Ok, so I have implemented technology-based learning, now what?
I used to grade on a strict time-based basis, but now what? In the past, paper-based homework was due in class the next day, or one day late for 1/2 credit, after that it was a 0. Our homework policy at BBA is similar in principal. I have found that to counter-balance the absoluteness of the computer grading on homework, I need to have them do it for credit or no credit, and I also set the activities so that they can be tried an infinite number of times until they are satisfied with their performance. I still, however, struggle with the "due date" idea, because if the power is out, or the cable was down, or they were away at a game and couldn't get online, or one of the divorced parents doesn't have internet...you get the idea. What I have done temporarily is to be relaxed about the due dates - if you haven't done the activity, you won't know what's going on in class, but I don't put the grade in (100/100 for 10 completed activities) until the end of the unit, so there are no "late" homeworks gradewise unless it was a paper homework that wasn't turned in on time.
Computer-based activities, practice, and projects are fun, comprehensive, and build skills students need for their futures. However, they turn some of our accepted grading practices on their heads and I would love to have someone to discuss this issue with so that I can be clear and firm and logical with my students. I spent years developing my grading system before, and I liked it, but it doesn't work with what I am currently doing with my students. Any ideas?
Michelle, I'd be happy to talk over what I do here in the Lab.
ReplyDeleteI have never understood homework being a type of punishment. Students have no ability to plan what will be dropped on them day to day and rigid homework due dates punish those who have jobs, demanding extra-curricular schedules, not to mention difficult home lives, and in any combination therein. Additionally, I've always felt that homework should be simply graded by effort and not penalized when a student gets things incorrect. The assessment of how to help them improve, formative and summative should click in rather than a penalty for doing something incorrectly. It extends a philosophy of 'explore what you don't know and build upon it' rather than being penalized. Penalties encourage people to cheat... in my opinion, and not learn. Always seemed a bit ironic that we'd teach something new, and then ask students as much as 10 hours later to revisit it, and actually get penalized for not doing it well... all the while preaching "enjoy your education," and to have a productive, rich home life, and promoting intense extra-curricular activities. Traditional homework practices always seemed more like a recipe for stress, disconnect, and insomnia. Ask any hockey player who has to take a bus ride over 2 hours to a game or someone involved in lengthy play or musical practices.
Quick story: A friend of mine who teaches at another school in Vermont has been in contact with me and told me this: One of his advisees is in pre-calc. The student has a 97 test average and a 0 homework average. The pre-calc teacher failed the student for the semester with a 47 average (homework counts for 50% of the class grade). Turns out, the student is not doing homework because they have a very chaotic, complex home life. Clearly the student is demonstrating mastery of the material in class... but is actively being penalized by 'the system.' The student is now is actively thinking of dropping out of school. Pretty grim vision of conventional, inflexible practices in education.
What's known as the 'fisch flip' out on the web, sending lectures home and doing homework in school with peers is taking flight in some places, but requires more comprehensive access to technology, aka one laptop per student program.
I rarely assign homework but tell students actively that procrastination in class will lead to this work having to transfer outside the class. My classes are also electives and tech heavy... so I can't require people to have access at home. Emphasizing the procrastination piece has proven to be a great system to build self awareness and development of project planning skills.
I have a simple rubric for effort and participation I use almost daily and another that is project based that I'd be happy to share. It's on the bbatechresearch.blogspot.com site, under 'rLab Resources' on the side. It's a Google doc that feeds into a spreadsheet. Students do lots of self-assessment here. The rubric translates directly into the grading formula that A is excellent work, B above average, C is average work etc. It's a streamlined system, great for project based activity. I use discussion based, formative and summative assessment as my primary vehicle.
Continued next post.
part II:
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled that technology is turning some conventional grading practices inside out. If we were to venture down the 1-1 path here, a laptop per student, it would escalate many more productive, challenging, and healthy conversations on this front.
One thing I'd encourage you to do is discuss grading woes with students. I do this regularly. Involve students in the process of understanding how the classwork and projects, etc are currently graded. Hear their feedback on the demands conventional practices place on them. Ask them to help with with the scope of how things should be assessed, to redesign assignments and see what they come up with. I do this regularly and we always come up with some great new ideas. Students love hearing the theory behind it all and being part of the system... of building a new and improved system.
Two cents! Let's chat. Adam
Adam, I tried to post a long reply to your comment last spring, and had it all go "poof" and got frustrated. I was, frankly, hurt that you called my homework policy punishment. I had a hard time reading the rest of your comments after that opener, because it left me with the feeling that you had absolutely misunderstood everything I do. It is hard to have a conversation like this with that feeling. I continue, because we have had enough conversations that I know I can explain things in person, but that made it more complicated.
ReplyDeleteGotta go finish some stuff now, let's talk about it some time.
Michelle
Michelle, By no means did I mean to imply that your homework policy was punishment. Total misunderstanding! I was stating that some people I've discovered over the years in my career are very rigid with homework. I think the flexibility you offer and that you explained is great. Students often have legit reasons why things can't be done on a certain night. Plus, homework I see as an exercise of 'practice' to reveal what folks may be confused about. Some view homework, essentially, as a test and grade it that way accordingly. I just don't think that sort of practice is fair or to the spirit of what it's for.
ReplyDeleteAdam,
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly the way I look at it - I assign some short practices (usually 15 min/night) online to reinforce a concept we discussed in class, and because the computer corrects things, and the student gets immediate, individualized feedback, they are able to come in to school the next day and ask pertinent, targeted questions about only the things they didn't understand. I love it! Execept when kids don't do it, then they are really behind in class and bog everything down.
Anyway, glad we cleared that up, and I hope we get more posts on here this year!
M