If assignments count towards the final grade, it encourages students to take them seriously. However, grading can take up a lot of time, perhaps too much. But do you really need to assess every assignment? In this tip, you’ll discover an approach that shows you don’t have to.
In a previous didactic tip, we discussed that you don't have to grade all submitted assignments on a 10-point scale. The tip below takes this approach a step further.
Tip: Only grade a random selection of submitted assignments
Imagine that you do not grade all assignments submitted by students, but only a selection of them. You announce which assignments these are only after all students have submitted all their work. This way, students still put effort into all assignments, but you only have to grade a selection. This saves you time and allows you to focus on giving feedback.
Is this fair?
This tip may raise concerns, as students might find this approach unusual or even unpleasant. As a teacher, you may also worry that students are being assessed unfairly. These five steps can help you address those concerns:
- Have students give peer feedback on all submitted assignments. Students learn a lot from this, and their efforts are always rewarded because someone reviews their work carefully. The idea that someone will see their assignment increases motivation.
- Discuss a few best practices or typical problem cases during lectures or workgroups. This allows students to compare their own work. Want to know more? Check out tip 9, about showing high quality examples.
- Ask students to give themselves a grade based on the peer feedback. If you have students provide feedback on each other using a rubric, they are usually also capable of doing this as a form of self-assessment.
- Apply this method, for example, in combination with an oral or written exam. Ask students to bring their completed assignments to the exam and then pose questions about two or three of their submissions.
- If necessary, grade an additional assignment. For instance, if a student feels their final grade is unfair, such as when they narrowly fail the course, select another random assignment to grade. Ask the student to complete a self-assessment, then review it yourself. Based on this, you can determine whether the student has performed sufficiently after all. If disagreements remain, you can repeat this process.