Extra Percentage for Attendance
My school has approved a new attendance policy and there is part of it that I don't agree to. We are required to add 2 percentage points to a student's final overall grade if they didn't miss a single class and 1 percentage point if they only missed 1 class all term.
Any opinions?
Hi Amanda:
What many instructors have elected to do is associate attendance as part of "professionalism" or "class participation". If students view it this way, they can relate to the school mandated policy simply by looking at the requirement from a different perspective.
Regards, Barry
I teach as an automotive instructor and for us attendance is graded seperatly. We grade in four catagories Lab, Class written tests,Attendance and Professionalism. You have to get 70% or better in each catagory to pass the class. I really don't think that it should be tied to class grades although missing class can have a negative affect on those grades. I guess my question is why did they do this? Was it in an effort to make the grades look better than they really were. I don't think that if a student were likly to miss a class that 2 points would be enough incentive to have him show up. But then again I would never miss an chance to learn something new.
Adding percentage points for attendance is not a path that I would take. It dilutes the grade of a student that does excellent but may have an emergency that would cause him to miss class.
Hi Tom:
You make a good point.
The decision to award a part of a students grade for attendance is a controversial topic - and there's no real right or wrong answer. Many instructors do it successfully, while others are not successful. Similarly, some instructors opt not to award credit for attendance successfuly while others could probably use it to make their classes better by providing this small incentive.
Regards, Barry
I believe attendance is a prerequisite for the class. Why should a student get extra credit for doing what should be the norm?
Hi James:
Well, walking the fence here, I'll say that students should only get credit for what is expected. Of course, that still does not address credit and/or extra credit.
In some circles, attendence is expected, so much so that it gets incorporated into a grade. In other circles, grades do not have a component repensenting attendance. Sometimes these policies come down from the district or corporate office.
When instructors construct a grading rubric, that can oftentimes specify the expectation with regards to attendance. I imagine there are some classes where attendance is given credit, but not extra credit. And there are probably classes that students could get an "A" with very limited attendance. Seems like there are alot of variables in play. Its really not a black or white kind of topic.
Regards, Barry
I think that might be because good attendence isnt the norm in alot of students minds.
Hi George:
There seems to be many opinions about the rationale for awarding credit for attendence. Both sides can produce strong arguments.
Skirting the main question slightly, I'll offer a more pragmatic comment. If we believe student attendance is important and has value, then any action an instructor can take to optimize attendance is probably worthwhile.
Reinforcing and recognizing good and/or desired behavior will produce more of the same.
Regards, Barry
Wow....where has accountability gone? Our students pay to take our courses, demonstrating their desire to learn something new but yet we have to give them a higher grade if they actually show up? Where is the accountability within the student? I equate this to the workplace as well. Several companies actually pay their employees a "bonus" if they are on time for work, if they don't call in sick etc...I would think that would be their job and what they were paid to do in the first place. It's beyond me why anyone would pay someone a bonus to do what they were hired to do in the first place. Same as with students...I'm going to grade you on your ability to do the work not on your ability to do what should be common sense.
Hi Randy:
You've made a couple of good points. I guess you kind of have to put this in a category not unlike children who have expectations placed on them. Sure, they're supposed to do all the things we've asked of them, but sometimes it's nice to be able to offer a cookie (i.e. incentive). Not that we should, but it's nice when it happens. Adults like recognition and rewards, generally speaking. But its a judgement call whether to provide incentives in categories such as attendence.
Regards, Barry
I give a professionlism grade, worth 100 points. If a student has perfect attendance, turns all assignments in on-time, then they will receive 100 points. If they miss 1 class, then 95 points, depending on if their work was completed on-time. Each absent is about 5-10 points, depending on their work also. The students have never really complained aboit this, and I believe it to be fair.
Hi Catherine:
There are a few varied viewpoints about the awarding of professional points for things such as attendance. Some feel as though the expectations of the class should be followed and graded accordingly, without benefit of extra points for doing something thats expected.
Sometimes this is dictated by college policy or administration. I won't comment about weather it's appropriate to practice this grading method, only to say that, if one is in place, it should be applied fairly and equally for all students.
Regards, Barry
I think its a good think to add points in the final grade for attendance. It shows the students that what is tought in class canot be met just by reading the book. Also it will elimanate a lot of abcessence in the class. It is alos unfair for the students who are always on time & show up for the class.
All students care about is their grade so if they can even get one single point for anything i bet they will try to get it.
Hi Shaista:
Your point is taken. Many institutions vary on how they address attendance and whether it should count for a grade. Many would agree however, that as long as the student learned the material, giving some small credit for attendance is not a harmful thing. I'd also add this is one of those things that is very controversial - there really isn't a right or answer.
Regards, Barry
Having good attendance is not "above and beyond".
Hi Shawn:
Most instructors would agree that attendance in school is a good reflection for the expectation of good attendnce in the workplace. As the lesson pointed out, few if any points or credit should be awarded for attendance.
The reality is that many schools have institutional policies that require a small percentage of a students grade to be based on attendance. If thats the case, many instructors will place more weight on other components of the course to offset having a student rewarded just for showing up. What works for Woody Allen ("90% of anything is just showing up") is not a realistic axiom for students seriously interested in their career successfulness.
Regards, Barry
I teach in a culinary college. Part of my class time is spent on lecturing but most of the class time is spent in demonstration and then in students practicing the skills they need to master before entering the workforce. In my class this daily lab work has a heavier weight in the overall grade. If a student does not attend class, they get a zero for that day’s lab work. This is stated in the syllabus and I point this out to students on the first day of class. So attendance is reflected in their grade because there is no way they can receive a grade for lab work they did not do. Students who do attend every class will get a higher grade than students who do not – even if the quality of their work is the same and their test grades are the same. I think this is fair, and it does reward students for good professional behavior.
Hi Yingwei:
You're right, a student has to be present if they want to get the full significance of the daily lesson. Indirectly you are grading on attendance. I think many instructors do the same or something similar.
Regards, Barry
Hmm...I like this idea. It encourages the student to attend class, and rewards the ones that do. I find that this promotes the traits of an employee i would want to hire.
