Chapter 14: Grading and Reporting Student Progress

Functions of Grading

1. Indicate how well instructional objectives are being achieved.

2. Describe to children & parents the quality of a child’s work.

3. They support administrative functions such as:

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

4. Grades suggest to potential employers and college admissions professionals the level of the applicant’s achievement.

Designing a Gradebook

A. Use both paper and computer gradebooks

B. Highlight grades from paper copy when entered on computer

C. Have separate sheets/files for coursework, attendance, & conduct

D. Make a “Legend of Symbols” to keep you consistent

/ = Absent X = Tardy Circled if unexcused”

Combining Individual Scores into a Composite Score

A. Create your score categories (exams, homework, quizzes, etc.)

B. Analyze the relationship among the categories to assign values

C. Use either a “total points” or “weighted average” system

Total Points	Percent Weights
Exams: 100(3) = 300	Exams: 60% -> 20% each
Quizzes: 10(5) = 50	Quizzes: 10% -> 2% each
Assign: 20(5) = 100	Assign: 20% -> 4% each
Project: 50(1) = 50	Project: 10% -> 10% each
Total = 500 points	Total = 100%

Our Student’s Grades

EXAMS:

Exam1: 75/100

Exam2: 69/100

Exam % Correct: (75 + 69 / 200) = .72 and .72 * 100 = 72%

QUIZZES:

Quiz1: 10/10

Quiz2: 8/10

Quiz3: 7/10

Quiz4: 10/10

Quiz5: 9/10

Quiz % Correct: (44/50) = .88 and .88 * 100 = 88%

ASSIGNMENTS:

Assignment1: 15/20

Assignment2: 18/20

Assignment3: 19/20

Assignment4: 20/20

Assignment5: 20/20

Assignment % Correct: (92/100) = .92 and .92 * 100 = 92%

PROJECT:

Project: 40/50

Project % Correct = (40/50) = .80 and .80 * 100 = 80%

To calculate Student’s grade using total points:

1. Add up the student’s total points.

2. Divide that sum by the total number of points possible

For Example:

(75 + 69 + 10 + 8 + 7 + 10 + 9 + 15 + 18 + 19 + 20 + 20 + 40) / 400 = .80 and .80 * 100 = 80%

To calculate a student’s grade using weighted averages:

1. For each category, multiply the category weight by the percent correct.

2. Add the products together to get the total percent

Percentage -> weight Scores

Exams: 60% = 0.60 Exams: 0.60 * 72 = 43.2

Quizzes: 10% = 0.10 Quizzes: 0.10 *88 = 8.8

Assign: 20% = 0.20 Assign: 0.20 *92 = 18.4

Project: 10% = 0.10 Project: 0.10 * 80 = 8

Total = 100% Total = 78.4%

i.e., (0.60 * 72) + (0.10 * 88) + (0.20 * 92) + (0.10 * 80) = 78.4%

Confounding the Achievement Grade

A. Weighting practice tests the same as posttests

B. Giving unannounced posttests

C. Combining conduct and achievement grades

D. Using extra-credit assignments frivolously

E. Dropping the lowest test grade

F. Placing too much emphasis on a single, final exam