ToolKit98

Activity 4.2

Putting Grading and Reporting Questions in Perspective

Goals:

To think about issues surrounding grading and reporting

To set the stage for ongoing discussions about grading

Uses:

This is an intermediate level activity. It is a good one to use to kick off discussions about grading and reporting. Prerequisites might include: (a) knowledge of how student assessment fits into standards-based education (Chapter 1 text and/or Activities 1.1—Changing Assessment Practices, or 1.12—Assessment Principles); and (b) understanding of how assessment can be integrated with instruction (Chapter 2 Text and/or Activities 2.1—Sorting Student Work and 2.3—Ms. Toliver's Mathematics Class).

Rationale:

The overall instructional philosophy in Toolkit98 is that everyone—students, teachers, and adults of all kinds—learn best when they are involved in a hands-on experience and then draw their own conclusions. This does not, however, mean that we leave teachers totally up to their own devices. Teachers need material to react to and try out. This is the philosophy behind this activity.

In our experience, grading and reporting strikes a deep emotional chord in teachers. Unstructured discussions can frequently go nowhere. Therefore, this activity is based on reading and reacting to a somewhat controversial article about grading by Alfie Kohn (see Article #1 in Appendix C—Articles). The goal is not to make every teacher embrace Kohn's ideas. The goal is to remind teachers of the times they feel uncomfortable about practices in grading and reporting, and give them the opportunity to discuss what they would like to do about it.

Materials Needed:

Overhead projector, screen, blank transparencies, and transparency pens

Flip chart sheets and pens—one per group of 4-6

Overheads: A4.2,O1—Putting Grading…Purposes and Agenda and A4.2,O2—What are the 3 biggest questions…(Handouts A4.2,H2 and A4.2,H3 can also be made into overheads.)

Handouts: Handout A4.2H1—Instructions for 3 Biggest Questions, A4.2,H2—Grading…. A4.2,H3—Points made by previous groups; one per person

Time:

75-90 minutes

Facilitator's Notes:

(2 minutes) Go over the goals and agenda for the segment. (See Overhead A4.2,O1—Putting Grading and Reporting Questions in Perspective Purposes and Agenda.) If this is the opening activity to a further sequence of activities, tell participants that this activity will add a common experience and discussion to the mix before addressing specific grading issues.
(20-25 minutes) Participants will first individually brainstorm their three biggest questions about grading and reporting. Then they'll choose a recorder for their group and come to agreement about the group's biggest three questions. The recorder will write the questions on chart pack paper and post them. Finally, there will be a "museum tour" in which groups circulate to the questions posted by other groups to see how many questions echo their own. Instructions and space to write down questions is provided on Handout A4.2,H1—Instructions for 3 Biggest Questions.
Overhead A4.2,O2—What are the 3 biggest questions…can be used to stimulate thinking if individuals and groups have trouble getting started.
(45-60 minutes) In this segment, participants are going to read Alfie Kohn's article (in Appendix C), identify where in Kohn's three levels of concern about grading and reporting their questions fall, and think about what ideas they like and dislike in Kohn's paper.

(5 minutes) Providing an introduction to Kohn's paper before reading begins enables participants to focus faster on the important elements and keep the paper in perspective. Points to include in an overview:

Kohn's paper is excellent in providing the big picture about grading. It's a must read. This doesn't mean, however, that we're necessarily promoting all his ideas. The purpose of the paper is to raise issues not dictate solutions. It provides a common base from which to discuss issues.

At the end of reading, participants will be asked to identify what ideas they liked, what ideas they felt uncomfortable about, and what ideas they found "interesting" (that is, they would need to think about them more before forming an opinion).

Kohn will discuss three levels of concern about grading. Level I concerns deal primarily with the "how to" questions such as "How do I combine numbers to form grades?" Level II concerns go beyond traditional sources of information to ask whether traditional grading is really necessary or useful for assessing students' performance. Are there better ways to represent student learning than grades? At this level, also, teachers might not question the need to grade, but feel that grades need to be based on sounder evidence; so, they begin to want to incorporate "alternative assessment" information into their grades. Level III concerns about grading focus on questions of, "Why do we grade?" and "Why do we assess?" "No matter how elaborate or carefully designed an assessment strategy may be, the result will not be constructive if our reason for wanting to know is itself objectionable." (Kohn, p. 2)

At the end of reading participants will identify the levels associated with the questions they asked about grading and reporting.

(Knowing the level of questions of a group also assists in knowing where to begin, or the approach to take, in training or discussion about grades.

(30-40 minutes) Read Kohn's paper and individually (1) decide on the level of their own questions and (2) identify "likes," "dislikes," and "interesting's." Handout A4.2,H2—Grading…. provides space for notes. Remind groups that they should leave 10 minutes at the end to discuss: levels of their questions and their "likes," "dislikes," and "interesting's."

(10-15 minutes) The debrief has two parts. First ask for a show of hands about levels. Then have a quick review of "likes," "dislikes" and "interesting’s." A good technique for moving things along is to "stand and share." For each category (likes, dislikes and interesting) ask one person to stand from each table if they have something to share. If any of the people say what they were going to say they sit down.

(Comments from past workshops are provided in Handout H3—Points Made by Previous Groups. Other comments: Likes—intrinsic motivation; having grades represent achievement only. Dislikes—doesn't include the rationale for grading; doesn't mention the need for multiple sources of information. Interesting—Kohn says evidence "seems to suggest" rather than offering firm research evidence.)

This activity should not lead participants to conclude that they shouldn't have to grade. Grading is a political reality that will be with us for some time to come. The conclusion should be that, since we have to grade, let's make the process as meaningful as possible. For example, encouraging grades to be a shorthand for well-defined, standards-based achievement levels; thinking of ways grading practices can encourage learning and support student success; and avoiding undesirable side effects.

4. (5 minutes) You might end the session by asking participants to write down one idea that they are going to try, or one piece of information they want to remember.

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