Comments on: On the value of assessment…

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 23:56:22 +0000

Robert Pirsig’s protagonist Phaedrus in “Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” did much the same thing by starting the semester by handing out the exam to his students, in an attempt to free them having to try and second guess the assessment and really see their subject. He was likewise in trouble.

By: LMS, Assessments and RoI « CCK08 - Viplav Baxi

LMS, Assessments and RoI « CCK08 - Viplav Baxi — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 12:57:49 +0000

[...] February 14, 2009 in CCK08 | Tags: CCK08 Janet Clareysparked off some serious thinking in my head about, really, what we are measuring in terms of RoI on training initiatives. The post in question was Rob Wilkins’ Why do we sacrifice? and you can find our conversation in the comments (and hopefully contribute your thoughts too!). George raises some relevant ideas too in his post On the value of assessments. [...]

By: Virginia Yonkers

Virginia Yonkers — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:07:36 +0000

I have graded papers twice (especially when they are posted on the internet) and am always surprised at how consistent I am. My remarks may differ, but it is rare that I am 2 points off from my original grade.

I don’t understand how a tenured professor could be fired for not “grading” students more than A+. I do wonder though, how he handles students that don’t come to class at all. In that case, he is not teaching students (or helping them to learn) as they can “pass” the class without having learned anything.

I start with a minimum grade if all students do the minimum work (a C). Students can then work on achieving an “A” by doing as much work as it takes to achieve the “A”. There are 1400 possible points they can earn and an “A” requires “940″ points. Students can hand in as many assignments as they want to receive whatever grade they are willing to work for. I am always surprised at the number that are satisfied with the minimal. But that is their choice.

By: Emilio Quintana

Emilio Quintana — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 11:38:23 +0000

And later, we can talk about assessment. If possible without handcuffs.

By: Emilio Quintana

Emilio Quintana — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 11:36:05 +0000

I think the only arbitrary behaviour in this case, its the violence of the university against Rancourt. This is not about assessment, this is about arbitrary violence.

By: Frances Bell

Frances Bell — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:43:12 +0000

One of the main reasons for me that assessment is important is that it is valued by students, superficially in terms of a mark or grade, but much more effectively once they can use assessment and feedback to inform their personal improvement.
Like Jennifer I use rubrics, and encourage students’ active use of them by asking them to use the rubric to ‘mark’ the work of a published author.

By: Jennifer Courduff

Jennifer Courduff — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:24:38 +0000

As a professor at a local university, I develop rubrics for assignments and give them to my students the first night of class. When students turn in assignments, I evaluate them based on the rubric. If the assignment is not A work, the student is required to revise the work until it meets A quality as specified by the rubric. This makes the entire process more objective for me.

By: Charles

Charles — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:00:36 +0000

P.S. Correct my spelling for “Arbitray” to “Arbitrary”. Thanks.

By: Charles Nelson

Charles Nelson — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:59:38 +0000

“Arbitray” has the notion of being unrestricted and unreasonable.

My own grading is informed by my readings in my field, my colleagues, and by expectations at my institution. Yes, I’m the finally “arbiter,” but there are restrictions, and my grading is not capricious.

Perhaps you can explain why you believe that grading is arbitrary.