Presented for CT AHPERD 2018 Convention Grading in Physical Education: Finding ways to document student learning Presented for CT AHPERD 2018 Convention

Principles of grading Grade on instructional objectives Determine instructional objectives Weight instructional objectives according to priority Grades should be based upon actual performance/achievement The grade should reflect the degree to which students have met the course objectives/learning outcomes

Some problems with grading Use valid, reliable, objective instruments Issues Measurement vs. evaluation Standardized vs. “homemade” tests Incongruence of instruction goals and assessments Consistency with school policies 80-89 = B 90-100 = A Attendance for grades, etc. Using a grade to reflect classroom behavior

Roadblocks to effective grading practices in physical education Lack of agreement on content Fitness, sport, activity Affective attributes Large class sizes Hard to know students Takes lots of time to grade large numbers Lack of valid, reliable standardized tests Many standardized tests are hard/impossible for students to complete Time limitations 5-10% of time devoted to assessment (middle school) Teachers don’t think this much time is justifiable

Roadblocks to effective grading practices in physical education Difficulties in assessing affective behaviors Behaviors need to be assessed in observable terms Failure to resolve controversial issues Improvement vs. achievement Grading on all 3 domains Viewing grading as separate from instruction They should fit together Grading should intertwine with instruction

Criteria for determining instructional objectives Objectives should be defensible as an important educational outcome Every student should have an equal chance to demonstrate his/her ability on the objective Objectives should be capable of being measured Objectively Reliably Relevantly Validly

Poor grading practices in physical education Basing grade solely on improvement Quality vs. quantity issue Assessments that are not feasible to administer Grading on attendance and participation rather than achievement Disproportionate weighting of instructional objectives 100% of grade on written test Bonus points that skew the weighting system Indefensible instructional objectives Basing student grades on the contributions of others Bonus points for non-related items Use bonus points for additional achievement for low-skilled student

Setting the bar too low Students won’t value the subject Determine skills of people who play the game or participate in the activity Use this information to set your grading criteria Don’t be afraid to set the skill too high Cognitive and affective can also contribute to a grade Show assessment early and give students an opportunity to work on skills, etc. to reach the goals that you set Low fit and low skilled should have a legitimate chance to get a reasonable grade

Grading on improvement Sandbagging Requires two tests Creates a moving target Use formative assessments and give students several chances to meet your target/goals

Grading on managerial issues Using dressing for class for a grade Handle this administratively Can address good behavior by defining the affective domain concept (cooperation, respect) Must write an objective for this concept Must be able to define the concept into an observable, quantifiable behavior Students must know what you expect

“Fuzzy” or unclear goals Effort Participation Sportsmanship 100% effort Student perception vs. teacher perception

Grading skills when the objective is game play or performance Skill tests should be one factor Formative vs. summative? Your grading system should measure student achievement of your final outcomes/objectives Determine how you will measure your final outcomes

Using ineffective cognitive tests Measuring only knowledge Height of net Size of court Tests over the handout vs. the content covered in the unit What do you want them to remember 20 years from now????

Grading mechanics Step One Weigh the course objectives and assign percentages Psychomotor Cognitive Affective Fitness test results should not be used for grading purposes!!!

Determine what you will teach Units and content for the grading period (9 weeks/semester) Some units will provide more learning in one domain over another (example, adventure education/cooperative learning; affective domain is not always taught in other units so it doesn’t need to be assessed Percentages for the unit do not need to match your overall percentages As a composite score, the units will meet the percentages you set

Let your students know how they will be graded Let them know at the beginning of the unit Don’t let dressing/participation overshadow assessments Don’t use formative assessments for a grade!

Control Students

Treatment Students

Measurement is motivational!!