Imagine taking a class to discover that your grade will be made up of various assignments that have yet to be determined and you do not know when these assignments will be due. This seems like an anxiety nightmare about missing deadlines, but in fact it happens regularly.
Not having a well-defined set of assignments makes planning close
to impossible. Having a defined gradebook where students can regularly see the
assignments required throughout the course is both easy with online tools and convenient
assisting student-planning. While there
may be mention of the required assignments buried in the syllabus, having the
assignments clearly shown in a gradebook that tis easier for anyone to plan their
work in a class. This is a key reason why every class should have a developed
gradebook ready for students from day one.
Amazingly this is not always the case. Just as passengers prefer planes to be fully
built prior to take off, students prefer having a complete gradebook when they
start a class. Why?
First, it is good practice. Chickering and Gamson’s 5th
Principle of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education states:
Good Practice Emphasizes Time
on Task
Giving students information to help them focus their time on
needed tasks is critical for their success. A developed online gradebook gives
them guidance to stay on track. Providing
a glimpse of all the assignments offers insight as to the work ahead so students
can better manage their time for learning. It also helps students identify gaps
in their learning, set goals, focus on areas, and possibly seek needed help
(Sunder, 2019). Effectively, having a course gradebook that is easy to navigate
provides learners with the guidance they need to determine and follow a pathway
in the course. (Schaffhauser, 2016).
Instructors benefit from online gradebooks because they
provide an opportunity to automate, customize, and share grades and feedback
with learners. It is a straightforward way to keep learners on track and motivated. The
added functionality and reporting features from most learning management
systems enable faculty to review and analyze the gradebook, as well as create
reports on learner progress and course completion.
Meanwhile, learners can check in on their
progress continuously throughout the course term. It can also provide students with ample
information for them to assess if they need assistance to significantly
influence their success. This is part of
the reason Standard 49 of the OSCQR Rubric requires that:
Learners have easy access to a well-designed
and up-to-date gradebook.
Having a well-defined online gradebook available for students
from day one isn’t just a good idea, it is good course design.
References:
Chickering, A and Z. Gamson (1987) Seven Principles in
Undergraduate Education, AAHE Bulletin. p. 3-7.
Madison, H (2022) What
is an Online Gradebook and Do Schools Need It? TMC. May 09.
Schaffhauser, D. (2016). How Data from Your LMS Can Impact Student Success. Distance
Education Report, 20(1), 4.
Sunder, T. (2019) Digital
Gradebooks and What They Mean. EdTech Pulse. Oct 20.
