Hi Caro,
Students have to realize that we are giving them meaningful assignments to enhance the course objectives and to make them a better student, therefore we as instructors certainly need to follow up on assignments.
Patricia
Hi Minerva,
As long as a grade is attached to the assignment whether it is pass/fail, check mark, or A/B, the grade holds the student more accountable for doing the assignment.
Patricia
To keep them accountable. All assignments should be graded to show that each is important. I don't always use numeric grades. Sometimes I use Pass/Fail grading, if the assignment is not weighted as heavily.
The follow-up gives value to the assignment. If it doesn't play a purpose in the class other than just another grade, the students feel that it is busy work and are unmotivated to do it. If there isn't even a grade attached to it, as with readings, then they have no reason to do it at all.
When I began teaching my environmental class, the homework I assigned was mostly chapter questions, which I felt would force students to read the chapter in order to answer them. Instead, what I usually saw was that students would skim to find something related to the question and copy it down - minimal effort. Since the homework didn't play much of a part in class, they didn't invest in it. My current homework assignments (I made the change before this course) involve a reading from the upcoming material, identifying current issues, and proposing possible solutions. This starts them thinking about the new material, better opens them up to class discussion, and we use their responses as the introduction to the new material.
Following up on assignments and readings lets students know that the assignments and readings are an important part of the course. It also reinforces that the instructor is interested in each student's participation and progress.
Hi Veronica,
Absolutely! Real life certainly expects a lot of you, and we should expect a lot of our students.
Patricia
I feel another reason to show that you have expectations just like real life.
This is one of the most important things I do for my classes. This tells the students the value I place on their hard work and effort. If it was important enough for me to ask you to do it, then it is that important for me to look at it and assess it. This dispells the idea of "busywork". I don't have time for busywork nor do I diminish my students time with it.
Hi Hubert,
I have known a lot of instructors to use electronic grade sheets to keep themselves very organized and for ease of calculating grades.
Patricia
Very often I review any assignments briefly in
subsequent classes. Luckily I have a grading
program that will printout any missing work..
and that has proved to be very useful.
Hi Karen,
If you are not going to grade the assignments why do you give them to students? I understand the load that we have, but all this grading goes with the profession. Perhaps you should look into which assignments are more meaningful and give those assignments and grade them.
Patricia
Hi Kelvin,
Nicely stated! Instructors should want to know if their students are grasping the information or not.
Patricia
Accountability to both the instructor and student is the essence of following up. I can't imagine asking students to read and/or do assignments without providing a forum for feedback, discussion,etc. The follow up also shows me how students are progressing with the material I am offering. With follow up I can also determine what areas of the course provide the most difficulty for students.
It is one of the best ways to gage the individual student progress. By following up on assignments and readings the instructor is always aware of the present status of the student. This provides opportunities for tutoring, assistance and support.
Hi Keith,
I concur! I always take up homework at the very beginning of class. Students need to understand that deadlines must be adhered to.
Patricia
If you are teaching a class that is several hours long and has several breaks, collect all homework assignments at the beginning of class. If you give students the option of turning their work in by the end of class, you probably know what you are going to get - a lot of submissions that were "rush jobs" by students who forgot to do their homework, or who put it off, knowing that they could do it the next day, during a class break. The net result: Quality of work will go down as strict timelines become meaningless.
Hi Darlisa,
Absolutely! Deadlines and accountability will certainly be expected of them in the workplace.
Patricia
Hi Dwayne,
We must keep our students focused, therefore we have to act as the guide. Students expect us to keep them on the right pathway, after all we should really be concerned with our students success.
Patricia
Hi David,
Great idea! Rough drafts make for super end results. Students have to be held accountable, and if they do not do their work, it is their own fault.
Patricia
I have students that to me when I do not grade every single assignment. If it is not worth any points, then why did we even have to do it. I DO not grade EVERYTHING, I do random graded checks because it is nearly impossible with the student load that I carry to grade ALL assignments.
