calculation of a final course grade (home- work submission, attendance, behavior and attitude); • considered final acquisition of knowl-
edge on the topic, rather than failures along the way, in the calculation of a final course grade; • allowed missed homework or other
assignments to affect the calculation of a final course grade, even if test data showed the student had proficient knowledge of the topic; • used specific written feedback on exams
to enhance student learning; and • allowed exam re-takes to capture new
student understanding after feedback was given.
Consistencies with past research This researcher found several consisten-
cies with past research: 1. The majority of teachers surveyed use several non-academic factors in the calculation of a final course grade. 2. Most teachers average every score earned regardless of final understanding of
the content. 3. Assigning a zero for missing work is a prevalent practice, mathematically misrepresenting student understanding of the content. 4. Allowing students to retake exams after corrective feedback is given is rare.
What else the survey found Regarding the use of non-academic fac-
tors in the calculation of a final course grade, the survey found: • 93 percent include homework submis-
sion (not accuracy) in the calculation of a final course grade; • 28 percent include behavior in the cal-
culation of a final course grade; • 29 percent include their perception of
the students’ attitude in the calculation of a final course grade; and • 31 percent include attendance in the cal-
culation of a final course grade. None of these factors consider the stu-
dents’ actual acquisition of the intended learning outcomes of the course. Regarding averaging every score earned,
including zeros for assignments not turned in, regardless of final understanding of the content, the survey found: • 64 percent of respondents said they av-
erage all scores toward the calculation of a final grade, while 71 percent believe that fail- ures along the way should be included (7 per- cent of respondents are, therefore, operating under a policy they do not agree with). • 15 percent reported some variation of
practice between averaging all scores and not averaging all scores (examples: dropping the lowest grade, changing the final grade to the grade the student earned on the final, weighting the midterm and final grade) • 84 percent of respondents calculate into
the final grade a score of zero for missing work. This study also found that 35 percent of
respondents include corrective feedback on half or more of the assignments turned in by their students, designed to improve student performance, but only 25 percent allow stu- dents to retake one or more exams after cor- rective feedback is delivered.
32 Leadership
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