Many middle school (MS) students have been exposed to inappropriate instructional practices in physical education (PE). Involvement in and exposure to these inappropriate instructional practices becomes a common occurrence, causing students to believe this is what should take place in their PE class. The purpose of this study was to better…

With a strong movement of schools starting to use standards-based grading practices, one of the aims of this study was to learn if traditional grading practices communicate grades that are accurate based on the students' learning of the course objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which employability and homework…

Traditionally, assessing and grading students in science has been an exercise centered around points and percentages (Feldman, Kropf, and Alibrandi 1989; Prøitz 2013). However, with the introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the need to revisit grading practices stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of…

This paper examines the presence of systematic differences in teachers' grading behaviour across gender and whether these can be attributed to teacher bias. This study measures these differences by comparing teachers' grades with national exams, which are externally and anonymously marked. Consistent with the literature, the gender gap in teacher…

During the pandemic, there were many discussions concerning how the pandemic was affecting students' learning and their ability to function in a remote classroom. However, the day-to-day routines and instructional strategies of teachers were being overlooked. The purpose of this research is twofold. The first is to provide examples and information…

Historically, race and poverty have been contributing factors when considering gaps among students in their academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine how employability and homework scores within traditional points and percentages weighted grading models impact grades from an equity lens. This study analyzed 779 students'…

Maximize learning by making grades more meaningful and motivating to students. With the support of this practical guide, professional learning communities (PLCs) will discover a clear road map for implementing a standards-based grading system at the secondary level. The authors provide all of the actionable ideas and tools needed to not only…

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's that students don't need more stress. Fortunately, we can reduce students' anxiety about grading--and improve their learning. Grading expert Joe Feldman shares four "outdated" grading practices and their constructive, more equitable alternatives.

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of standards-based grading (SBG) on student achievement at Lipscomb Academy, a private, faith-based school in Middle Tennessee. In this mixed-methods study the researchers utilized test score data from middle school math and language arts midterms, AP Psychology Exam scores, digital…

This article examines moral conflicts identified by students (N = 302) and teachers (N = 20) in the context of Iranian schools. The data were gathered in 2016 from two lower secondary schools in Tehran, one for girls and one for boys. The content analysis of students' essays and teachers' interviews reveal that moral conflicts in Iranian secondary…

Variations of the question, "How are you doing in school?" are among those most frequently posed by adults to students (Reeves, 2004). Grades represent the primary source of that information; indeed, Olson (1995) called grades "one of the most sacred traditions in American education" (p. 24). There is so much trust in the…

This study investigated Chinese secondary school English language teachers' grading decision making, focusing on the factors they considered and types of assessment they used for grading. A questionnaire was issued to 350 secondary school English language teachers in China. Descriptive analyses of the questionnaire data showed that these teachers…

This dissertation examines high school students' perspectives on social studies homework. Specifically, it uses the high school student perspective to determine the types of social studies homework that students perceive most benefit them academically and developmentally. In addition, it examines how homework should be evaluated. Findings are…

Teachers and administrators at Health Sciences High and Middle College in San Diego, California, wanted to create a grading system that reflected understanding while still encouraging students to practice. They developed course competencies, or performance assessments, that teachers use to measure what students know and can do with the concepts…

Each school year, the School Climate Survey is administered to gather information on the perceptions that students, their parents, and school staffs hold concerning their schools and their performance. In 2008-2009, the survey was distributed to approximately 90,200 parents, 54,200 elementary, secondary, and adult students, and 25,000 staff. This…