As technology increases its usefulness as a tool for teachers and administrators it is only natural that grade books become electronic. The World Wide Web provides the additional benefit that teachers can enter their grades from anywhere. This also opens the possibility that parents and students can view grades, too. Though there are many positive benefits to this there are also significant drawbacks to consider.
Benefits of Electronic Gradebooks
For teachers, the pros are primarily concerned with data management. A teacher can set up the weights or percentages for the semester and then only need to worry about entering new assignments. Most electronic grade books then not only do the calculations for them but also provide convenient tools for examining missing assignments and grade trends. Some, such as PowerGrades, also provide tools for reporting activities such as portfolios and authentic assessments. Teachers also do not have to worry about submitting grades for progress reports or report cards since these can be pulled from the electronic grade book at a predetermined time and date.
For parents and students, being able to access grades online is powerful. It provides a portal into the teacher’s grade book, showing student grades and progress when a parent or student desires to see it. This eliminates the need to wait for the teacher to calculate the grades and the student to deliver the information. It also allows for timely information concerning missing assignments, which can be valuable for helping students keep track of their work.
Online Gradebook Drawbacks
The conveniences for teachers can also lead to significant drawbacks. A major con to making electronic grade books available through a password is that teachers must keep the grade book current. For some, this is a change from preferred habits developed with paper grade books, since parents will be looking for grades shortly after an assignment is due. Also, any missing assignment should be entered as a zero until the assignment is turned in since an empty spot in most electronic grade books will be skipped; potentially resulting in a temporarily inflated grade average.
Especially for younger students, there are many developmental abilities that are difficult to assess as a grade. In these cases anecdotal accounts are ideal, as is open and direct communication between parent and teacher. A potential negative effect to accessing grade books electronically is that parents might rely on the grades and not get the full picture of their child’s progress in school.
The benefits to using an electronic grade book are significant for teachers, parents and students. By being aware of the pros and cons they can be used to their full potential.
Reference: Virtual Record Keeping
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