Parity in Evaluating

How do we start ensuring PARITY in Evaluating Assignments?  The first step is to realize that our students are INDIVIDUALS. 

NEVER GRADE STUDENTS ON CRITERIA THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE COURSE CONTENT.

RESPONSE: Cool technology tricks should only count if they are directly related to the original assignment and course content.

So Joey might use better technology tools, and might produce a self running CD multimedia program, but it should not be worth more points than the original assignment of desktop publishing a newspaper.

It should definitely not be given a higher grade than one with better grammar and more factual content, unless the grading scale that was originally designed included it.

Define what you are looking for before you collect the assignments! And ALWAYS use a rubric!  The use of a rubric ensures that you are grading on the content of the assignment, not just how flashy it can is.

Isn't this a lot of work?  NO!

When assigning work to students, it should always

1. align with course objectives,

2. be realistic in terms of expectations,

3. have a clear grading structure

4. require only the use of technologies that all students have access to.

  Remember the students in the science fairs whose parents built a model rocket for them?  Would you assign a better grade to that project even if the student had no clue about how rockets fly?  It is the same principle.  Good teaching practices are the same with technology and without.

SOME SOLUTIONS: 

The next several pages cover important concepts in ensuring PARITY.

ACCESS

ASSIGNMENTS

LOCATION