Interpreting and Grading Learning
Grading is the process of interpreting student learning products and performance to:
- Reflect where students stand in relation to an orderly development of competence.
- Inform both student and teacher not only the current level of students' learning, but also what needs to be done to improve that position.
- Be combined with other grades in order to meet administrative requirements for awarding levels according to student performance.
Grading is a high stakes activity, the results of which students use to define themselves as learners. It is also a highly subjective activity of interpretation that relies heavily on wisdom of practice. Interpreting and grading student learning relies upon careful upfront planning and can be significantly enhanced when students become agents of the assessment process, as Self Assessors or Peer Assessors.
The object of assessment can be the processes and outcomes of very diverse assessment tasks or it might be focused on students' classroom participation or their participation online. Regardless of the object of the assessment, the development of an Assessment Rubric has significant benefits both for learning and teaching. To improve the reliability and fairness of interpreting and grading student learning, processes to moderate assessment are essential, as are processes for dealing with plagiarism.
Assessing classroom participation
In this video, Nico Roenpagel discusses considerations and strategies for classroom participation.
(See Transcript of video).
Resources
Resources on interpreting and grading learning:
- Interpreting and Grading Learning
- Classroom Participation
- Using Assessment Rubrics
- Students Assessing Themselves
- Students Assessing their Peers
- Reducing Plagiarism