Turning Participation Grades into Self-Directed Learning Opportunities

Students engaged in small group discussion in a lecture hall
SSUCv3H4sIAAAAAAAEAH1TTY+bMBC9V+p/iHyOJRtswHtvz71XPYw948RawBGYbatV/nsNhNQrVb0gz3tP8/FmeP/86XRiFubg2MvpfY1yHPp+mdMEKcQxw+L8wAlDilOAfgVX7L4xbE6QlpnmIoWDcU7Rvd6uMcWM10cOF/u4TDb+KkGkW5xD2sTzB2IiGOYUBipRn2V9gBK6xRF1CczXJSWatiYyLk3Rr4NElzzIh44PE77v8ekgHuOkTLFvFG89sXPBzItdma8whH5NeFD383/yfMHF7e7+I9XfFPvjxzESXGh0v9eW78UwE/UEu/mP1lmFDbSoHLcVOa6E7DhgZzgoUVlvGk2IR2UmO/18N4aEqVXNZSMEV+QV79AiB5Cq9gYrjc1T3AnyEkXNlfe5StU43lmVS+m6otZ6amX3FKu2ktrlfEq2Tf40iluDPhdCZ8A70Yr2KQaTq+pWc1MB5v7Jc2PB89oJYZTS0gJuLu3WsNefedPDtsyHKW8BKRYxLBhisey36KDfLq1w8jYFF8ZLITuu6rnCTbPdot6hchMxXWkqirr8E8WhAMaYtj2xfVKG+Q7XUNYyG2J0pRspjFHysREWcKUr8t7qWnEp6parGireKeW5Ms52gIoao7Md9z9vERsjzQMAAA==
We all want students to come to class prepared, having done the readings, and ready to actively participate in discussions and activities. Although the practice is debated, many of us use participation grades to encourage the types of behavior we want to see in class. Typically, it works, but it’s a very extrinsically focused form of motivation.

To continue reading, you must be a Teaching Professor Subscriber. Please log in or sign up for full access.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles

I have two loves: teaching and learning. Although I love them for different reasons, I’ve been passionate about...
From an early age, I was immersed in the Muslim tradition that taught me to learn from every...
Lately, social media videos have been flooded with discourse and arguments as to what constitutes a man and...
One of the biggest problems with homework is that students who make a mistake or get stuck have...
A childhood friend of mine passed away a few years ago. We worked on the high school yearbook...
Since I began teaching 15 years ago, I’ve noticed more and more students self-disclose aspects of their mental...
Rubrics have been indispensable in education for providing clarity on performance expectations, consistency in grading, and detailed feedback...

Are you signed up for free weekly Teaching Professor updates?

You'll get notified of the newest articles.