Allowing students to grade each others homework
Should this method of grading be avoided, since some students may feel it is an invasion of their personal privacy?
Consuala, That's an interesting point. As long as there is a quality control process in place to ensure accuracy and to minimize cheating, I like your thinking.
Dr. Melissa Read
Allowing students to grade their own assignments could be just as time saving and eliminate the issue of privacy.
I also am not thrilled with the idea of letting students grade each others papers. Especially if you have a small class. Even if you assign ID numbers it still gets figured out. As an insrtuctor you must value privacy above all else. Even in a post secondary situation, students still make comments to other students that would be best avoided. I choose not to go there, and much prefer the computerized grading when ever possoble.
It's hard to see how the grades students give could actually be entered in the grade book without being reviewed, and that would take as much time as doing the grading myself. As one student said when I was explaining how to do the textbook's online quizzes:This does your job for you, right?
It is a useful method to help conserve time and discuss answers to questions, but I do have concern with student confidentiality.
One way I have used to get around this is to randomly assign a number to the test, and I keep a "key" as to which test belongs to which student, then hand them back out randomly (making sure the student doesn't get their own test), then will go over the test with class.
Catherine, I understand the concerns of your administration. When asking students to grade each others' papers, it's important to make sure their names, and other personally identifiable information, do not appear on the exams. I usually assign students a unique code number to include on their exams for tracking. So true about your accountability comment. I have found the same thing.
Dr. Melissa Read
My campus specifically cracked down on the practice of having students grade each others' work a couple of years ago, citing FERPA (family educational rights and privacy act) concerns.
I still have them grade each others' contributions for group projects, but they are notified in advance of this.
Pity, I felt like the peer accountability caused more drive to perform on things like our frequent terminology quizzes, and going over the answers all together kinda helped drive home the concept.
My campus specifically cracked down on the practice of having students grade each others' work a couple of years ago, citing FERPA (family educational rights and privacy act) concerns.
I still have them grade each others' contributions for group projects, but they are notified in advance of this.
Pity, I felt like the peer accountability caused more drive to perform on things like our frequent terminology quizzes, and going over the answers all together kinda helped drive home the concept.
Ashley, I understand your concern. Grades are personal and confidential. I should note that it is possible to use this method while protecting student confidentiality. One way to do this is to assign students with unique code numbers to use instead of putting their names on exams.
Dr. Melissa Read
When I was in college one of my instructors used this practice to grade our homework. Even though I made pretty good grades, I was a bit anxious about my peers knowing my grade(s). Now that I am an instructor I do not incorporate this, I grade them myself. I remember the way I felt and feel pretty confident that other's feel the same.
Stacey, Interesting approach. Asking people about their comfort level is great direction. It takes away any gamble that might be involved. Sometimes though, we have to be sure we get commitment on where people stand so they don't waver later. We also have to help people understand what they are really committing to.
Dr. Melissa Read
Every time before I utilize this grading options I ask the class before hand if it is alright with everyone to grade one another's paper. If I have a few of them say no then I will grade their papers individually. If the majority of the class do not want to do peer grading then I grade the exam myself and I explain that it will take longer for them to know their grade. More so than not, my class likes peer grading.
Kristine, It sounds like the subject you teach may be too complex for student grading. This brings up an important point. A one-size-fits-all approach to streamlining the grading process doesn't work. Each instructor has unique needs that relate to their discipline and student base.
Dr. Melissa Read
Completely agree- not only is there the issue of privacy, as the students seem to learn each others' handwriting very quickly, particularly in small classes (!), but some in our department have in fact regraded those papers corrected by students when others have allowed that, and they have found MANY errors: spelling primarily, or sometimes just overtly wrong. Many spelling corrections themselves were incorrect, whereas the original spelling was correct. It appears that if they have trouble spelling themselves, they cannot recognize what is correct, even when stated for the whole class while doing this type of project- their minds are too ingrained with what is incorrect. There also seems to be a complicating factor of students that don't want to mark their friends/classmates wrong, and help them score better, while hoping for the same from others. All around, it seems to take more time, as you're doubling your time spent on it, assuming you want an accurate score (which the adult learners demand, understandably- as someone else said, they want quality instruction for their money.)
It's against our schools policy to let students grade each others tests, and I definately agree.
Good point I did not even think about that.
While this method seems like a good time saver for the instructor I do think that in the long run its good for high school but maybe not the best possible method when working with adults. Instructors who let students grade each other test may alienate adult learners who are paying for their education. In my experience they want what amounts to good customer service .They are paying for instruction and they want individualize instruction. In the public arena the cost is a lot less but students perceive this practice as the instructor being lazy and having the students do his/her job. It leads to a lost of respect for the teacher and maybe a mistrust of other technique the instructor uses. This is my opinion from having been a student and from other hearing conversations of other students. About this practice.
I like your viewpoint. I have utilized peer grading. I have not went to the extent of coding the students work like you have. I think this could be beneficial, and I will try it in the future. I do find, like you, that grading homework creates discussion and can add to the education. I like to group grade homework just before the exam over that material to create a reiview and be able to sum up unclear material.
ROBERT, Privacy is always a concern so I'm glad you bring this up. Most instructors who use this method find a way to protect privacy. For example, they will ask students not to write their names on exams but instead use code numbers.
Dr. Melissa Read
I have heard about this practice, having students grade each other s work when working with adults in my opinion is not a good idea because of privacy rules.
