What Is the Best Way to Grade Participation?

By Maryellen Weimer, PhD HOW TO BEST GRADE STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN CLASS You know how essential it is for students to be active participants in their education. But how do you grade them on it? Find out in this Magna 20-Minute Mentor, What Is the Best Way to Grade Participation? Running just 20 minutes, it is the easiest way to improve your course and fit into a busy schedule. LEARNING GOALS While emphasizing there is no single way to assess student participation, presenter delivers a concise and comprehensive overview of what not to do, activities worth doing, how to do them, and how to evaluate your own process. After completing this grading and feedback focused program, you’ll be able to: Describe and avoid common pitfalls associated with grading student participation Identify positive and negative criteria you will use to evaluate student participation Develop strategies for implementing your assessment plan Use appropriate techniques to keep all students involved with and aware of your participation assessment plan Develop and implement feedback strategies to help students improve their participation TOPICS COVERED Too often instructors base participation grades on very vague standards or use these assessments to give grades they somehow think students deserve. In this compelling and practical session, you’ll learn that effective assessment of participation starts with understanding why you’re evaluating participation in the first place and having a clear description of the behavior you’ll be monitoring. You’ll explore: Making feedback part of the way you grade participation Providing accommodations for students with special needs, including shyness Getting students involved in assessment TAKEAWAYS Drawing on her extensive experience, the presenter supplements this video seminar with handouts such as tracking sheets and assessment instruments to help you implement what you learn.