Update Gradebook

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As your course nears completion, update all student scores accurately in the Competency Tracker Form or your school's LMS gradebook. Do this well-before any final exam so students can be informed as to which outcomes they are still deficient in and have one remaining opportunity to demonstrate competency.

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Class is Finished - Competent or Not?

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After the final exam, referencing your gradebook, review each student's performance in your class. For each student, ask yourself, Is this student's overall proficiency strong enough? Did they demonstrate that they knew each learning outcome? Did they meet the participation requirements of the course?

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Make a decision as to whether each student is competent in: (a) proficiency, (b) course content, and (c) participation/homework*. This is not a perfect science and is, to some degree, still slightly subjective, as is all grading systems. However, you will consider the multiple data points (student scores) which represent student abilities through validly and objectively assigned rubric scores throughout the course.

 

To make this determination with proficiency, only the scores within the Competency Stage should be analyzed. You will most likely consider the most recent score, which should be a 3, 4, or 5.

 

To make this determination with course content, you may either average the several scores for each outcome, or use the most recent, depending. Ideally, students need scores of 3, 4, or 5 for each outcome to be considered competent.

 

To make this determination with participation/homework*, you will mostly likely average the several scores. Ideally, students will need to demonstrate a 3, 4, or 5 average score.

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*Although I minimize announcing this to students directly, participation performance may be waived if students meet the proficiency and course content standards, since the focus of learning is on competency. Be sure to include this in your course policies. 

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Calculate Final Grades

 

Complete the Competency Tracker Form for each student.

 

If your class uses Pass/Fail to report final grades, pass the student if they met the proficiency, course content, and participation standards put forth; if they are not competent in proficiency or course content, issue student a fail grade.

 

If your classes uses letter grades to report final grades, decide if the students have met the proficiency, course content, and participation* standards put forth. If they have not, an automatic fail grade is earned. If they have, the final percentage and letter grade on the Competency Tracker Form will automatically calculate.

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Use these resources to help you calculate a final letter/percentage grade once students are competent in all outcomes.

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Report Final Grades

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Be sure these final grades are recorded centrally through your department.

 

Program-Level note: If your program requires you to report students' performance on each competency, do so. This way, if students take the class again, they may begin where they left off; all completed competencies may transfer over, allowing them to focus on their underdeveloped competencies. 

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Modified Acceleration?

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Program-Level note: If you determine students to be competent in the areas of proficiency, course content, and participation and will successfully pass your class, direct them to your program's or department's modified acceleration process, should you have one.

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Depending on the results, students may accelerate into an appropriate subsequent class, possibly skipping the next class (as opposed to simply entering into the immediate subsequent course).

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