I have tried to have students grade each others papers in the past. But I found there some who cheated so I stopped doing this. Our place of employment does not want grading done at school. I do like the idea of the answer to the side of the paper. This makes it much easier than essay questions.
Diane
I teach mathematics, so formal exams are usually the standard. Their grade is not only determined by the correct answer, but also their work. This is standard and effective.
That's frustrating about the cheating Diane but something really important to keep in mind. If students cannot be honest in grading papers, we can't delegate this task to them.
I do not give paper and pencil tests since I teach computer application classes. The best tests are those that use authentic assessment measures where students show they know the material by using the Office applications in a meaningful way. These kind of tests can also be streamlined with use of charts and graphs to streamline data and database queries to reduce the amount of data. It's a little more difficult to assess Word skills since you have to look for formatting, yet, students can still highlight their formatting changes, etc.
Sounds like you are taking the right approach based on what you hope your students to learn Marcia. If computer skills are most important to understand, you've got to test on the computer. Yes, love the idea of graphs and charts to reduce the amount of data. Nice!
I found the websites given in module 2 quite useful. I was not aware of the easytestmaker.com. It seems as though this will be a very useful tool in saving time. I can easily make a test in a pre-made format, which is a wonderful time saver.
I teach writing, so I only assign essays and paragaphs since that is the only way to assess the students' mastery of the material covered.
As for homework, I go over the assignment in class and the students correct themselves.
Thanks for sharing Hayat. Some instructors have to use essay questions due to the nature of their course material. That's ok. I like your approach to grading. Sounds like you save a lot of time that way.
I grade my papers and test twice to make sure the student gets full credit for there work
Yes, based on what I have learned in this module, I will format my exams and homework assignment differently in the future. I will strive for 50% on line feedback.
Most of my homework has answer sheets so the grading is quick. I like a few essay or fill in the blank just to mix it up and to make it a better assinment/test.
We use the rubric system for tests, exams, quizzes, attendance, participation, final exams, hands on competencies, and daily labs. Once the grade is assigned to the students paper, it save time and lets the student see exactly where they stand as far as their points are concerned.
Actually I don't have an issue other then when they turn in their reports. The reading of their reports and deciphering the grammar, punctuation and spelling is what bogs me down. All due at once and then of course they are always some late.
That is tough Susan. It seems like middle and high schools these days are focusing less on grammar and spelling than ever before. This can be a big challenge in grading.
Sounds like you have a great system in place Marianne. It's nice when administrations and groups of faculty members organize around common grading systems - particularly those that save time.
The homework assignments at the school I teach are structured in a way that makes it easier for me to streamline my grading. Recently, they added grading rubrics for all the assignments. The rubrics are not perfect, so we are allowed to modify them to meet our grading needs. The final grading rubric is saved as a webpage and posted to student files so they can review it. To streamline my grading, I make multiples copies of the rubric and rename each file using the students last name.
Sounds like a great system Antoinette. I like that they are providing you some structure but - at the same time - are allowing you to customize it to best meet your needs. That's really the ideal scenario.
As I streamline my grading process I would strive to offer 50% computerized evaluations for homework and exams, this will serve best my students as well to save time.
I use multiple choice tests along with separate answer keys to streamline grading. Sometimes I cut the answer keys to lay on the students amswer sheets to speed up the process. On less weighted quizzes I sometimes have teh students swap with a classmate and grade as a class.
I make my exams a mix of matching, fill in the blank, and short answer. I also assign point values to the questions and I double side the exam when I copy it so my students can just turn the page over. It saves us all time.
