SESSION 6: GRADING

Whenever the word grading is mentioned, this is what comes to mind.

1. Give three purposes for grading in an online class. Explain each one and then provide an example or guideline for accomplishing each purpose.

     Helps instructor to determine the students’ level of understanding – grading is based upon learning activities which the student has to under-taken to measure performance of a given concept. If a student performs poorly, then the instructor should identify areas which the student needs to improve and provide guidance.

     Used as a way to perceive student engagement – this involves how a student interacts with the course content and other students. When questions are asked directly from reading materials, then an instructor can determine whether the student read the materials or not. When a student is asked to reflect on what other students have presented, an instructor can easily tell whether the student read the postings or not.  

     Used to motivate students – no one will want to learn without finding out how they are performing. Although when poorly used, grading can discourage students. Instructors need to give clear guidance of how grading will be done and provide prompt feedback.

2. You have been called to consult with a university which is about to create a brand new totally online graduate program in leadership education. As part of your consultation you have been asked to provide a short written policy (for the student and instructor handbooks) related to grading policy. List (bullet list) the top five issues your policy will address.

• Weekly writing assignments – 10 points. Not more than 7 assignments.
• Regular and active participation in online discussions – 3 points. Grades should be based on quality and quantity of responses in discussion forums.
• Late submissions should attract a deduction of 10% of the points.
• Submission of assignments – Use APA guidelines, professional formatting, due dates and proper document naming.
• Grades – posted on BB grade book at the end of every week, instructor should provide general feedback on BB announcement and individual emails. A final letter grade to be awarded at the end of the course using a grading scale.

3. As part of the consultation with the university on creating an online program you have been asked to create a rubric that can be used across all program classes to grade the online discussions. The idea is to provide a single rubric that is generalized enough to provide a guide for student engagement in the discussion, and for instructors to be able to grade the discussions with a minimum of effort. It has been decided that discussions will be worth 30 points and this represents 30% of the total points available in the session. The rubric you create must be simple for the instructor to use but specific enough so that students clearly understand what they are to do and why they get the grade they receive.

I created a Discussion Evaluation Rubric using rubistar4teachers. Total 30 points. 
The following YouTube video highlights how to create an online rubric using Google Forms.

4. Choose a topic that is familiar to you and create three excellent learning objectives. Explain why the objectives you create are excellent.

TOPIC: Eating a balanced diet.

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Identify the five food groups that make a balanced diet.
• Develop a menu incorporating the five food groups.
• Use word document to draft a personal food guide pyramid to guide them when selecting foods.

Bloom’s taxonomy was used while writing the above objectives. Three levels which I selected are comprehension, application and synthesis. Students are expected to demonstrate their understanding of a balanced diet by identifying the food groups. They will then apply the new knowledge by developing a menu using the identified food groups. Lastly students are expected to draft a personal food guide pyramid using the five food groups.

http://teaching.uncc.edu/learning-resources/articles-books/best-practice/goals-objectives/writing-objectives

5. Describe an eLearning activity that will have students meet one or more of the objectives you just created.

     Students will create blogs where they will post their findings about the five food groups, the menu and the food guide pyramid. They will carry out internet search and learn the importance of eating a balanced diet. This information will assist them to develop a menu incorporating all the five food groups and a personal food guide pyramid that will guide them when selecting foods. This will be an assignment which should be posted not later than Sunday of the learning module week.  

     Students will write a summary and post on BB discussion not later than Thursday of the learning module week to support their findings about a balanced diet and one page reflection of what they have learned from the topic at the end of the learning module.

     They will be expected to engage in interactions with other students throughout the week by replying to comments made by classmates and respond to other student blogs.

6. Explain how you will grade the student work in the above activity. For example you may want to provide a rubric or describe other methods used.

10 points: Menu is well developed, balanced and a variety of foods have been used. Additional materials are appropriate for the course content and of high quality. A personal food guide pyramid incorporates all of the five food groups. Provide appropriate comments on other student blogs and respond to comments left on personal blog by other students. Post is made before required deadline.

5 – 9 points: Menu is developed, somehow balanced and a variety of foods have been used. A personal food guide pyramid incorporates the five food groups. Provide appropriate comments on other student blogs and respond to comments left on personal blog by other students. Post is made before required deadline.

1- 4 points: Menu developed but two food groups were missing. Additional materials are not appropriate for the course content. A personal food guide pyramid missing and /or does not incorporate the five food groups. Provides comments on other student blogs and respond to comments left on personal blog by other students. Post is made after the required deadline.

0 points: Food groups not identified, menu developed without incorporating the five food groups. Additional materials not used. No comments on other student blogs and no response to comments left on personal blog by other students. Post is made after the required deadline.  

7. Explain how you will provide feedback to the student in the above activity. Include an example of your feedback if possible.

     The above rubric will enable me to capture key issues for grading. Grades will be posted on BB grade-book for each student. This will be achieved by monitoring their participation on discussion forums, reviewing the menus, the summary and the reflection. 

Additional materials used should come from quality nutrition sources.

     Students who did not meet the expectations will be addressed individually using emails where I will provide guidance.

8. Quote your best entry from this week's Blackboard discussion. Explain why you chose it and what it demonstrates about your understanding, learning process etc.

I identified different grading practices some of which have been used in my eLearning classes. I have gone ahead to identify (from a student perspective) what should be done because I think this is what motivates students when it comes to grading. It will also help instructors to guide the students appropriately and identify learning activities that should be improved.   

9. Identify the student you think was the most important participant in the Blackboard discussion. Explain why and provide at least one quote from that student's contributions to the Blackboard discussion.

I would say Victor. He provided a clear explanation about the last question under Policy and practice in online learning which helped me to understand it better.

“Actually, I am struggling with that balance. As the instructor, there needs to be enough detail to ensure objectivity, but not so much that qualitative dimensions are lost.”

10. Reflect on what you have learned this week. What have you learned that has the potential to inform or influence you or your practice of online learning going forward? Explain why.

Grading is a very important element in eLearning. New information was learned about writing objectives using bloom’s taxonomy which guides on how the rubric will be developed. Drafting one, especially for online class was a good practice. 

The focus prompts were relevant as they enabled me to envision how I will design learning objectives and grading in an online class I will be facilitating.

Another new thing I learned while looking at interactive and engaging eLearning activities is creating ice-breaker at the beginning of a course, where students interview other students and post online introductions of their partners. This will help students to freely interact with each other hence create a community where they can engage in discussion comfortably.

• eLearning interactive activities: http://www.ryanrwatkins.com/how2elearn/Elearning%20Activities%20Article%20for%20Instructors.pdf