BarristerProton2534
1. How can you summarize this PowerPoint in a powerpoint? …
1. How can you summarize this PowerPoint in a powerpoint?
This is a question for EDUCATION 450
Other Symbols
Pass-fail (P-F) grading is yet another way of indicating level of attainment. Although fairly popular about three decades ago, fewer schools exclusively employ this approach today because of its shortcomings. One shortcoming is that such symbols do not provide enough information: P could mean the student exhibited anywhere from exceptional to marginal performance in the class. This makes it difficult for employers and admissions officers to evaluate applicants. Students themselves have complained about the same lack of informationthey really do not know how well they did. Finally, students tend to do the minimum necessary to earn a P under such systems. When used, pass-fail approaches should at least elaborate the strengths and weaknesses on which the mark was based.
Checklists
A common adjunct to a letter, numerical, or pass-fail symbol system is a checklist. Since those symbol systems may fail to define just what a student can or cannot do, many report cards (and interim and summative tests reports) now include skill checklists to go along with their grade symbols for each subject. Checklists are also used to provide information about nonacademic aspects of the child. For example, checklists often are provided to identify problems in the areas of conduct, social skills, responsibility, and organization. Properly utilized checklists represent useful supplements to letter or numerical grades and can convey much more detailed information about the student without contaminating or confusing the interpretation of a student’s overall achievement level.
As mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, districts and schools usually decide which symbol system teachers must use. In such situations, you have little choice but to employ the required system. It is more likely, though, that you will have some say about how the marks are actually assigned (i.e., what you will compare student achievement with). Now that you have been exposed to the pros and cons of various systems, you should be able to make better use of any marking or symbol system you are requiredor chooseto use. However, a number of technical issues regarding the combining and weighting of the components of a mark must be considered before we leave this topic. The following discussion covers points that, unfortunately, most classroom teachers are unaware of regarding marks. Master the points and procedures covered, and you will have yet another important tool to add to your growing expertise in classroom measurement and evaluation.
