Why change from the 100 pt. scale to the 4 pt. scale?
There are many reasons: 1. The 100 point scale is mathematically and statistically flawed for many reasons, but mostly because it violates the basic principle of ratios. For more information: http://mymassp.com/content/challenging_grading_paradigm_part_3
2. The 4 point scale allows us to consistently define levels of proficiency. We can say, "in order to get a 3 on this topic, you must know and be able to...." If we were to do this on the 100 point scale, we would need 100 different descriptors!
How does the 4 point proficiency scale help students, teachers, and parents?
Students are more likely to "hit" targets that are clearly defined for them. We are taking the secrecy out of grading when we are transparent about levels of mastery. The conversation between teachers and students quickly shifts when using proficiency scales.
Old System:
Student: What do I need to do to get an A?
Teacher: You need to score a 95% on the next test.
New System:
Student: What do I need to do to get an A?
Teacher: You need to show me that you can make a claim and support it with textual evidence.
**The focus is on the learning, not the points.
Can we give students zeros in this system?
Yes - students can receive zeros in this system for doing nothing. This is because zeros have the same impact on the grade as every other level of the scale (1-4). Because we don't average scores to get the grade, a student can recover from failure. This is done through engaging in the original learning cycle, realizing what learning remains, and then taking part in additional opportunities to demonstrate that learning in a reassessment of learning cycle. Student learning is the most important outcome.
Example of a 4-point (or 4-level) content scale from math, for the topic of Problem Solving Using Addition & Subtraction:
There are many reasons: 1. The 100 point scale is mathematically and statistically flawed for many reasons, but mostly because it violates the basic principle of ratios. For more information: http://mymassp.com/content/challenging_grading_paradigm_part_3
2. The 4 point scale allows us to consistently define levels of proficiency. We can say, "in order to get a 3 on this topic, you must know and be able to...." If we were to do this on the 100 point scale, we would need 100 different descriptors!
How does the 4 point proficiency scale help students, teachers, and parents?
Students are more likely to "hit" targets that are clearly defined for them. We are taking the secrecy out of grading when we are transparent about levels of mastery. The conversation between teachers and students quickly shifts when using proficiency scales.
Old System:
Student: What do I need to do to get an A?
Teacher: You need to score a 95% on the next test.
New System:
Student: What do I need to do to get an A?
Teacher: You need to show me that you can make a claim and support it with textual evidence.
**The focus is on the learning, not the points.
Can we give students zeros in this system?
Yes - students can receive zeros in this system for doing nothing. This is because zeros have the same impact on the grade as every other level of the scale (1-4). Because we don't average scores to get the grade, a student can recover from failure. This is done through engaging in the original learning cycle, realizing what learning remains, and then taking part in additional opportunities to demonstrate that learning in a reassessment of learning cycle. Student learning is the most important outcome.
Example of a 4-point (or 4-level) content scale from math, for the topic of Problem Solving Using Addition & Subtraction:
