- Will pre-class work be collected or graded? How will the overall grading structure encourage students to prepare for class?
- How will you assess in-class work in a way that encourages group contributions rather than individual achievement?
- How can your TAs or LAs be helpful in assessing student learning on a daily basis?
- When and how will students receive feedback on the work that they do in class?
- How often will you evaluate students on their participation, so they know they are meeting expectations?
01Mar’22
How is assessment different in a SAIL class?
In a SAIL class, you can continue to assess students using exams, papers, presentations, or projects. However, your assessments should emphasize the same ideas and skills that you are emphasizing during in-class activities. Careful alignment of activities and assessments shows students the value of in-class activities and makes it more likely that students will persist through the discomfort of challenging collaborative work.
This page includes considerations for assessment of learning in SAIL classes, as well as resources and advice for submitting work, giving feedback, and assigning grades. To learn more about how other faculty approach assessment in SAIL classes or to be connected with other faculty using SAIL at Penn, email CETLI.
Considerations for Assessment
Course Resources from Penn Faculty
From the syllabus for Meredith Tamminga’s LING 0600: Introduction to Sociolinguistics
Assessment & Evaluation
Your final grade for the course will be based on the following types of assessment and evaluation.
- 50% Projects: There will be three major projects. Projects 1 and 2 (20% each) are written individually and will receive individual grades. Project 3 (10%) is a group presentation graded by blending group and individual contributions. Graded for content mastery, with detailed feedback.
- 30% Class Activities: In class most days, small groups will work collaboratively on structured activities containing different kinds of activities. Graded for good faith effort, only general feedback.
- 10% Reflections: Throughout the semester, you will write short pieces reflecting on the course content and connecting it to your everyday life. Graded for good-faith effort.
- 10% Reading Comprehension: To demonstrate reading comprehension, you will complete Canvas assignments answering short questions about your course readings before class. Graded for good-faith effort.
- 7% Attendance: Attending class is especially important for a SAIL course. You areallowed two free unexcused absences for the semester. Absences may also be excused for illness or emergencies if Prof. Tamminga is notified in advance.
- 3% Experiment Participation or Summaries: Students will do 3 hours of participation in the Psychology Subject Pool or will summarize 2 articles about sociolinguistic experiments, as a way of understanding how sociolinguistics is an increasingly experimental discipline. Graded for completion.
From the syllabus for Rebecca Stein’s ECON 0100: Introduction to Microeconomics
Grading
Grading is not on a curve. Your grade is calculated from the raw grades received in the activities, midterms & final exam. Note that 15% of your grade is related to the preparation for and participation in class activities.
- Pre-class modules: 5 %
- In class participation: 10%
- Homework: 4 %
- Pre- and post-tests: 4%
- Completion of surveys: 2%
- Midterm I:20 %
- Midterm II: 20 %
- Final: 35 %
Advice from Penn Faculty
- The instructor and teaching assistants can circulate the room to listen in on group conversations and invite questions.
- Make student thinking visible during class by encouraging them to use the whiteboards, large pieces of paper, or collaborative online documents.
- Pause group work and convene the whole class for discussion if you find that many students are stuck on the same problem.
- Each group submits a written document at the end of class that is graded for effort. The names of students who are absent may not be included.
- Each group submits answers in a Canvas quiz that is scored automatically for correctness, and students may revise answers if incorrect.
- Students submit short written assignments that are graded for effort and provide opportunities for instructor comments.
- Include credits for some number of dropped assignments or deadline extensions that students can use as needed.
- 50% of the work receives a group grade and 50% of the work is graded individually to hold each student accountable for learning.
- Create a rubric that outlines what successful group work looks like and allow students to evaluate each other at one or two points in the semester.
- Require that students submit a reflection on their own participation in group work a regular basis.