Grading in the 21 st Century

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Grading in the 21 st

Century
Myron Dueck
B. Ed – U. of Manitoba
M. Ed – U. of Victoria

Princess Margaret Secondary School
Penticton, BC
Bio **
• 12 years in education.
 Grades 4-12 teaching experience
 6 years at the Middle School level
 6 years at High School
 Manitoba, New Zealand, British Columbia

• 6 years of BC provincial exam experience
 History 12, Social Studies 11
 Marking and development

• 1.5 years: Focus on Assessment
 comfortable on WHY  A focus on HOW
 Special focus on struggling learners
 Presentations in Oregon, BC, and …
**
Agenda
• Whole Group Session #1 9:00-10:15
 Overview of context, research, vision, ideas.
• Of & For Learning (research)
• Shifting paradigms: Behavior vs. Tasks vs. Learning
• Princess Margaret‟s approach to AFL: three targets
– No zeros, late deductions, or grading homework

• Whole Group Session #2 10:30-12:00
 My personal approach – HOW did I…
• Work with my principal/administration?
• Implement these strategies in the my classroom?
• Communicate these changes to my
students/parents?
• Address the most obvious challenges within my
school?
Agenda continued…
• Whole Group Session #3 1:00-1:30
 How has this impacted student motivation?
• Success, confidence, risk-taking, school completion, healthy
relationships

• School Groups Session #4 1:30-2:15
 Where do we go from here? Schools/districts discuss…
• Where are we going with alternative assessment strategies?
• How are we getting there?
• What is our next step?

 Alternative strategy: Where do „I‟ go from here?
• Teachers begin to plan how they will approach their own learning
targets using AFL strategies

• Whole Group Session #5 2:30-3:00
 Debrief/report/wrap-up
Pre-Corrections **
• Cell Phones…Off or to silent ring

• Breaks…scheduled, but also when needed.

• Not every slide will appear in your handouts.

• Examples of poor practice may be
exaggerations in order to emphasize a point.

• Focus on systems, which are universal.
Practices need to be age/curriculum
appropriate.
Acknowledgements
**
• Assessment Training Institute
• Rick Stiggins, Judy Arter, Jan Chappuis,
Steve Chappuis

• Leaders in Assessment & Grading
• Ken O’Connor, Thomas Gusky, Dylan
Wiliam, Paul Black, Anne Davies, Lorna
Earl, Ruth Sutton, Michael Scriven,
Benjamin Bloom, etc.
My Job…

To introduce you to the practical
application of new practices
around grading and reporting that
are fair, reasonable and focus on
learning rather than task
completion or behavioral issues.
I will do that by…
1. Introducing you to the three most
ineffective (and overused) grading
practices.

2. Introducing you to the process used at
Princess Margaret to develop fluency &
capacity…including challenges.

3. Sharing a working model of how I have put
some of the theory into practice. (HOW)

4. Provide a support to teachers and
administrators who want to pursue similar
changes.
Disclaimer #1
**
There is NO assumption on my part that…

1. Inappropriate teaching and
learning practices are widespread
in the state of Kentucky.

2. There is a knowledge deficiency
with this group that I am here to
fill.
Disclaimer #2 **
• I CAN provide you with…
 concepts, research findings, new ideas
 implementation examples (a teacher‟s perspective)
 student voices
 a challenge (discomfort?)
 (re) energize and/or (re) focus
 opportunity to discuss/explore

• I CANNOT provide you with…
 all of the answers!
 organizational commitment to change
 experimentation & colleague support
Definitions?
**
• Mark = Score on Individual Assignment.
• Grade = Cumulative for the Course.
• 50% is a pass
 A = 86-100
 B = 73-85
 C+ = 67-72
 C = 60-66
 C- = 50-59
 F = 0-49
More Disclaimers…
**
1. Quick overview of our/my progress &
process...
…more questions than answers.
2. Few examples…
…more than I am able to present
3. Focus on BIG IDEAS…and APPLICATION!
…relevance comes when applied to specific content
areas, grade levels, or by specific adults.
4. You might not agree with me…
…and I am okay with that!
**
**
Important
Themes
Theme #1

Everything we do in our
classrooms/schools
should build confidence
and reduce anxiety,
stress, and confusion
Theme #2

Fear of Failure only
motivates the students
already not failing!
**
Theme #3
**
Effective practices are
only as good as the systems
designed to support the
adults who use them.
Theme #4

The enemy of
GREAT…is good!
The
BIGGEST
Idea
The BIGGEST Idea!

• There is no greater task…and nothing is
taken more personally…than questioning
and/or challenging teachers’ grading
and reporting practices.

• Therefore, disconnect the idea of growth
and discrediting past practice…
**
Questioning
Grading
Practices
Grading Misrules
• Giving students a second chance is soft.
…life is full of do-overs
• Academic rigor means setting unreasonable
expectations.
…is about accountability.
• The punishment paradigm produces the
epiphany.
…more likely to quit!
• Students who are unsuccessful didn‟t try.
…“Can’t” do vs. “Won’t” do
Princess Margaret Secondary School
**
• Grades 9-12
• Converted Jr. High
 Tradition: 1958 vs. 2003?
• 770 students
• 70 total staff
 50 teachers (including part-time)
 20 CEAs
Three targets for Princess Margaret in 2007:

Stop…
1. Grading homework.

2. Reducing scores for late work.

3. Using “0” for work not handed in.
Two definitions we need to know:

summative assessment …
has referred to tests administered after learning
is supposed to have occurred to determine
whether it did. (assessment OF learning)

formative assessment …
has been the label used for assessments
conducted during learning to promote, not
merely judge or grade, student success.
(assessment FOR learning)
(From: Formative Assessment to Assessment FOR Learning:A Path
to Success in Standards-Based Schools – Rick Stiggins)
NO Grades for HW
Our position
Anytime a student makes a first
attempt at practicing new
learning it should not be
included in the grade book until
the teacher provides descriptive
feedback on the student’s work.
What do we mean by
“Homework”?
• Work done as practice or reinforcement to an in-
class lesson
“…do numbers 1-20 as practice…”

• Work that is standardized and administered to a
whole group
“…read the chapter and complete the five review
questions at the end…”

• „homework‟ does not refer to projects or major
assignments that were started in class, but
require extra time to complete
Group Talk #1 **
Stop grading homework

“Don‟t use information from
formative assessments and
practice to determine grades;
use only summative evidence.”

(From: O‟ Connor, K. 2007. A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades)
Why No Grades for HW?
• Whose work is it?
• Flawless instruction?
• Clear on directions?
• Feedback (immediate) matters.
• With teacher, not without!
• Mark the games, not the practice.
• 48 vs. 79!
Questions

• When are students supposed to take the
academic risks we encourage them to
take if everything they do counts?

• If the prospect of the grade is the only
potential motivator, then is it possible the
assignment isn’t important…and maybe
the students shouldn’t be asked to do it!
NO Late Penalties
Our position
Students should be graded on the
quality of their work (their ability
to meet the desired learning
targets) rather than how
punctual the assignment is.
Group Talk #2 **
“Don‟t reduce marks on „work‟
submitted late; provide support
for the learner.”

(From: O‟ Connor, K. 2007. A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades)
Why No Late Penalties?
• Some students predictably struggle
with deadlines.
• Deadlines keep students organized.
• Right/Late vs. Wrong/On-Time
• There will not be a flood of
assignments.
• We don‟t add for early.
• Behaviour vs. Learning
What‟s in a Grade?
(Ministry of Education in British Columbia)

“…letter grades will be used to
indicate students' levels of
performance in relation to the
learning outcomes for each
course or subject and grade.”
What about Kentucky?
• The Combined Curriculum Document
(CCD) is a resource created by the
Kentucky Department of Education to
show the connection between the
Academic Expectations (what students
should know and be able to do as a result
of their school experience)…
Assessment of achievement of goals -- Development of
Commonwealth
Accountability Testing System

Kentucky teachers shall have a significant
role in the design of the assessments. The
assessments shall be designed to:

(a) Measure grade appropriate core
academic content, basic skills, and higher
order thinking skills and their application.
The assessment shall measure the core
content for assessment used by the
Department of Education
The Kentucky Board of Education…

• The reporting structure shall include the following
components: A school report card that clearly
communicates with parents and the public about school
performance.

It shall include but not be limited to the following
components...

1. Student academic achievement, including the results from
each of the assessments administered under this section;

2. Nonacademic achievement, including the school's
attendance, retention, dropout rates, and student transition
to adult life

3. School learning environment
2 Challenges
(Ken O’Connor – “How to Grade for Learning”)

“The penalty…(10% per day)…distorts
their achievement and, therefore,
contributes to a mark (eventually a
grade) that does not have clear
meaning.”
“The punitive nature of the penalty is a
powerful disincentive for students to
complete any work…”
Possible Solutions?
• Eliminate the academic penalty.
• Focus on learning…not task completion.
• Provide a window for handing in work.
• Give the opportunity to manage time.
• Provide support ahead of time
• We know the assignment is going to be late…Be
proactive!
• Spend more time in preparation.
• Directions, set-up, explanations, exemplars, etc.
NO Zeros!
Our position
Assigning a “0” for work not yet
handed in is arbitrary and
mathematically invalid. Zeros
reflect what a student has not
done, not what a student knows.
Group Talk #3 **
“Don‟t include zeros in grade
determination when evidence is
missing or as punishment; use
alternatives, such as reassessing to
determine real achievement or use „I‟
for Incomplete or Insufficient
Evidence.”

(From: O‟ Connor, K. 2007. A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades)
Why No Zeros?
• Random…why not 4, or 11, or 23?
• Students view it as unfair…mean!
• Assignments are rendered unnecessary.
• If, with “0”, the student is passing the work will never be
completed.
• Does not produce the desired results.
• No empirical support.
Ex. “Jason‟s Grades” **
75 – Without the “75”, the grade is 59% (3% impact)
X
61 62%
56 1 more “0”?
9% Impact!
63
53%46%
58
60

0 Now add a “O” to the Grade Book
Can I shoot a Basketball?
**
Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri.

0 0 0 2 4

5 8 10 10 10

49
100
Zero…the ultimate weapon!
(Thomas Gusky, “0 Alternatives”, Principal Leadership, October 2004; 5, 2)

“Some teachers recognize that
assigning zeros punishes students
academically for behavioural
infractions; nevertheless, most
believe that such punishment is
justified and deserved.”
Zero…the ultimate weapon!
(Thomas Gusky, “0 Alternatives”, Principal Leadership, October 2004; 5, 2)

“The threat of a zero – and the
resulting low grade – allows
teachers to impose their will
on students who might
otherwise be indifferent to a
teacher’s demand.”
Traditionally, this
is what we’re
doing now!”
Our process…
• Year “0” …spend the right amount of time
introducing the new ideas to your staff.
• Positive results, research, etc.
• Vision, support, coaching, encouragement, risks, etc.
• Be clear about what you want and what it
would look like.
• Introduce individual practices
• Provide replacement routines.
• “What should I do instead?”
• Find someone to implement new practices…
• …and then let them tell their stories.
Willing & Able?
(Individually and/or Collectively)

• Willing, but not able?
• Move ahead with plans
• Make sure people are comfortable with the research,
rationale, and replacement routines.
• Able, but unwilling?
• Think BIG, but start small.
• Plan for rapid results by encouraging minor changes
that make a big difference
• Support, support, support!
Theory into
Practice
Step 1

How did I work with my
principal/administration?
Basic developments…
• District goal: Assessment FOR Learning
• Staff professional development sessions
with AFL as a focus
• What is AFL?
• Differentiating assessment
• Ken O‟Connor‟s book: „15 Fixes for Broken Grades‟
– No zeros, no late penalties, no marking HW
• Sound Grading Conference in Portland, OR
• Guest speaker
My visit to Portland… **
(December 2006)

• Interest and exploration – a reason to go
• New information on grading practices
• The distinct need for change
• A feeling of being overwhelmed
• I understand the „WHY‟ part of this, but…

…Where do I start?
Step 2

How did I implement these
strategies in my
classroom?
Change #1
Rewriting Writing
• Students can rewrite their
essays as many times as
they like (with conditions).
Student Response
**

“If I know I can get a
good mark, I will keep
trying.”
R.D.
Change #1
Fallacies

1.“I’ll be bombarded with
rewrites!”

2.“Only the top students will
be interested.”
Change #2
Interactive Unit Plans
• Highlight what students will need to know,
demonstrate, reason, etc…
(based on core content/learning standards)

• “I can explain how the involvement of the USA
affected the outcome of World War II.”

• “I can explain how the following terms relate
to the Holocaust.”
Related Core Content for
Assessment (KY)
• Students will evaluate how the Great
Depression, New Deal policies and
World War II transformed America
socially and politically at home and
reshaped its role in world affairs.

• “I can evaluate how the Great Depression
changed American society and the role of the
government.”
Why does this help you??
**
“It was a huge help. I am able to focus my
studying and figure out what I know and
don’t know before I write the test.”
(M.G.)

“I can focus my studying and save time.”
(T.S.)
Change #3
Student Choice on Retesting
• Construct a test with separate sections divided by topic.
Each section will have a total value.

• Students write the test and each section is tabulated
separately.

• Using a custom tracking sheet, each student will calculate
her overall test score, as well as the individual scores from
each section. The student will also indicate on the tracking
sheet how they will change their preparation pattern for the
next test.

• Taking into account his academic goal, overall test score,
and the score on each section, the student will decide
which sections to rewrite.
Change #3 (continued)

Student Choice on Retesting
• Photocopy the tracking sheets and provide the student with
a copy for study purposes.

• Construct a new test with the same sections and values,
but different questions.

• Using one standard template, cut and paste the sections
selected by the student, print the document and administer
the new test.

• Mark the second test and determine which sections have
increased scores.

• Determine the new overall test score and track the
improvement.
Student Reaction!
**
“You know why students will
do this, Dueck, you know
it…they want to do better.
Kids will do this just because
they want to do better.”
K.K.
Say What?
**

“I thought rewrites were
a form of punishment.”
- K.K.
Student to Student!
**

“Why wouldn’t you come
back and try again if it
means you can
improve?”
D.M. to A.L.
**
Social Studies 9 Percentage Increase on
Retesting

15
Geography
10 Test

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
**
Socials 11G Percentage Increase on Retesting

40
WWI Test
30
1920s Test
20

0
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
A reminder of the two definitions we **
need to know:
summative assessment …
has referred to tests administered after learning
is supposed to have occurred to determine
whether it did. (assessment OF learning)

“Some have argued that formative and summative
assessments are so different in their purpose that
they must be kept apart…However, it is
unrealistic to expect teachers and students to
practice such separation, so the challenge is to
achieve a more positive relationship between the
two.” (Black, Harrison, Lee, Marshall and Wiliam, “Working Inside the Black Box”, PHI DELTA KAPPAN, September 2004; 15)
Tracking Retesting Using a Simple Grading Program

First test score: 16/38 Improvement from retest: +21
_______________________________________________________

New entry in grade program: 37.021 (37.021/38)

From this new entry in a class list, the teacher can determine:

 Original test score
 New test score
 Level of individual student improvement
 Number of students who retested
 Pattern for individual/class
The New Language!
**

“Sick, sick man, that
is sick.”
K.M.
Change #4
Target-based Reporting
• Students now track all of their test responses according to
Provincial Learning Outcomes (PLOs).

• Using the data from this process, students can more
effectively study for comprehensive exams (provincial).

• By determining which learning outcomes were more
challenging, students can adjust their preparation
accordingly.

• This data can be shared with parents to enhance the
reporting process.
Moving beyond… **

Mark: 72

Comment: Good Work!
A Conversation
**
• STUDENT: “This studying according to
PLOs thing is a really good idea. Are you the
only teacher doing this?”

• DUECK: “Right now…yes.”

• STUDENT: “Why are you the only one?”
B.M.
Things I had never heard **
before…

“I’m rockin’ on 4.4!”
T.C.

“I’m 6 for 6 on 3.3!”
S.H.
A Framework for Sound
Assessment
What are the basic components to consider
when designing sound assessment
strategies?

The ETS model is a good start!
ACCURACY EFFECTIVE USE

Purpose Effective
Communication

Design

Student
Involvement
Targets

Source: ETS
Change 5:
Zeros replaced by an INC (Incomplete)
• No zeros for incomplete assignments or
missed tests/quizzes.

• Assign an INC in place of a mark.

• The entire course grade is replaced by an
INC until the assignment or test is
finished.
Student Responses
**

“When I see an INC rather than a
mark, that is really…irksome. I
mean it is all about the suspense and
that just kills it.”
Why I don‟t give zeros:
1. Zeros do not reflect what students know.
2. Zeros nullify/distort the marking I have
completed.
3. Zeros are a conflict of interest.
4. Zeros discourage students.
5. Zeros do not reflect „real-life‟ scenarios.
6. Zeros do not teach responsibility.
7. What part of this course is optional?
What a student thinks…
**
“It’s zero, it brings [my mark]
down, but it is not a big deal.
Zero is a punishment…not a
motivator. Punishment has never
really motivated me. A chance to
improve my mark, now that is
motivating.”
B.M.
Ask yourself this question:

If your goal is to have each student‟s
final grade to reflect the extent to
which he or she has met the
established learning objectives, do
you want that number to be as
accurate as possible?
Change 6:
Flexible due dates combined with support.
• A due date is given as a guideline for
major projects.

• Students who predictably struggle with
completion issues are given support prior
to the due date.

• Support is provided for students who do
not hand the project in within a specified
time.
Overall Effects…
• Increased risk-taking

• Less confrontation…we‟re on the same
side!

• The focus shifts from task completion to
learning

• Stronger results on standardized exams
Group Talk
• What are some challenges you see in
implementing these type of changes to
your classroom/school?

• How would your school community, in
whole or in part, react to:
 Multiple rewrites/do-overs
 No zeros
 No academic penalty for late assignments
Step 3

How did I communicate
these changes to
students?
My New Reality

• “You will have to work very
hard to achieve a zero.”
Day 1, History 12
Key points in communicating
to students.
1. Build the new expectations into your course
outline.

2. Remind students of retesting by section
(especially struggling learners/anxious test
writers)

3. Develop a working language around learning
standards and knowledge targets.
• take the mystery out of the material!
What do the students think?

• A simple test feedback form can offer
valuable feedback on:

 student confidence

 individual testing preferences

 study patterns and tendencies
Step 4

How did I communicate
these changes to parents?
Keys to parental
support/awareness…
1. Send a letter home to parents explaining
the systems you are using.

2. Send a copy of the PLO report home with
the report card.

3. Engage in the conversations!
Revolutionize the parent-
teacher interview…

More effective interactions with parents

• Number of retests and corresponding increases
» 45.0/53  50.005/53 (5-point increase)

• Areas to focus upon

• Exam preparation and awareness

• Testing strengths and preferences
Step 5

Where are the most
obvious challenges within
my school/community?
Tradition vs. Change
Teacher preparation and
support time.
Teachers and research

„the dreaded R-word‟
A widening gap between in-
class and standardized
testing results.
“We need to teach real-life
lessons!”

(use late marks and zeros)
The accountability
conversation…
“I like these strategies and all that…but I
am not into letting kids off the hook. I
mean, when are they ever going to learn
that a due date is a due date?”

“There are times when you must get
something in…it is called responsibility!”

“You need late marks and zeros to let kids
know what the real world is like.”
• “I like all the strategies and all that, but…”
 Have you used them?

• “Letting kids of the hook…”
 Does giving a zero increase accountability?

• “…it is called responsibility…”
 Definition: „being responsible; obligation‟
„obliged or expected to account for‟
Let‟s talk about
accountability…

“Can I please just have a zero?”
- anonymous (5+)
Step 6
How has this impacted
student motivation?
What is confidence?

“the expectation of a positive outcome”
The student decides if learning
is going to occur!

Two questions lie at the heart of this
decision:

1. Am I capable of learning?

2. Is it worth my effort?
Motivation…
1. Anticipation of success (11G projects)
1. Zeros
2. Flexible due dates
3. Retesting
2. Confidence and in-class behavior (Cody)
3. Routine/mental ease (Tianna & Morgan)
4. Encouraging risk-taking (11G)
5. Increased provincial exam results
6. School completion
7. Building healthy relationships
Wrap-up: What Now?
• Change requires action.

Individually or as a group, answer these questions:

1. What are my/our next three steps?

2. What challenges do I/we expect?

3. How do we overcome these challenges?
Megan…
**
“This is probably the only class I‟m putting effort
into.”
(why is that?)

“I get to see what I am right about and what I am
not. I can then get my grades up”.
(pause)

“It makes me feel smarter than I really am…I
mean…I don‟t get good grades, but in this class I
know things and I feel smart.”

“ I haven‟t really felt smart in the past.”
Why do I do this? **
Questions?
Contact Information
• Myron Dueck

 mdueck@summer.com
 (250) 770-7620

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