Improve your grading with YackPack

I finally put together a short movie that shows how you can use YackPack to make grading easier and more effective. This method has made my life as a teacher much, much easier.

http://yacklearning.net/education/grading/grading.html

You'll find more about YackPack in education at the YackLearning.net.

Enjoy!

Comments

[M Gius]

you know, I don't think that this could truly replace all of the written portions of the grading. Certainly, it is good for making large amounts of comments, but it's always good to have at least some of the comments written down, or have references written in the work to help accentuate what is done with the pack.

[BJ Fogg]

Certainly some things -- like quizzes and multiple choice tests -- can't be graded via YackPack. In my teaching I rarely do those things, so I've never even tried.

As for a written record on papers and projects, I use the YackPack message area to jot down notes. I also click on the student's "i" button to make private notes about each one. In this way, I have everything in once place.

I always agonize over the final grades. Stanford students sometimes cry when they get a "B-" -- seriously. Last year I had one master's student, weeping in my office, who said that a B- in grad school is the same as a D in undergrad (I don't mean to be heartless, but this statement still cracks me up). I guess I'm a tough grader compared to most, so I have to be confident when assigning the final grade. I know ambitious students (like those at Stanford) may fight back. At the end of the quarter, when I review student by student in YackPack, I get a clear picture of each one. I can mark a grade with confidence -- a great grade for great work, a mediocre grade for mediocre work. Teaching puts us a tough spot: We have to be fair to the student and we must respect the academic system of grading. (Am I old fashioned?)

When I give a grade I know the student won't like, I wince. But I also take some consolation in the fact that I received some of my worst grades from teachers who taught me the most. Also, I continue to help my students after the quarter ends, regardless of the grade they earned. Most students recognize my commitment to them and think my grading is tough but fair. So I can sleep at night knowing I've done my job. But still . . . I hate giving bad grades.