Kahneman and Tversky's (1979, 2000; Tversky & Kahneman, 1981) work in decision-making was applied to student preferences for grading practices. Undergraduate psychology students (n = 240) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 framing conditions related to how a university course might be graded: a 100 point system, a percentage system, and an open…

Among a number of lessons, this commentary suggests that oftentimes the grade a student receives in a class is not truly reflective of what that student learned. Certainly, assigning grades--at least for those who take their role as educators seriously--is one of the toughest tasks confronting the classroom teacher. Again and again, one reflects…

This case study examines the leadership practices of an effective versus an ineffective elementary school principal. The background of this case involves two fourth grade teachers, each teaching one of a set of identical twins. Discrepancies in teaching and grading practices result in one twin failing. The decision-making choices of the principal…

How can you ensure that you are grading your exceptional students fairly? Teachers receive very little guidance for grading students with disabilities, English learners, and those receiving services through a response-to-intervention (RTI) process. This practitioner-friendly book provides teachers and administrators with an effective framework for…

In Germany, the "Abitur" grades awarded at the end of upper secondary education are critical in the allocation of sought-after university places. Drawing on a representative sample of 3526 grade 13 "Abitur" students in the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg, this article examines whether and to what extent grading is affected by…

Through a study conducted in a core Foundations of Mathematics course at Western Oregon University, the authors investigate the thesis that peer-grading helps future elementary and middle school teachers improve their own attitudes about writing and assessing mathematics. Study participants were asked to provide scale responses to a series of…

For homework to help students improve school achievement and develop responsibility and autonomy in academic endeavors in and out of school, the development of teachers' understanding of students' views about homework and their homework behaviors is critical. Whether the subject of the homework is mathematics, reading, or a second language,…

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were created in response to the shortcomings of No Child Left Behind era standards and assessments. Among those failings were the poor quality of content standards and assessments and the variability in content expectations and proficiency targets across states, as well as concerns related to the economic…

Students' evaluation of faculty and courses continue to be the most often used gauge in higher education of how well courses are taught. Faculty are particularly concerned that student ratings are highly associated with the grades students expect to receive. However, newer research on student engagement suggests that it is students' own…

Traditionally, medical schools have tended to make assumptions that students will "automatically" engage in self-education effectively after graduation and subsequent training in residency and fellowships. In reality, the majority of medical graduates out in practice feel unprepared for learning on their own. Many medical schools are now adopting…

The development of computer science, statistics and other technological fields, give us more opportunities to improve the process of evaluation of degree of knowledge and achievements in a learning process of our students. More and more we are relying on the computer software to guide us in the grading process. An improved way of grading can help…

This qualitative study examined how authority was negotiated in an undergraduate teacher education course in which I, as the teacher of the course, involved students in establishing their obligations for the semester by designing individualized grading contracts. The findings suggest that seeking mutually satisfactory agreement, finding several…

All distance learning participants (students, professors, instructors, mentors, tutors and the rest) would like to know how well the students have assimilated the study materials being taught. The analysis and assessment of the knowledge students have acquired over a semester are an integral part of the independent studies process at the most…

The decision by the Minister of Higher Education, that Malaysian post-secondary institutions should move to outcomes-based teaching and learning (OBTL), involves a change in teaching in over 1,000 institutions. This massive changeover would be accomplished using the "Train-the-Trainers" model in a series of workshops. We are proud to…

Colleges and universities work hard to create environments that encourage student learning, and they develop grading policies, in part, to motivate their students to perform well. Grades provide two kinds of information about a student's abilities and learned knowledge: "internal" information that informs the students themselves about the…