> Hi Jim, > > I think that is a great idea. > > I have my students grade their own performance and progress on a weekly > basis. This gets them thinking about what criteria they should use to > assess themselves and what each letter grade really means. This always > leads to some great discussions in the first weeks of class. Isn't C > supposed to be average, and A an excellent grade? It seems that the grading > system has become skewed so that now a B is average and C is what a student > gets when they don't do anything for the course. I have found that in > letting the students grade themselves they tend to actually use the > C=average as a guide. If they don't prepare for their weekly lesson, they > have no option but to give themselves an E...and then work really hard the > next week to get an A. Allowing them to grade themselves also seems to > promote them working harder earlier in the semester, rather than cramming > everything in the last weeks. (I do teach a lot of students one-on-one or > in very small groups. Being with each student when they assign their grade > is easy. I haven't figured out how to incorporate self-grading when > teaching large classes.) > > I was actually to talking to a student about this just yesterday. She had > quite a bit to say, especially when comparing the differences she sees in > the value of an A, or a C, between the US academic system and that of China, > where she was raised. I don't know if she would feel comfortable speaking > about this in front of a group of faculty, but I'm sure I can find a student > that would. > > After writing that I realize that perhaps you meant something else by > 'grade expectations'? Regardless, maybe it's relevant? > > Thanks, > Julie > > -- > Julie Licata, DMA > Assistant Professor of Music > State University of New York > College at Oneonta > > Office: (607) 436-3441 > Cell: (607) 434-3337 > > > > > On Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 7:14 AM, Greenberg, James ([log in to unmask]) < > [log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> TBers, >> >> I was thinking about asking you to bring a student with you to the next TB >> (I’ll buy them coffee or whatever) and having a discussion with them about >> grade expectations. Vanderbilt University just did something like this >> (see *http://is.gd/L6euPp* ) and the outcomes looked useful. What do you >> think? >> >> Mr. James B. Greenberg >> Director Teaching, Learning and Technology Center >> Milne Library >> SUNY College at Oneonta >> Oneonta, New York 13820 >> >> blog: The 32nd Square at http://32ndsquare.blogspot.com >> wiki: The 32nd Square at http://32ndsquare.wikidot.com >> email: [log in to unmask] >> phone: 607-436-2701 >> fax: 607-436-3677 >> IM: oneontatltc >> Twitter: greenbjb >> >> >> "Ignorance is curable, stupidity lasts forever" >> P* **Think before you print! Please consider the environment before >> printing this email* >> > > > > >