The Complexities of Grading: What’s fair?

What’s worth grading?Kay M. SagmillerOregon State University Center for Teaching and Learning

Calculate the final grades

Sally

C C M D C B M M B A

Bob 75 75 78 M 82 84 88 90 92 93

90-100 A80-89 B70-79 C60-69 DBelow 60 F

93 + A90-92 A-87-89 B+83-86 B80-82 B-77-79 C+73-76 C70-72 C-67-69 D+63-66 D60-62 D-

95-100 A85-94 B75-84 C65-74 DBelow 65 F

Toxic Grading Practices

1. No common standard for the grading scale

2. Using zeros for missing work on a 100 point scale

3. Averaging all scores throughout the quarter

4. “Quarter-Killer Assignments”

5. Grading on the curve

Marzano, 2000; O’Connor 2008; Reeves, 2004, 2008; Waugh & Gronlund, 2013

What are grades meant to communicate?

…the extent to which a student has met a pre-specified standard of performance: the course objectives (Waugh & Gronlund, 2013)

Outcomes & Objectives Vary in Generality

OSU Learning Goals Graduates = Lifetime Program Outcomes = 4-6 Years

Course Outcomes = 10 weeks Daily Objectives = Today

Course outcomes are subsets of program outcomes

Program Outcome: Apply scientific concepts towards assessing, promoting, or enhancing physical health, fitness, or performance

Course Outcome: Review and recommend best practices and evidence-based procedures for the development and implementation of physical activity promotion efforts for individuals with a chronic health condition and disability.

First Year Graduation

OSU CurriculumSophomore/Junior

Perspectives

Synthesis

Writing

Quantitative Reasoning

Speech

BC

M M M

BC

M

BC

BC

MThinking

Understanding develops over time

Strategic Thinking

Skill/Concep

tRecall

Extended Thinking

Skills develop with practicePr

eass

essm

ent

Fina

l Tas

k

Demonstration

2nd 1st

Approximation

FinalApproximatio

n

Skill

Group Work

Locate the course

Where does this course fall in the program’s sequence of courses?

What do my students need to know prior to this course starting?

Which specific program outcomes are a primary focus in this course?

Clarify Expectations

What “degree of understanding” and level of skill proficiency must my students’ achieve by the end of this course?

How can I best communicate these expectations to my students?

What summative assessment would give students the best opportunity to demonstrate the degree to which they have met these levels?

Scaffold and Support Learning

What sequence of lessons will best support my students’ in constructing understanding?

In what way is EACH lesson aligned to the course outcomes?

Where are the difficult points in this class?

Plan your “dipstick” assessments

Given the nature of this class, when is it important to take a “dipstick assessment” of student progress?

Of the many ways to “check in” with students, which assessment will provide the best feedback on student growth?

Align Assessment Tool to Depth of Knowing

Strategic Thinking

Skill Concep

tRecall

Extended Thinking

Analyze, Design, Create, Apply

Concepts

Estimate, Classify, Modify, Predict, Compare, Summarize

Multiple choice, True false, Match, Label, List

Revise, Logically Argue, Hypothesize, Critique

Basic Principles of Grading

1. Learning is the goal

2. Communicate academic expectations by setting clear criteria and standards

3. Use a variety of assessments (pre, formative and summative) to get a more complete picture of student progress

4. Teach and assess what is “most important”

Weighted Grading

Assumption: Different types of performances are of more value than others

The “assessments” the professor “values more” are weighted more heavily in the grading process

Often used in courses heavy in skill development: early approximations are not weighted as heavily as summative performances

Accumulated Point Grading

Assumption: Good or poor performance in one area can be offset by work in other areas

ExampleQuizzes 0-40 pointsField Project 0-30 pointsFinal Exam 0-20 pointsClass Part 0-10 points

Proficiency Grading

Assumption: different categories of work are each important and one cannot compensate for another

Course Grade Graded Work Pass-Fail WorkA A average 90% passB B average 83% passC C average 75 % passD D average 65% pass

If a student gets an A on graded work but a 65% pass on daily work she gets a D in the class because it is the highest level at which she meets or exceeds the standards for both graded and pass/fail work

The most effective grading practices provide accurate,

specific, timely feedback to

improve student performance

Marzano 2000, 2007; O’Connor, 2007; Reeves, 2008

Other Considerations

• Developmental Approach: Improvement over time

• Unit-Based Approach: Each unit is important

• Contract Grading

• Grading Group Work

• Extra Credit and Penalties

References

Buller, J. (2010). The essential college professor. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Stiggins, R. (1994). Student-centered classroom assessment. New York: Macmillan College Publishing.

Walvoord, B. & Anderson, V. (1998). Effective grading. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Waugh, C. & Gronlund, N. (2013) Assessment of student achievement, Tenth edition, Boston: Pearson.