Extra Credit
I have mixed feeling about giving Extra Credits to my students. I like extra credit because it reward the students who are willing to go a step further in their study. On the other hand are college students too old for extra credit? I was educated in Europe and we did not have extra credit. I would appreciate your feedback.
Hi Anne-Patricia,
I don't give extra credit but I do allow the students to earn professional development credit for doing certain projects as support their field. Example, they can interview a person in their field and write up the results or I give them a space on my tests to tell something they have learned that I did not test them over. This way I can become aware of their study patterns and what they are perceiving as being important.
Gary
I feel that extra credit help the students that are failing and it encourage students to do their homework and help prepare them for exams.
HI Delores,
Extra credit for work is effective depending on how you use it. There are many different ways of integrating extra credit into your grading scheme. The key is to make sure extra credit is given for additional work. The key skills and course content has to be acquired in order to turn out high quality graduates. There are many different ways for you to get your students there.
Gary
I do not give a lot of extra credit. I give the students the option to complete extra assignments for a minimal amount of extra. Most of the time the extra credit is 5-10 pts. This is not enough to significantly change their grade but it could save them from failing.
Hi Annie,
I like your approach to giving extra credit. I think extra credit should be "earned" in such a manner as to be extra credit, not a way to fill in work not completed or classes not attended.
The rigor of the course must be protected and then extra credit can be earned. Otherwise students will use the "extra credit" as a way to shortcut the required work. For many students the earning of extra credit lets them gain additional knowledge within the course due to their dedication or desire for additional information.
Gary
Extra credit some times help the students to upgrade their knowledge. Examples: You can ask the students for some special works after selecting a related topics. Some times extra credit also helps in clinical field.
Dr. Meers,
How do you grade them on the extra work?
Hi Sheila,
I have the basic set of points to be earned for the course so they know what it takes to pass the course. I use extra credit only in situations that enable students to earn points if they are on the bubble between grade or if they want to take on a special project. I don't offer extra credit work just to make up being absence (not excused) or missed assignments. The reason is that some instructors offer extra credit for everything to the point that students can pass the course with little add ons of extra credit without really earning points and/or skills within the core of the course. I want my students to earn their points as they work through the course.
Gary
I feel like extra credit is good thing, because it rewards students who want to go a step further in their work. If you have the go to exercise this option why not, it will not hurt.
I believe extra credit will help students as long as they don't exceed 5 to 10% of overall grade and given early in the week in order to encourage students to review their material a head of time.
Other students who can benefit from these credits are those who cannot attend weekly tests on time due to sickness or other emergency. For these students the make up tests are given from 70% of the whole grade and this will be a major lost for them.
Hi Abdul,
Thank you for your comments on extra credit. Each teacher has to develop their own way of handling extra credit. Your approach of not letting it exceed 10% of the total grade is a good one. Some instructors let students earn enough extra credit that they don't need to do the course project, etc. This defeats the purpose of the other grade points.
Gary
Hi Delores,
I agree with regarding extra credit it does encourage students to prepare for their exams.
I dont like giving extra credit assignments,in fact they have been banned from our college... it is college and they need to be getting points for work that needs to be done
Hi Sandy,
You hit upon one of my concerns about extra credit. Some instructors allow enough extra credit to be earned that the students can pass the course without ever doing the actual course work. I think the students need to do the work required and be rewarded for their efforts as a result.
Gary
I think giving Extra Credit to students is good tool, and it usually serves as motivator. I usually incorporate Extra Credit as a Bonus Question(s). Bonus Questions are optional and it can make a difference in grades, i.e. B- A or C-B.
Hi Reva,
Extra credit can be used in many different ways and you have shared one approach with the participants. Thanks giving another idea of how to use extra credit as a learning tool.
Gary
I give extra credit. It seems to also relieve some test anxiety.
It would not be fair to the students that are giving an extra effort to stay on top of things if you are giving extra credit to those that have fallen behind in order to allow them to catch up
Hi Jessie
I agree but, you could also give extra credit to someone who is cooperative in a manner that helps other students to succeed while they may be on the "bubble" themselves.
I believe it is not a substitute for slacking.
If you allow it happen that way you will only encourage them to slack again.
Ken Lowell
