Grading can be very complex. As the clinical instructor, it seems a little more straightforward. Either the student can perform the skill, verbalize understanding of concepts/medications . . . or not. I like to pose questions that allow the student to elaborate on what steps they would take to problem solve or take care of a patient. I know what key points I expect them to touch on and give the points that way.
A common mistake that new instructors make is to create a point scale that includes points for extra credit, which means in reality that in order for the students to earn the maximum points they really have to earn the extra points to stay within the point category of the grade they are aiming for.
The explanation of how the extra credit points should work in the real world was very informative for me.
Teaching styles and evaluation should align with assessments and if they do not then using the students' input on best ways to yield effective results from those evaluations is important.
Having a discussion with a student that missed assignment a real important step to make early. I do this with my students when needed, but the discussion stops when I feel the student is not living up to his promises. The grade book being up to date will also let the student no that he or she needs to perform better to get back in the game.
Keep students involved. Give extra credit if needed.
Shah Rahman
an extra credit question can indicate an area of interest that may have been overlooked.
Grading student work can be one of the more challenging tasks to get done sometimes however its imperative that we as instructors are making sure that our grading is not only fair, but also prompt. Its crucial that we are providing students with feedback as soon as possible. This is one reason why the implementation of technology is so helpful. I have found that using assignments that can be automatically graded is a great way for students to complete tasks while also getting that immediate feedback.
I can use my personality, knowledge, and expertise to enhance my teaching style.
It is fortunate that students will understand the importance of grading. This is the only way we can know that students have grasped the content. Be consistent in following your policies and procedures within the school and adhere to your own syllabus. Create rubrics so students know how much effort it will take to earn an A vs. a B. Formative and Summative assessments are necessary for evaluation.
It is always better to talk directly with a student about an assignment. You then can make a decision on whether to accept the assignment late or to give the student a zero. The student will appreciate your interest in their work whether they hand in that assignment or not.
Keeping the gradebook current and up-to-date is important in reducing student anxiety and lets them know where they are in the course.
Make clear cut policies for my class. Post them at the beginning of class so that every student knows them.
It is important that extra credit not exceed regular credits earned so that students must do all mandatory coursework to pass the class.
I think the advice to create a clear grading system is very good. I also like rubrics where the students can see what level of work equals an "A," etc. This way they can budget their time.
Being sure to follow the guidelines of the institution as well as being clear about what is expected of the students.
I personally don't like the idea of extra credit because it encourages students to skip assignments they don't like, knowing that they can just make it up later. Especially if all requirements and expectations are outlined in the syllabus, I don't see a valid reason for extra credit.
Make policies and stick to them. Students need expectations.
I use a combination of competency-based grading in a letter-grade format. This allows my students to always improve and still understand where they fall within a letter grading system.
I think I'm going to change my late assignment policy and also try to send an email for every assignment that is missing or late with my school's policy on those procedures.
