2008 CSL Teaching Enrichment Workshop: "Assessing and Grading Student Performance"
Workshop presenters from left: David Slavsky, Ishaque Khan, Marvin Druger, Norman Lederman
The College of Science and Letters held its 4th annual Teaching Enrichment Workshop on Wednesday, April 30, for IIT faculty and teaching assistants. Designed to help teachers of all levels, the workshop featured Professor and Chair Marvin Druger (Department of Science Teaching – Syracuse University and Secretary of the Education Section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science), Professor and Director David Slavsky (Center for Science & Math Education – Loyola University), and Professor and Chair Norman Lederman (Department of Mathematics and Science Education – Illinois Institute of Technology) leading a workshop on "Assessing and Grading Student Performance."
Assessing student performance and assigning grades are important tasks for instructors. The development of meaningful criteria to effectively assess what students know and are able to perform is challenging. After assessing student performance, assigning grades raises concerns for instructors including... Should I grade on a curve? Should I simply grade according to a set standard? Should I give any credit for improvement over the course of the semester? While the grading process is not as easy as it may seem, grades are critically important to students’ futures.
Professor Druger, who has taught over 50,000 students during his career, discussed the complex responsibilities of instructors who must "provide meaningful, motivational experiences that enrich the lives of students” while also “matching assessment procedures within the goals of a specific class situation." He advised instructors to "have a rationale for your assessment procedure and explain it to your students at the start of the course." "If you lack a good rationale for doing something, do not do it" said Druger. He also discussed favoring criterion-based grading over grading on a curve,as criterion-based assessment allows "students to compete against the course, not each other."
Professor Lederman echoed Druger's discussion by stressing the importance of clearly communicating your goals for your students and making them aware of the criteria that they are being assessed by. Lederman also discussed the implications of student performance, reminding attendees, "every student assessment is also an assessment of you, the teacher."
Professor Slavsky spoke about the importance of student assessment, as decisions made about student performance are not only about a letter grade but also may determine whether a student is able to advance towards their degree. Slavsky advised teachers to set specific goals for their course and to structure the class instruction to help meet these goals, ensuring that "enduring understanding" of concepts are coupled with the transfer of "important knowledge." Slavsky continued the emphasis of clear communication with your students when stating the best approach for assessing students is to "be clear and transparent with them." He also stressed the importance of asking the right types of questions of students during class and in your exams. Otherwise, "how do you know if your students know what you want them to know?" asked Slavsky. Lastly, he offered the following advice, "as a professor, you are in a community (of peers and students, among others) which is based on rules, and if you set rules that are reasonable and consistent, and state expectations that are attainable you will provide an environment for students to not only learn, but to also help you teach."
After the lecture, a panel discussion led by Associate Dean Ishaque Khan, drew questions and comments from the audience. Topics included how to assess students whose performance falls on the boundaries of one grade and another, the benefits of GPA’s over Pass/Fail assessments, and the importance of student feedback of teacher performance early in the course. The discussion about student feedback included alternative and creative ways to gather feedback by either polling random students or having lunch in the student cafeteria and inviting students to join lively discussions about class.
Khan closed the workshop by thanking the speakers and attendees and reiterated one of the key priorities for the College of Science and Letters, "Supporting the teaching efforts of the faculty, promoting teaching excellence, and enriching students' experience here at IIT."