Why Grades are Terrible Things

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Why Grades are Terrible Things

• Trevor S. Harding
• Materials Engineering
• Cal Poly
• Teaching Well Workshop
• May 30th, 2008

2
Arent Grades Terrific!

• On your own, think of at least three reasons for
  using grades.
• Share with a neighbor.
• Share with the group.

3
Purpose of Grades

• Administrative (placement, matriculation)
• Feedback on student achievement
• Course selection guidance for students
• Instructional planning guidance for teachers
• Motivation for better student performance
• Guidance for employers in hiring students

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History of Grades

• Pre-1780 faculty gave each student a narrative
  report of their performance
• 1780 4.0 scale begins at Yale
• 1830 Harvard starts grouping students into
  Divisions
• 1897 Mount Holyoke begins system of assigning
  letter grades

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Myth 1 Grades are universal, objective measures
of student performance
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Myth 1 Activity
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A New Approach Rubrics

• Rubric Based Grading see earlier presentation
  by MacElroy and Herter
• Topic-/skill-based
• Improves consistency across evaluators
• Provides more meaningful feedback to students
• Encourages instructors to think in terms of
  student strengths and weaknesses

8
Referencing Systems

• Norm-referenced grading on a curve
• Knowledge-gained reference point of reference is
  the level of understanding at the beginning of
  grading period
• Based on effort
• No feedback on specific objectives
• Criterion-referenced ascertain extent to which
  students achieve a specific level of
  understanding in a specific learning outcome at
  end of grading period

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Power-Law Learning Curve
3.5
3
2.5
2
Rubric Score
1.5
1
0.5
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
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Assessment

• Reflects learning at end of term
• Promotes effort and persistence

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Myth 2 Im a good teacher, grading isnt a
problem in my class
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Elements of a Game

• Strongly enforced scoring scheme
• Obstacles/competitors must be overcome to earn
  points
• A judge enforces the rules of the game.

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Elements of Dr. Jacksons classroom

• Success defined by high grades
• Value based on ability, not effort
• Pride comes from out-competing others
• Obstacles to success are other students
• The teacher is the judge and source of reward
• Failures, mistakes, and errors are signs of
  stupidity

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Grades and Self-Worth(Trouble with Grades
Handout)

• Nothing contributes more to the destruction of
  student self-worth than grades, and yet they have
  no connection to how loving, good, or courageous
  students are. (Covington Teel, 1996)

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Motivation

• An internal process that activates, guides, and
  maintains behavior over time
• Has both intensity and direction (like a vector)
• Types of motivation
• Intrinsic triggers are internal to the actor
• Extrinsic triggers are external to the actor

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Motivation
Intrinsic Motivation (Learning and mastery)
Low
High
Moderate Performance
Moderate Performance
High
Extrinsic Motivation (Grades and completion)
High Performance
Low Performance
Low
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Motivation and Behavioral Learning Theory

• Motivation through reinforcement
• Grades are traditional incentive
• Incentive value uncertain

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Motivation and Human Needs

• Motivation is orientated toward satisfying our
  needs
• Implications Students must believe that their
  deficiency needs are being met

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Motivation and Attribution Theory

• Seeks to understand individuals explanations for
  real-world outcomes, particularly successes and
  failures
• Assumes that people seek to maintain a positive
  self-image.
• Success internal factors
• Failure external factors

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Typical Attributions
Attribution Stability
Locus of Control
Outcome
Stable
Unstable
Ability
Effort
Success Failure
Im smart
I tried hard
Internal
Im stupid
I didnt try hard
Luck
Task Difficulty
Success Failure
It was easy
I lucked out
External
It was too hard
I had bad luck
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Activity

• Given what we have learned about ability-based
  classrooms (i.e. the ability game), what might be
  a different model for a classroom?
• The Motivational Equity Game!

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Five steps to Motivational Equity (See handout)

• Focus on intrinsic motivation
• Insure equal access to rewards
• Reward mastery and curiosity
• Reward multiple abilities
• Offer alternative incentives
• Make learning/assignments engaging

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Enhancing Intrinsic Motivation

• Make learning meaningful
• Maintain curiosity
• Support student autonomy
• Help students set their own goals
• Praise all students

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Providing appropriate extrinsic incentives

• Express clear expectations for assessments
• Feedback should be
• Clear
• Immediate
• Frequent
• Formative rather than summative
• Focused on achievement of standardized criterion
• Focus on effort and progress rather than
  achievement

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Activity

• Imagine an educational world without grades.
  What concerns would you have?

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Typical Responses

• How else do we motivate students to learn?
• How do we reward outstanding performances?
• Wouldnt the authority of teachers be eroded?
• How would students gauge their learning?
• Arent grades the best way to identify talent in
  a competitive society?

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References

• M.V. Covington K. Manheim-Teel (1996).
  Overcoming Student Failure Chanign motives and
  incentives for learning. Washington, D.C.
  American Psychological Association.
• R.J. Marzano (2000). Transforming Classroom
  Grading. Alexandria, VA Association for
  Supervision and Curriculum Development.
• R.E. Slavin (2006). Educational Psychology
  Theory and practice. Boston Pearson.