everyone understands. In that case I think it is necessary to offer EC.
Barry,
I see what you mean, and extra credit is totally different from make-up test/projects. The extra credit would be in addition to the scheduled assignments. The make ups would be a different assignment prepared for the student, other than what the class had been assigned to complete.
Thanks,
Sharon
Hi Linda:
I can't disagree that there may some cases where extra credit is useful. In general, it's used to alter grades, award points, or compensate for poor performance.
Anything we do should be associated with learning, not earning....points.
Regards, Barry
Hi Sharon:
You've presented a very clear guideline that works for you and your institution. I think we might be taliking apples and oranges.
Make up of missed work due to wahtever, to me, is not extra credit (EC), and I do not favor the awarding of EC in general. Of course, there are circumstances where accepting missed work will be necessary, and I agree there should be clear policies about this at the outset.
I think of EC as doing something extra, beyond what is called for in the curriculum to earn extra points above and beyond the total points scheduled. Typically (but not always), this is asked for by students who have performed poorly on tests and quizzes, or not completed homework or class assignments. With a failing grade pending, they ask for EC work and points to be added to their grade to bring it up.
EC, as I've defined it, is about points, not about learning. I don't believe slacker students should be rewarded for incomple assignments and classwork. The substitution of EC work for required work just is not fair.
EC is a controversial subject, no right or wrong, and many teachers have strong opinions about it. These are my opinions.
Regards, Barry
Extra credit should only be awarded to the student who has really put forth the effort in class, or has worked hard on achieving good grades. It should be communicated the first day of class how this will be done and what constitutes a make up for extra credit. If there is apolicy, then it needs to be adhered to and if not; you determine how it will be structured.
Decisions have to be made as to, what you will allow and when it will be due upon return of the student to class. The main goal for students making up work should focused on the reason that the student missed class initially.
Students can be creative about the reason for missing class, and there will be times that their reasons are valid. So, you will need to be prepared for holding the student accountable to your policy/standard for receiving extra credit. The points/grade must be factored in with the final grade, not to exceed the total 100%.
IT DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF CLASS BEING TAUGHT. I THINK IT IS GOOD TO HAVE EXTRA CREDIT IN CASE SOME STUDENTS HAVE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES AND THEY CAN'T MAKE UP THINGS THAT THEY HAVE MISSED
Hi Bryon:
Extra credit is all about points, and has little to do with learning. Slackers in class will perform poorly, then want additional assignments to make up their poor performance.
That's different than a bonus point, or dropping the lowest quiz score, or adjustments based on course content. If the EC assignment is worthwhile, I think it should be added to the curriculum.
Regards, Barry
I believe that extra credit should not be used. The college policy where I am at does not allow extra credit. I do however give some bonus questions on quizes where they can make up some points that have been lost.
Hi Christopher:
Right, and many teachers and schools will agree with you. Some teachers do allow EC, but I don't think it really helps learning as much as it helps earn a grade, (which may or may not be associated with learning).
Regards, Barry
Hi Gloria:
I think there is a diffrence between extra credit (extra points given selectivity in lieu of regular assignments), and extra activity (course work assigned by the teacher and applicable for all students, and of course, graded in the same fashion). That's just creative, student centered instruction. But points given to supplement slackers, who have not performed well and want to do extra work just to earn points is not learning, it's just a graing exercise that I try to avoid.
Regards, Barry
Hi Tyler:
I try to think about school as close to work as possible. So, I tend not to award extra credit at all. There may be reasons why students have not earned all the points, or learned the material, but I believe students are accountable for their learning. EC points don't do anything towards learning, only contribute to the grade.
I will allow students to do extra activities, but they don't get extra credit for it. They get recognition, and benefit by the activity itself. I'm all in favor of that kind of extra class work.
Regards, Barry
Hi Megan:
Many teachers agree with the "no EC policy", I among them. Extra activity is OK, but receiving credit for it is not fair, tend's not to measure everyone equally, rewards slackers, is viewed by some students as unfair, and contributes to grade inflation.
Also, in some professions, missing critical information can be harmful to patients or customers.
So for all these reasons, I don't advocate for EC.
Regards, Barry
Hi Eva:
Personally, I think there's few timnes EC shouyld be given at all. That said, throwing out the lowest quiz score, or maybe a bonus question on an exam are worthwhile "helpers". But points for the sake of raising the grade is not instructional to me, and I avoid isssuing it.
Regards, Barry
There isn't any place for extra credit in my opinion. As bad as it sounds, the standard has been set and all students must be accountable for meeting the standards of the teacher, program, and school. It's not personal, it's business. This is a performance based industry and a failure to perform is unacceptable.
I feel that extra credit should not be awarded on a constant basis because it gives students a crutch to decrease their initial efforts. I do, however, feel that if the entire class has failed a exam or a portion of it, I should at least question the delivery success of the material. Extra credit should, at this point be extended to the entire class, including the ones who passed. One example of extra credit it a 200 question take-home test that has to be completed by the next day and on my desk prior to the start of class. The questions will be alternative ways to ask the same thing. This exhibits reinforcement.
all too often extra credit is given to students who have failed to attend class as required. The truth of the matter is that this does not really give them the tools to learn. Extra credit should only be given to students who try hard and need a little extra learning as result of missing a small amount of time OR need a little more contact time with a specific topic.
The college that I teach at simply doesn't allow extra credit. The grade that the student earns is the grade that they recieve. I really like this policy because it keeps things simple for the instructors. Students can't really argue with it, because they know that it's their responsibility to work hard and earn their grade.
At a school I went to, extra credit was allowed. It kind of bothered me because it looked like some of the instructors would hand it out like candy. Some students would only come 50% of the time and then use all the extra credit to pass the course. This seemed very unfair to the rest of the class who was there everyday. I think that is even more of a reason why I like the policy of the school I teach at now.
Extra credit is hard to give when the course is less than 15 days. Most classes have homework & production every single day which makes it difficult to do. Extra credit if anything I believe should be given to students who have done every assignment required to pass the class to the best of their ability and have gone above & beyond to try & get that high score in class because it shows enthusiasms towards their learning. Extra credit should not be given as a means of supplementing the grade of a student who was sometimes there & wants to pass the class. It is also not a means of making up a missed day, too much information was given on that day for the student to just be turning in some written assignment or doing meaningless tasks for a few hours.
