Grading handwritten answers by students as a feature of a copier? Producing data analytics as a result?

IF this works, it will not only sell more copiers, but also make handwritten work more of a commodity. Maybe if a computer can quickly grade the easy stuff, teachers can spend more time assessing project based learning and other work that computers cannot do.

This won’t help me much - except when I teach binary numbers and memory conversion which do require me to check work (I never do multiple choice.) I could see how math teachers would be thrilled.

“Xerox later this year plans to roll out Ignite, a software and web-based service that turns the numerous copiers/scanners/printers it has in schools across the United States into paper-grading machines. Unlike such staples of the educational system as Scantron, which uses special forms where students choose an answer and fill in the corresponding bubble, Ignite will grade work where the answers are written in by the students, such as the numeric answer to a math problem.

Ignite takes right and wrong answers and turns them into web-accessible data for teachers with reports that say whether a student or groups of students are consistently having more trouble with certain kinds of math problems. Those reports can be used by teachers to tailor what they’re teaching — such as by identifying what group of students needs more help with a certain topic — or given to students so they know where they should focus their studying. It also opens the door to specific tests or homework assignments for specific students becoming more the norm, each tailored to academic strengths and weaknesses.”

willrichardson:

It’s been an assessment oriented day here on the ol’ blog.

From the Boston Globe:

But if Shaffer and other next-generation test designers share a dream of replacing pen-and-paper exams with process-oriented problem-solving exercises, they also share a thorny challenge: The skills they’re…

Great post by Will Richardson on testing.

An open licensed question banking system that lets you add questions, create tests, create homework, create your own questions, and use resources that others are creating. This is a great option to the traditional test bank and is worth exploring as you look to save money and improve quality with new alignments. It is free.

girlwithalessonplan:

iamlittlei:

world-shaker:

As an educator who abolished grading in 2004 and initiated a Grading Moratorium, I have an acute understanding for how grading sabotages learning. Because of this, I have drafted this letter for my daughter’s future teachers.

Dear teacher, 

Kayley loves to learn and is very excited to start school this year.  

Because the case against grades has a wealth of anecdotal evidence and scientific research, I am requesting that Kayley’s assessments and evaluations only include formative comments. This means that Kayley’s learning would never be reduced to a symbol (such as a number or letter). This includes individual assignments, quizzes, tests and her report card.

As a family that plays an active role in Kayley’s learning, the best feedback we can receive about Kayley’s learning is to see her learning. No reductionist data is required.

 If you are interested in learning more about the case against grades, I would be happy to provide you with these resources, and if your school’s assessment and reporting policies make this request problematic, I would like the opportunity to discuss this further. Feel free to e-mail me at joe.bower.teacher@gmail.com

I look forward to working with you to support Kayley’s natural intrinsic desire to go on learning. 

Sincerely, 

Joe Bower

Interesting. Thoughts?

I’d love to not grade. Not even close to being a possibility at my school.

We’ve been told MOAR GRADING:  Homework doesn’t count.  Formative assess up to three times/until 80% of students achieve 80% or better.  

I’m exhausted.  

Alas, numbers are part of life at least if you are on salary. Formative assessment is vital but the decision he is asking his child’s teacher to make isn’t up to his child’s teacher. Find a school that has the approach you believe in but don’t blame the teacher for a systemic requirement.

“A novel study finds that contracts and a new method of assessment can be successful used in the classroom.

Researchers discovered that when students design their own course, based on a contract, students scored higher grades and displayed better student satisfaction than on traditional points-based courses.

The research has been published in SAGE Open.”

Note, however, that the sample size was 40 college freshmen. I don’t think that is enough to overhaul everything, but certainly enough to warrant more research in this area.

A school shares a revised assessment policy for parents, students, and staff to discuss. The school says this is being done to move towards more personalized learning.

Wow. A brief but true thought of how this teacher feels about grading. I feel the same way! I’m drowning in a sea of paper — even though I’m mostly paperless - it still happens this time of year.

roughdrafts1:

There’s a poem about a man who is drowning but people think he is waving and don’t save him. I feel much the same right now in some ways.

I love the new Humanities course but the fast pace means that I am staying on top of my grading for the course, at the expense of my other courses. I have…

Sadly, I’ve been here with my own children:

“It’s all about grades! Other things get taken into consideration, sure, but only if you get the grades in the first place.”