U i Using the Virtual th Vi t l Red Pen: Best Practices for - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

U i th Vi t l Using the Virtual Red Pen:

Best Practices for Grading Online

Amy Armstrong Cengage Learning/IADT Online Cengage Learning/IADT Online

• Introduction
• Grade Inflation
• Grade Inflation
• Rubrics
• Substantive Feedback

Substantive Feedback

• Additional Tips on Grading
• Questions and Discussion

Agenda Agenda

Introduction Introduction

Introduction Introduction

Grade Inflation

(Rojstaczer and Healy qtd in Rampbell)

Grade Inflation

i i h i d i

• University emphasis on graduation rates
• Inadequate emphasis on academic standards … to prospective students and

families I d li t ti f lt

• Increased reliance on part-time faculty
• Use of course evaluation forms in personnel actions
• Increased tendency in student complaints about grades and grade appeals

U f

• Use of a curve
• Increased use of Scantron exams
• Competition among departments to maximize enrollments in lower-division

general education courses general education courses

• University identifying and reporting … classes with low grades
• Peer pressure from other faculty
• Faculty members possibly having set unrealistic academic performance goals

Reasons for Grade Inflation (Smith and Fleisher 5)

• Faculty members possibly having set unrealistic academic performance goals

For the institution For the student For the institution

• Reputation at risk

C ll

For the student

• Graduate admissions’

standards effected

• Course enrollments
• Faculty job security

N b f j i standards effected

• Employers’ uncertainty
• Lack of effort
• Number of majors in

department

(Abbott 33)

• Lack of effort

(Rampbell)

• Inaccurate perceptions

f

Consequences of

• Grade challenges
• f competence

Consequences of Grade Inflation Grade Inflation

• Awareness
• Faculty self-monitoring
• Administrator monitoring
• Understanding
• Action
• Rubrics

C

Rubrics

Avoiding and Correcting Grade Inflation Grade Inflation

Rubrics: The What Why and How Rubrics: The What, Why, and How

• Defined by Nilson: “An assessment and grading

tool that lays out specific expectations for an essay or assignment” (305)

What’s a rubric? What s a rubric?

• Make grading more consistent and fair
• Save time in the grading process
• Identify student strengths and weaknesses very

specifically in order to teach more effectively specifically in order to teach more effectively

• Track changes in student performance over time and

evaluate teaching practices accordingly R h t ith th f lt

• Reach agreement with other faculty on common exams,

multiple sections, or sequenced courses

• To introduce greater distinction into one’s grading
• As data for departmental and general education

assessment

Why Rubrics? (Walvoord and Anderson 44) Why Rubrics? (Walvoord and Anderson 44)

• Choose assessment criteria
• Write out descriptions at various levels of quality
• Assign letter grades, points, or words to each level

Sh b i i h d i d f i

• Share rubrics with students in advance of assignment

deadline

• Provide examples

Provide examples

• Return rubrics to students with feedback

How to Create and Use Rubrics?

(Nilson 305 307) (Nilson 305-307)

• Choose appropriate assessment criteria

pp p

• Measure of time and quantity
• Content

F

• Form
• Engagement and responsiveness
• Demonstrating original thoughts and insights

Demonstrating original thoughts and insights

• Identifying unusual or unique patterns and relationships
• Identifying and establishing links to current happenings
• Keep these rubrics more simple

Discussion Board Rubrics

(Boettcher and Conrad 124) (Boettcher and Conrad 124)

Other E xamples of R b i Rubrics…

• What constitutes effective feedback?
• Provides evidence of the learner’s effect relative to the

learner’s intent

• Avoids being controlling
• Avoids being controlling
• Is specific and constructive
• Can be quantitative
• Is prompt
• Is frequent when practice is vital to the desired learning

goal goal

• Is positive
• Is delivered in a meaningful way

Substantive Feedback

(Wlodkowski and Ginsberg 136-137) (Wlodkowski and Ginsberg 136-137)

• Student name, thanks for your post this week! I like how you presented

a Q&A format, which was a creative approach to the assignment. You gave “Jamie” good advice; I just would have liked to see you be a little gave Jamie good advice; I just would have liked to see you be a little more specific. For instance, what could she do each week for herself to relieve stress? What type of luxury items might she cut back on? It helps to support your points with examples. No responses to peers were posted, which were worth 20 points. Please be sure to add your peer responses this week, and your grade can potentially improve. Also, keep in mind that your peer’s really welcome your feedback. I look forward to reading your posts again this week to reading your posts again this week.

E xamples of Feedback E xamples of Feedback

• I appreciate your effort on this project, Student name! I agree that the

j b k i h i d b i i job market is tough, so getting a degree to be more competitive was a great decision you made. I could really tell how passionate you are for Graphic Design from your paper. Your paper needed more

• development. In particular, you needed to discuss the strategies

deve op e . p cu , you eeded o d scuss e s eg es you've learned thus far that have helped you, which was part of the content requirements. For instance, are there any time management strategies you're using now that work well? It can help if you h d ft f i t t th i t compare your rough draft of an assignment to the assignment description checking off all the content requirements as you go; this way you can better identify any missing content. Also, feel free to email me your next project for review before the deadline, and I’ll be y p j happy to help you determine what, if anything, needs to be added. I’ve seen such great improvement from you over the past few weeks, and am excited to see your continued progress!

E xamples of Feedback E xamples of Feedback

• 1. Click on the Review tab
• 2. Click on Track Changes
• 3. Make edits

4 Highlight text and click New Comment to add comments

• 4. Highlight text and click New Comment to add comments

Using Track Changes in Using Track Changes in Word 2007 Word 2007

• Read through the entire assignment first before commenting (Webster 176)
• Save nonsensical papers for last
• Use a stopwatch or alarm to stay on task (Webster 195)
• Develop some common verbiage for each assignment and adapt for each

p g g p student

• Use the student’s name in your feedback to further personalize your

comments

• End on a positive note
• Always make at least one specific reference to a student’s content, including

assignments that receive an “A” assignments that receive an A

• Don’t feel pressure to respond to every error directly
• Get creative and use technology

Ji

Additional Tips on Grading

• Jing

Additional Tips on Grading

• Grade inflation is a problem, and should be curbed via

p , awareness, understanding, and action

• Rubrics should be used on assignments to maintain

i t f di ti d id i t d t consistency of grading practices and aid in student learning

• Substantive feedback should accompany rubrics and be

p y specific, positive, and constructive

• Technology can be used to make feedback more

i f l f t d t meaningful for students

Summary Points Summary Points

Questions and Discussion Questions and Discussion

• Abbott, William M. "The Politics of Grade Inflation, A Case

Study." Change 40.1 (2008): 32-37. Education Research

• Complete. EBSCO. Web.
• Boettcher, Judith V., and Rita-Marie Conrad. Online Teaching

g Survival Guide : Simple and Practical Pedagogical Tips. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (US), 2010. eBook Collection.

• EBSCO. Web.
• Nilson, Linda Burzotta. Teaching at Its Best : A Research-based

Resource for College Instructors. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (US),

• 2010. eBook Collection. EBSCO. Web.
• Palloff, Rena M., and Keith Pratt. Assessing the Online Learner :

Resources and Strategies for Faculty. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (US), 2009. eBook Collection. EBSCO. Web.

Works Cited Works Cited

• Rampbell, Catherine. "A History of College Grade Inflation." New

York Times (blog). New York Times, 14 July 2011. Web. 31 July 2011. <http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/14/the-history-

• f-college-grade-inflation/>.
• Smith, David E., and Steven Fleisher. "The Implications of Grade

Inflation: Faculty Integrity versus the Pressure to Succeed." Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching 4.1 (2011): 32-38. Education Research Complete. EBSCO. Web.

• Walvoord, Barbara E. Fassler, and Virginia Johnson Anderson.

Effective Grading: a Tool for Learning and Assessment in

• College. 2nd ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2009. Web.

Works Cited Works Cited

• Webster, Terry. "Chapter 12: Assessing Students and Yourself."

Webste , e y. C apte : ssess g Stude ts a d

• u se .

How to Be Successful in Your First Year of Teaching College: Everything You Need to Know That They Don't Teach You in School. 169-204. Atlantic Publishing Teach You in School. 169 204. Atlantic Publishing Company, 2008. Education Research Complete. EBSCO. Web.

• Wlodkowski Raymond J and Margery B Ginsberg Teaching
• Wlodkowski, Raymond J., and Margery B. Ginsberg. Teaching

Intensive and Accelerated Courses: Instruction That Motivates Learning. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (US), 2010 B k C ll ti EBSCO W b

• 2010. eBook Collection. EBSCO. Web.

Works Cited Works Cited

Today’s presentation Today s presentation was sponsored by…

Visit: www.cengage.com/teamup