Coordinators Meeting

December 7, 2010

Grading – one of THE most controversial issues for teachers

Define what the following grades mean without using numbers, percentages, etc.

A -

B -

C -

D -

F -

What purpose do grades serve?

Provides feedback to parents and students shows progress global communication btwn educators predicts success later accountability for students assess student knowledge of standards motivation ranking or placement Sort kids? Define what a student knows and can do?

Why do we Grade?

Provide Feedback Document Progress Guide Instructional decisions

--------------- Motivate Students Punish Sort

Problems with Most Traditional Grading Systems

DON’T REFLECT ACTUAL LEARNING! Often not connected to learning too vague - range often too broad OPEN TO INTERPRETATION (different things to…) not good at communicating what we want it to insufficient and inaccurate SUBJECTIVE provides additional proof of failure high anxiety that stifles effort parent pressures to perform

The Normal Curve vs. Success Orientation

Standards based environment??

Sorting students or ensuring that they learn?

Grading To Communicate (article)

Grades are often a commodity rather than a reflection of actual learning

A system of sorting (>100 years old) rather than getting everyone across the bar (Standards)

We must first recognize that we have an enculturated system that promotes the disconnect

Info recall (academic bulimia) – lowest level of learning (Bloom)

Compliance vs. Learning–willingness to cooperate vs. understanding - know & be able to do

Grading To Communicate

Need focus on essential “learnings” Expect grades to promote learning? Then

they must reflect learning – mastery of essential know and able to do.

Assignment of points – averaging – HW and Extra Credit are all suspect practices in standards based classrooms (and ALL common and valued practices by educators)

Grading To Communicate

Non-academic factors should receive separate grade –count less than academic factors– “knows and can do”

Define important learning - conceptual understanding, application; analysis; evaluation (Bloom higher levels)

Decide on appropriate evidence of learning How many points is this worth? …just some thoughts.

Teaching is NOT Adversarial !

OTHER Important Issues in Grading

Equity of access Ability vs “all can learn” Gatekeeping Imposes strict time constraints Late work Subjectivity Modifications adaptations

The ZERO!

1009080706050403020100

4 3 2 1 0-1-2-3-4-5-6

An “Interval” Problem

Some Grading Issues (Grade Distribution)

A B C D F TOT

Teacher X# 1 5 8 5 4 23% 04 21 34 21 17

Teacher Y# 6 8 6 2 1 23

% 26 35 26 8 4

Grading - Calculations

Student Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5

1 59 69 79 89 992 99 89 79 69 593 77 80 80 78 804 49 49 98 99 1005 100 99 98 49 496 0 98 98 99 1007 100 99 98 98 0

Tell me about Student #1, #4, #5, #6?How would YOU give them a final grade?

Averaging – The MOST common method

Student Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 Average Grade

1 59 69 79 89 99 79 C2 99 89 79 69 59 79 C3 77 80 80 78 80 79 C4 49 49 98 99 100 79 C5 100 99 98 49 49 79 C6 0 98 98 99 100 79 C7 100 99 98 98 0 79 C

Is “accurate” – but is it FAIR? How about what it communicates?

Median Calculation

Student Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 Median Grade

1 59 69 79 89 99 79 C2 99 89 79 69 59 79 C3 77 80 80 78 80 80 B4 49 49 98 99 100 98 A5 100 99 98 49 49 98 A6 0 98 98 99 100 98 A7 100 99 98 98 0 98 A

Better? Why?

Delete Lowest ScoreThen Average

Student Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 Delete Lo Grade

1 59 69 79 89 99 84 B2 99 89 79 69 59 84 B3 77 80 80 78 80 79.5 C4 49 49 98 99 100 86.5 B5 100 99 98 49 49 86.5 B6 0 98 98 99 100 98.8 A7 100 99 98 98 0 98.8 A

Thoughts?

Which accomplishes what purpose of grade reporting?

Student Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 Average Grade Median Grade Delete Lo Grade

1 59 69 79 89 99 79 C 79 C 84 B2 99 89 79 69 59 79 C 79 C 84 B3 77 80 80 78 80 79 C 80 B 79.5 C4 49 49 98 99 100 79 C 98 A 86.5 B5 100 99 98 49 49 79 C 98 A 86.5 B6 0 98 98 99 100 79 C 98 A 98.8 A7 100 99 98 98 0 79 C 98 A 98.8 A

Other Options??

GRADING RECOMMENDATIONS

Get rid of averaging (norm referenced stat = sorting) Never give a zero -translate to a 50 for calculations only Criterion references are the only acceptable method of

assessing “learning” Get rid of extra credit – especially extra credit for

unrelated or “non-learning” activity Allow re-dos to help kids improve quality of

“learning”– “if it is worth doing….” Homework is for practice of what has already been

learned Use grades to provide a description of student learning -

less for quantifying compliance

Grading (formative assessment) - Item Analysis

Number Wrong

1. 2

2. 8

3.

4. 1

5. 8

6. 5

7. 3

8.

9. 17

10. 7

Impressions? Possible explanations

for # 9? Where do you draw the

line? 8? 7? 5?

What the Research says...Grades have some limited value as

rewards, but NO value as punishments.

Mathematical precision of the calculations do not make the grades more accurate, fair, objective, interpretable or reflective of true learning.

Grades & Feedback

Students tend to ignore feedback when accompanied by a grade or overall judgment (Black, Harrison, Lee, Marshall, & Wiliam, 2004)

“A numerical mark or grade does not tell you what to do: if it is high, you’re pleased but have no impetus to do better, if it is low it might confirm your belief that you are not able to learn the subject.” (Black & Harrison, 2001)