Re: Grading programs (was: New teacher)

[G. Marc Turner]

Our University has decided (for some reason unknown to me) to use Micrograde as the computerized gradebook of choice. Since standardizing on this format, they have added certain features to help instructors out (e.g., downloading rosters in micrograde format, score reports from the testing center can be emailed in micrograde format, final grade rosters can be uploaded in micrograde format, etc.) Many seem to love the program, but personally I find it too limiting and awkward most of the time.

It does a good job with most of the day to day issues (calculating averages/grades) and automates a lot of processes, for example you can have it send emails to each student with their grades in the course... but if you click the wrong option it will send everyone's grade to everyone else. Also, the weight options are a nice touch so you can enter everything on a 0-100 scale but then weight assignments differently, though I've never really used this option. But, it really appears that it was written primarily for the k-12 market. As a result it has some little oddities since it expects students to be in the class for longer than a single grading period whereas in higher ed we typically only have them for 1 grading period. Also, when a student drops the course it drops them completely from the roster, even though we have to enter a W grade for them at the end. Most of these problems can be worked around with a little practice and creativity.

Personally, I like using Excel. I used to use Lotus 1-2-3. Part of my switch to Excel was the ability to import the information into Access. Then I use Access to create reports for each student... similar things can be done from within Excel, but I like the Access features. Also, I can have a single Excel workbook that includes the grade information for all the courses I teach in a semester rather than separate files for each class (something micrograde requires you to do). This way I only have to make sure to back up one file rather than several... downside is that if you don't back it up and the file gets corrupted or deleted, you loose everything. I even have Excel formulas worked out to calculate the letter grades and then do a breakdown of the number of As, Bs, etc.

- Marc


=============================================
G. Marc Turner, MEd, Network+, MCP
Instructor & Head of Computer Operations
Department of Psychology
Southwest Texas State University
San Marcos, TX 78666
phone: (512)245-2526
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]


---
You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]