Journal article
Methods to improve grading reliability in multi-section undergraduate courses
Journal of biological education, Vol.58(5), pp.1591-1611
10/19/2024
DOI: 10.1080/00219266.2023.2247407
Abstract
Grades matter to students, and grading methods have documented impacts on student outcomes. While many strategies exist to study variance and reliability in research settings, unique challenges exist when it comes to applying these techniques in practical settings of post-secondary coursework. In our course setting, teaching assistants (TA's) grade the written laboratory reports, but there are concerns regarding their grading reliability and accuracy. In this report, we reflect on our effort to improve grading reliability in a multi-section undergraduate biology course with roughly 1,000 students a year, which employs multiple-teaching assistants (TA's) who grade the written laboratory reports. Within this course data, our findings suggest that much of the variation in student scores likely occurred at the teaching assistant (TA) level, and that interventions can be successfully aimed at TA-level variability (rather than those based on lab section, for example). Intraclass correlation may be a useful tool in describing where the variability exists in each unique course setting. A combination of round table grading (e.g. using a rubric or specific guidelines to train those grading lab reports in a group setting) and one-to-one meetings was successful in improving the TAs' formative feedback to students and in decreasing student concerns. It also improved overall efficiency of the grading process. However, the round table grading likely did not improve inter-TA reliability, and some form of mean-differentiated scoring may be necessary when TA's differ significantly in the severity of their grading.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Methods to improve grading reliability in multi-section undergraduate courses
- Creators
- Andrea Malek Ash - University of IowaAmr El Zawily - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of biological education, Vol.58(5), pp.1591-1611
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- DOI
- 10.1080/00219266.2023.2247407
- ISSN
- 0021-9266
- eISSN
- 2157-6009
- Number of pages
- 21
- Grant note
- 1546595 / National Science Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 08/24/2023
- Date published
- 10/19/2024
- Academic Unit
- Biology
- Record Identifier
- 9984461804202771
Metrics
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