Grading on a curve

Kismet

So, I'm teaching my first class this semester, a beginners class for the basics of how to run a word processor, spreadsheet, general computer use, etc. Most of my students are freshmen(this is college, btw).

So, using the good ole 10% breakdown my grade distribution is horribly skewed - by which I mean 9 people out of 24 are failing.

Now I understand how to grade on a curve, and I'm basing my curve on the normal distribution, but I have one problem that I'm not sure I can reconcile with using this system - it's lumping a few of the "I didn't do jack until 2 days until the class was over, and even then I screwed it up" people in with the "I turned in all my homework but sucked on the tests people" and that definitely doesn't seem cool with me.

I pretty much have free reign with whatever system I want to use for grading. Right now I'm thinking of just using the normal curve and then throwing the people that shouldn't be there(barely passing) a bracket down into failing territory, but that doesn't seem fair either - it seems far too arbitrary based on what I think (yes, I am the instructor and naturally my opinion matters - but I want to avoid a situation where a few people score very similar but one person gets dropped because of my bias.)

I guess I'm just trying to protect my ass while cutting some of my hard workers a break.

So, better to stick with statistics or go with my arbitray assesment? Or some love-child of both?

Thanatos

What did your syllabus say about your grading?

Kismet

My syllabus says:

Standard grading system:
90 – 100 A
80 – 89.9 B
70 – 79.9 C
60 – 69.9 D
Below 60 F

A curve will be used if necessary, which will be determined by the instructor.

Borderline grades will also be determined by the instructor on the basis of effort and attendance.


I took out a few things about grading individual assignments and whatnot, but that's what it syas for the overall grade.

edit - basically, I found out I was teaching it 2 days before it started, so I just kind of "made something up" that I hoped would be flexible enough.

Thanatos

Well, I would treat the syllabus as a contract, which is why I was asking.

Because of what you wrote, I'd say your clear to bump a few of the hard workers' grades a bit based on effort.

So, that's a lot of people to be failing such a basic class; what was up with that?

khain

Kismet wrote:

it's lumping a few of the "I didn't do jack until 2 days until the class was over, and even then I screwed it up" people in with the "I turned in all my homework but sucked on the tests people" and that definitely doesn't seem cool with me.

What does "I didn't do jack until 2 days before class was over" mean? Does it mean the person did well on all the tests and just didn't turn in the HW? Because if so I think that person deserves the exact seam grade as some one who did all the HW and failed the tests as it shows that both people have the knowledge fr om the course. If it means though that you have a late HW policy that lets people turn in HW late then you should do whatever you want and next quarter change your HW policy to no late assignments. I personally don't think its fair to change the grades of people who are smart, but lazy compared to those that are hardworking, but bad test takers. This is all assuming of course that I'm guessing correctly what you meant.

I guess what I'm attempting to say is that there is probably some problem with your grading system in that it lets this happen. Also do you happen to list in your syllabus that certain assignments are worth certain percents of your grade?

Mad Jazz

Instead of just using a normal curve, you could bump the mean up to a 70 (I'm assuming it's not that far off, but I suppose it could be if those 9 people could be waaaaay down into the fail). What are the statistics of the grades looking like unaltered?

Cauld

In my opinion the way to solve your problem, for next term at least, is to make parts of the test extremely easy... or at least to explain exactly what will be on your tests.

I am currently teaching English in Thailand and almost none of the students care even the slightest amount how well they do in my class. So my solution was to give tests that were easy, and combine that with telling them what will be on the test a week or so before.

By that I mean I tell them the questions word for word (for the most part). The students who don't care/don't try won't take the effort to study what you told them to, or won't even bother to listen when you tell them. The hard workers will study what you've told them, and hopefully during their studying will learn... of course in your situation you might simply want to make part of the test really easy.

Someone before mentioned having a 'late homework' policy, which would ensure that people who do their homework promptly get more points and thus do better compared to those who just screw around until the end of the term.

Of course, from my student days I can tell you that I would always get upset when teachers changed their policies and it affected my grade negatively. You told the students what you were doing, and in that respect you have a responsibility to keep your word, regardless of what you think the students who did poorly 'deserve'. Some of those students could have taken advantage of your policy and not tried as hard as others, knowing they'd do well regardless.

So, for your specific situation. I'd say to bump up the grades of the people who tried hard but didn't do well... you said you'd take that liberty if you felt it necessary. If I were you I'd make my curve so that only the worst worst students outright failed, maybe some of the ones who screwed around. Others can get D's (which in college are pretty bad anyway... in mine they were worse than F's). :shock:

For me the most important thing is that I make sure what I do leaves me with a clear conscience. Feeling shitty about a decision you made really isn't worth it. So try to find a solution that's justifiable and that you're comfortable with. Just keep in mind that nobody will complain when they do better than they should have, while someone might complain if they feel what you do is unfair. Overall its a difficult situation, I sympathize.

Also if they suck at word processing and spreadsheets, It will hurt most of their future papers/projects in college,

Blake T

Kismet wrote:

Now I understand how to grade on a curve, and I'm basing my curve on the normal distribution, but I have one problem that I'm not sure I can reconcile with using this system - it's lumping a few of the "I didn't do jack until 2 days until the class was over, and even then I screwed it up" people in with the "I turned in all my homework but sucked on the tests people" and that definitely doesn't seem cool with me.

To be fair to the I didn't do jack til the last 2 days people you did then come out and say this.

Kismet wrote:

edit - basically, I found out I was teaching it 2 days before it started, so I just kind of "made something up" that I hoped would be flexible enough.

Mind you you only had two days notice.

Personally I'd be more likely to pass the borderline people who seemed to at least understood the basic principals of the unit on a case by case basis. Passing people because they sucked on the test wont really help them if they don't understand the syllabus as you'll just be throwing them in deeper water and they think they know about the subject, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing and all that (I mean using excel I'm sure you could launch a nuclear warhead).

jclast

Maybe I'd be too much of a hardass teacher, but if they earned a failing grade, why aren't you comfortable failing them?

Is there some university policy "recommending" that you not fail more than a certain percentage of your class?

MichaelLC

Having posted specific grade ranges, you can't mess with the grades too much.

I know I hated when the instructor would put something in their silly-bus, then not follow through. Since you gave actual ranges, you need to stick to them as close as possible.

This makes it easier when a student comes back and says, "you failed me because I'm green/long haired/blue/tall/short/etc." If you have mathmatical proof why they sucked, no worries.

Conditional_Axe

There's not much you can really do except to bump the grades of the kids who put extra effort in a few points.

Going forward, when you release a syllabus, remember to include a breakdown of where the grade comes from, like how much each test is worth, etc.

Always include a Participation grade. That's where you can stick it to the lazy kids.

Kismet

Basically by "doing nothing" I mean that literally. See , we don't really work a lot in class because it's all very individual-paced. They can work in class, and I'm there to help if they need it. Think of it as a lab, that's pretty much what it is.

Since I wanted the class to have the freedom to work at whatever speed they felt comfortable at, I posted guidelines for a good schedule to keep, but told them they could turn in any and all work until this week.

So, 3 of them still haven't turned anything in, or done any of the tests - these are people I'm assuming that have given up on the class and just not dropped it - it's passed the deadline and they're failing under any and every scheme.

After those 3, there are about 3 more people that fall into the category I mentioned - turned nothing in all year and on the last day turn in work that isn't even complete - in some cases, they just turn in the document that was assigned. No big deal, I just give them credit for what they do and call it good.

The problem comes when a student that is failing under the traditional scheme (say, getting a 56) is bumped up a D based on work but another student who got a 55 doesn't deserve to be bumped.

I'm just worrying about it too much I guess, I'm just trying to make sure I do this right since it's my first time and all.

Also, when I use the curve the only people that fail are the ones that gave up - the "waited til the end and didn't try anyway" people all come out with Ds. (Well, Fs normally but Ds on the curve). This is acceptable I suppose - I'm just trying to not screw this up.

Kismet

Conditional_Axe wrote:

Always include a Participation grade. That's where you can stick it to the lazy kids.

Yeah, this was really the problem this semester, I'll know better next time.

Jimmy King

Kismet wrote:

Basically by "doing nothing" I mean that literally. See , we don't really work a lot in class because it's all very individual-paced. They can work in class, and I'm there to help if they need it. Think of it as a lab, that's pretty much what it is.

Since I wanted the class to have the freedom to work at whatever speed they felt comfortable at, I posted guidelines for a good schedule to keep, but told them they could turn in any and all work until this week.

I've had teachers who did a similar style class, and I really enjoyed it and think it can be a great way to go. The main difference, though, was that while you could do the work in whatever order, even had some choices on which work to do or not do at all, there was still a "something is due on date X, something else is due on date Y" etc, something being whichever assignment(s) they felt like doing.

It reduces the "go at your own pace" thing a bit, but it also makes it so that the students have to be doing something while giving them some freedom in what they do.