November 30, 2010

By Liz Goedegebuure

Grading

To understand the purpose of gradingTo understand the difference between the

objectivity and subjectivity in GradingTo be able to define Norm-Referenced and

Criterion-Referenced Grading

Objectives

1. Administrative 2. Guidance3. Instructional Planning4. Motivation5. Feedback about Student Achievement

What is the Purpose of Grading?

Placement when students transfer from one school to another

Student entrance into college

Administrative Purposes

Counselors provide direction to students for what classes students should or should not take, and also occupations they might consider.

Guidance Purpose

Teachers use grades to make initial decisions about students strengths and weaknesses in order to group them for instruction

Instructional Planning Purposes

If a student receives a bad grade, it could motivate a student to try harder

If a student receives a good grade, it could motivate students to continue to work hard

Motivational Purposes

It gives teachers a good idea about how their students are grasping and understanding the information they are learning

Feedback About Student Achievement

Grades tend to reduce students’ interest in the learning itself

Grades tend to reduce students’ preference for challenging tasks

Grades tend to reduce the quality of students’ thinking

Should Teachers Use Grades?

Grades spoil teachers’ relationships with students

Grades spoil students’ relationships with each other

Grades encourage cheating

Grades waste a lot of time that could be spent on learning

Should Teachers Use Grades? cont.

What are some of the purposes of grading?

Why might some people see grades as a negative thing?

QUESTIONS

An objective assignment is always easier to give and to grade

There is always one right answer

Objectivity in Grading

Students have more control over the grade they receive because they are allowed more room to answer the question

There can be multiple correct answers

Subjective Grading

Most appropriate when comparing a large number of studentsDetermines individual performance in

comparison to othersItems produce great variance in scores, perhaps

with less than 50% scoring correctlyIt is inappropriate to use these tests to determine

the effectiveness of educational programs and to provide diagnostic information for individual students

(www.edtech.vt.edu)

Norm-Reference Grading

Advantages to Norm-References SystemsEasy to useWorks well in situations requiring rigid

differentiation among studentsGenerally appropriate in large courses that do

not encourage cooperation among students but generally stress individual achievement

Norm-Referenced Grading Cont.

Disadvantages to Norm-Referenced SystemsAn individual’s grade is determined not only by

his/her achievements, but also by the achievements of others.

Promotes competition rather than cooperation

Norm-Referenced Grading Cont.

Most appropriate for quickly assessing what concepts and skills students have learned from a segment of instructionDetermine individual performance in

comparison to some standard or criterionItems based on standards given to students;

most students should answer correctly

Criterion-Referenced Grading

Advantages to Criterion-Referenced SystemsStudents are not competing against each other

and are more likely to actively help each other learn

Criterion-Referenced Grading Cont.

Disadvantages to Criterion-Referenced SystemsDifficult to set reasonable criteria for the

students without a fair amount of teaching experience

Criterion-Referenced Grading Cont.

ACTIVITY

What is the difference between Norm-Referenced Grading and Criterion-Referenced Grading?

Questions

To understand the purpose of gradingTo understand the difference between the

objectivity and subjectivity in GradingTo be able to define Norm-Referenced and

Criteria-Referenced Grading

Objectives

References

Assessment Purposes. (n.d.). Learning Technologies | Virginia Tech . Retrieved November 28, 2010, from http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/assess/purposes.html

Grading Systems | Center for Teaching & Learning. (n.d.). Center for Teaching & Learning | Committed to teaching excellence.. Retrieved November 28, 2010, from http://teaching.uncc.edu/resources/best-practice-

articles/assessment-grading/grading-systems

Kohn, A. (n.d.). From Degrading to De-Grading. Alfie Kohn Homepage. Retrieved November 28, 2010, from http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/fdtd-g.htm

Marzano, R. J. (2000). Transforming classroom grading . Alexandria, VA.: Association for supervision and Curriculum Development.