Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students, and Saving Faculty Time by Linda Nilson

Author:Linda Nilson [Nilson, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Stylus Publishing
Published: 2015-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

Bundling to Reduce Grading Time

Bundling can streamline the grading process and reduce grading time. To begin with, faculty need not calculate point totals. To obtain the grade associated with a bundle or module, a student must complete all the assessments within it at a satisfactory level. Instructors assess a set of related assignments as a whole. If any piece is missing or falls short of the requirements, they can stop reading. The set is not acceptable and may be returned to the student for revision and resubmission, if the course policy allows this. In addition, faculty can design bundles and modules to increase students’ time on task and depth of learning without adding complexity to the grading structure. If an instructor made several related assignments separately, their number alone would complicate the structure for both the instructor and students.

To preserve our own sanity, we should schedule the due dates for bundles and modules, or for their component assessments, during the term. Imagine the nightmare of receiving a semester’s worth of work during the last week of classes!

Consider this time-saving possibility that only bundling assessments can offer. If we offer students a total of, let’s say, 10 modules, we can make successful completion of the first three the requirement for a D, the first five for a C, the first eight for a B, and all 10 for an A. Those students aiming for a D might submit all their work by the end of the fourth week of the semester.

Assuming their modules contain all satisfactory work and demonstrate their achievement of the most basic learning outcomes, they can pretty much ignore the class for the rest of the term. From then on, we in turn would have fewer students to grade. This is not as crazy as it may sound at first. Students with little motivation might start skipping classes at this point anyway, or if they do attend, they might drag down the pace and energy of the class. Wouldn’t it be better to bid these students adieu and teach only the more motivated students as the material becomes more challenging?

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