In class on Wednesday we spoke briefly about grading participation. I know we're going to talk more about this in the coming week- but the "participation grade" intimidates me more than other forms of evaluation. When it comes to evaluating writing- I know that it can be intense and sometimes convoluted. It's not exactly like you can line up an answer sheet over someone's paper and put a red line through everything that doesn't match up. (Although, I DID have a teacher that would measure one inch margins around the paper, and anything that went over the line was crossed out and ignored.) But at least with writing there is written evidence of effort and progression. Also, it's easier to set forth clear expectations.
Participation, on the other hand, requires a lot more consideration. First, what standard do you set? I've had teachers who required everyone to contribute (i.e. TALK) at least once every class period . Another professor simply told us that by the end of the term he needed to know us each by name. It was our responsibility to make sure he could identify us- and wa LA- that magically turned into our participation grade. Others haven't said anything at all, leaving the exact requirements for that 10% of my grade a mystery.
After you figure out how to set the expectation, how can you hold everyone to the same standard? There are some people who are naturally verbose, others who become so when they're nervous...or bored...and others who wouldn't say anything if doing so meant getting out of all written work for the entire semester. In some of my philosophy classes I often felt inundated with new information and readings. By the time I felt ready to make a comment or ask a question we had often moved on to something else. As a coping technique I learned to keep track of my questions and insights and use them in my papers and in office hours with the professor. Does that constitute participation?
I think as teachers it is our responsibility to give each student a chance to excel- but when does that become relativistic grading as opposed to talent/personality sensitive grading? Should we even worry about it? I'd be interesting in finding out what some of you think about this one...
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3 comments:
Wow! It sounds like you have had some really tough teachers.
I agree with you that participation is one of those hard things to do, although I don't think it intimidates me as much as grading papers. At the University of Phoenix, participation was a set % of every class but it was also defined by the university so it would be consistent. It included attending class every week and submitting a "Learning Team" review every week. That was it.
I kind of like the idea of having to know the student's name by the end of the class, because it leaves it open but there is a definite goal. Students could get their points through office hours, email, class time, or even through their papers. It also works for the shy ones as well as the verbose.
Of course, there are downsides, too. After all, if they did something bad, you'd still get to know their name and that shouldn't count.
Hmmm. Maybe I'll have to rethink this.
That's kind of funny. I hadn't thought of that one. It's almost asking for trouble, huh? See how many people you can dare to become infamous by dangling a participation grade in front of them. Good idea.
A Former “Quiet One” Speaks Out
I remember the advice my mother gave me when I began as a college freshman at the University of Utah: “make sure to speak up in class so that the professor knows who you are.” This was very appropriate advice as I had recently graduated from an incredibly small high school with a graduating class of only sixteen students (including me). My lack of in-class participation was overlooked in my high school because the classes were intimately small and the teachers quickly learned that I was a shy, but diligent student.
The first few classes in my freshman year of college I tried to take my mom’s advice. However, this was extremely difficult to achieve when I was suddenly in classes that were fifty times bigger than my entire high school. For the first time in my life I figured out that it was much easier keep a low profile and slide by undetected in academia. By getting lost in the shuffle of stadium-sized classes, I began to become less concerned with overachieving and more comfortable with becoming a mediocre student.
How much of this new lack of desire to learn was me taking advantage of blending into a huge anonymous crowd and how much was my shyness? I believe it was a combination of the two. I was at the age that rebellion—in all forms—is common. However, had I been given other opportunities to continue to express my opinions, besides raising my hand in a huge auditorium, I would have continued to do my assigned reading.
Ideally each class would be a small and intimate setting where the teacher would be able to understand and cater to individual learning styles, but unfortunately this is not usually realistic. As a former student that truly enjoyed learning, but feared public speaking, I would have loved to be able to turn in participation points in the form of writing. I realize now that having a venue to express my opinions with the teacher was what motivated me as a student during my high school years and what was missing during my undergraduate experience.
On the other hand, there are times that I feel I should have been challenged and forced to talk regardless of my timid nature. Even now I do not expect myself to ever be a top level speaker, but I also understand that I must be able to comfortably interact in the world I live in. Sensitivity and accommodations should be made to a point for quiet students, but these same students must also be held accountable for their own learning and meet the instructor half way. (Disclaimer: All of this is a completely different scenario during masters level classes because I enjoy learning again. This joy of learning is something that can be fostered and inspired in younger students, but ultimately the decision to let the teacher in is up to the student alone.)
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