I'm certainly no expert, but let me offer the following: Grades *can* be an effective measure of student learning, but they are often not.
First, the assignments that the grades are based on should fit tightly with the goals of the course (what it is that you want the students to learn). It is uncommon (in my experience) that instructors design courses starting with those learning outcomes; more typically we get a book that has a title that corresponds to the title of the course (in some more or less tight way), and teach the content of that book and assign grades largely on the basis of how much of that book's content the students are able to regurgitate. The alternative is to start with what you want students to take away from the course, find texts and generate assignments that will lead students to that knowledge (or skills, or experiences), and then check to see how they do on those. If those are graded in a dispassionate, objective way, then yes, I think that can be a good measure of student learning. But more often that not it doesn't work that way. Second, note the use of the term "dispassionate." There are factors that creep into our grading that have little to do with the depth of the learning -- and I would argue that those things often *should* influence how we grade -- but not how we assess. For me there is a difference between assessing (using student learning as a gauge of what is actually getting across to the students), evaluating (determining how much information or how well-developed a set of skills a student has acquired at the end of the semester), and grading. Grades (I think) must include a number of considerations that a hard-core assessment of learning should not. Also, the role of assessment data is different from grades. Grades, as I say, are evaluative, and are focused on the student. Assessment is formative, and is focused on the instructor. Assessment is my evaluation of myself. Am I doing what I say I'm doing, what I want to be doing, what I'm supposed to be doing? That's why I do assessment. So grades (as they are typically done) and assessment data (if done correctly) will likely have different content and certainly have different aims. m -- Marc Carter, PhD Associate Professor and Chair Department of Psychology College of Arts & Sciences Baker University -- ________________________________ From: Rob Weisskirch [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 11:58 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: [tips] Assessment of learning, not grades? TIPSfolk, Our university has jumped on the assessment bandwagon and those who have drunk the kool-aid talk about "assessment of student learning" and looking at student evidence. I continue to ask why looking at grade distribution is not an indicator of learning. The response is that grades are not an accurate reflection of learning Assuming that there are no points for participation or attendance, shouldn't final grades be an indicator of how much students are learning? If we engage in good practices like using rubrics and norming grading of assignments, shouldn't grades be a reflection of learning? Thanks for any insight, Rob Rob Weisskirch, MSW. Ph.D. Professor 90.77% Furlough 9.23% Associate Professor of Human Development Certified Family Life Educator Liberal Studies Department California State University, Monterey Bay 100 Campus Center, Building 82C Seaside, CA 93955 (831) 582-5079 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> This message is intended only for the addressee and may contain confidential, privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not use, copy or disclose any information contained in the message. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender by reply e-mail and delete the message. --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected]) ________________________________ The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") is sent by Baker University ("BU") and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify Baker University by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you. --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
