Shawn,
Electronic gradebooks and records are great in a convenience sense. I think student students still benefit from some 1 on 1 face to face time time with their instructor if for no other reason than to encouarge and offer support. Perhaps you do that anyway - if so, great.
Regards, Barry
Thomas,
Some students may be engaged by learning their status but I've found it takes direction and effort by the teacher to make engagement continuous and sustained.
Regards, Barry
This is an excellent idea. We are currently trying to implement something similar for one of our smaller, computer based programs to test it out. With everything they are going to need in their hands, it gives students some responsibility and empowers them to be better prepared for future events.
We currently employ Engrade.com as an online gradebook for our students. Each class a student takes is added to their profile, and their grades are always at their fingertips. This way, a student can immediately challenge a bad grade if they think its an error, or see where they need to work harder if it isn't. It also prevents rude surprises as someone mentioned, reducing confrontation and making the communication process that much smoother.
Juan,
Great! Motivation is a cool feeling we can provide to students. Motivated students are wanting to try harder and with encouagement, often will perform better from just our simple offer of supportive comments.
Regards, Barry
It is important so that the student knows whether they are passing or failing, if they are spending enough time with the material, if they need to change their study habits, if they need tutoring, if they are doing great and can tutor, etc. Keeping a student informed can provide early problem detection and correction as well as encouragement.
I have developed a point system in each course. Students are informed of the grading at the first class. They can constantly evaluate their own progress.
It is very important to keep the students informed as to their progress as it will do 2 things give them a sense of achievement and also lets them know where they stand in the class. It is important to reward the student and by letting them know where they are in the class will give them the satisfaction they are reaching a goal little steps at a time.
Giving students a detailed progress report can help to motivate them. They will know exactly where they stand and what they need to do to achieve the grade they want. I use a gradebook and Gradekeeper. I record notes and grades in my gradebook during class and I update my classes in Gradekeeper every week based on what I record in the gradebook. This way I can provide progress reports at any time for any student.
Hi Carroll:
Hopefully, there will be time to catch up. Sometimes students will be so far behind they just want to give up. That's where our caring, kind words of encouragement and offer of assistance and hope can be lifesaver, if it's done with honesty and sincerity.
Regards, Barry
Hi Ma:
Do you believe the instructor should track down each and every student if the student is not maintaining their grade, or do you feel that is the student's responsiblity?
Regards, Barry
Hi Sultana:
Indeed - many institutions are moving to electronic methods that allow the student to track their progress in class to promote the very thing you are describing.
Regards, Barry
Hi William:
When we take time to share information, we are demonstrating that we care about the students successfulness. So, discussion frqently and early on (so there's time for correction) is usually greatly helpful.
Regards, Barry
evaluation is important, students like knowing their status, if they are behind it helps them to realize they still have time left to catch up.
It helps the students keep up with the expectations of the course
G:
When students know thier status, yes, they are more lieley to want to improve or work harder (most, but not all). For me, doing this early on, frequently, and giving encouragement produces the best results.
Regards, Barry
this helps them to stay on track and know where they are at at all times.
Hi Coleen:
You've presented a good principle about "how would I want to be treated?". If we always had this attitude, students would be happy campers more often because they would feel the teacher cares about them and their learning.
Regards, Barry
Hi Janell:
Technology is great - this is a very cool idea. I think that when grades are given we also have the opportunity to show our appreciation to students for good work, or offer encouragement, advice and suggestions for improvemts.
Regards, Barry
No one likes surprises and I have always given the students a flash drive drive that has the class syllibus, a template that has the date of exams, homework, projects and the final. As they receive their grades they plug them in the template and they know their grade up to that minute. They love it.
