Grade Setup Examples in Gradebook
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Outcome Weighting
If using Outcomes Weighting, be sure to set the Attribute to Specific Weights so that grades will be properly calculated in PT Pro. If you do not set the Attribute to Specific Weights, student percentage grades will drop once you begin to enter scores for learner profiles. Setting the Attribute to Specific Weights ensures that only the assessed curriculum outcomes are being used in the calculation of the percentage grades.
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Let’s look at how to create assessments in PT Pro ..
Collecting Evidence of Learning - Creating Assessments in PT Pro
| For more information on creating assessments, refer to Section 4 of the PowerTeacher Pro eLearning course. |
Collecting Evidence of Learning
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Since students learn in different ways and at different times, collections of evidence may vary slightly in terms of how students choose to represent their learning.
When making lists of the evidence to collect, be sure to gather evidence from a variety of sources, and to gather the evidence over time.
Determine what assessments will be entered in your gradebook (i.e., think of the informal day-to-day formative assessments, versus more formal types of formative and/or summative assessments). Ask yourself: Which assessments are important to document, and which ones will potentially count towards the students’ grade? A balanced assessment system offsets daily formative assessment strategies with periodic moments of verification.
Have them do what the outcomes ask them do and think quality over quantity – not all assessment needs to be tracked in gradebook. Supplement your gradebook with portfolios or samples of learning is one to help ensure that students and families remained focused on growth and learning.
Collecting Evidence of Learning
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There are three general sources of assessment evidence gathered in classrooms:
Evidence collection using these three sources is referred to as Triangulation of Data.
Collecting Evidence of Learning
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Sample assessments in Gradebook:
English 9 - The Outsiders Chapter 3&4 Questions, Graphic Novel Analysis and Review, Question carousel,
Short Story Elements Test, Frankenstein Poem Retell, Presentation- Youth Empowerment,
Novel Study Exit Slip, Final Project - The Outsiders, Persuasive Essay
Mathematics 9 - N06 - Exit Slip - Estimating Square Roots, O/C - Surface Area Problem -Solving,
Polynomials Quiz, Mental Math ~ Fractions to Decimals, 3.1 Assignment
Science 7 - Ecosystem Assignment, P - Minerals Quiz, Food Web Visual, Earth's Layers assignment,
Exit Pass: Solutions, Heat Quiz, Particle Theory Poster Conversation: Mineral Testing
Social Studies 8 - Mi'kmaq Facts, WW2 exit slip, Inquiry Assignment - Women WII, Treaty Education - Q&A,
Netukulimk questions, Diversity of indigenous people, Rights and Advocacy Pgs. 10-11
Career Development 10 - Communication Skit, Checklist for Personal Values, Writing Values & Opinions,
Inquiry: Self Awareness, Clarifying Your Work Values, Budgeting Assignment,
Cultural Bias in the Workplace, Career-Related Research Project
Emphasize Learning, Not Tasks
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When creating assessments in PT Pro, if the emphasis is on learning, students and parents can more easily see the connections between their work and what they are learning.
Task Focused
Learning Focused
Note: Assessment names in PT Pro are capped at 50 characters
What are some advantages of designing learning focused assessments?
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When your gradebook centers on learning, and is more specific in what you’re measuring, students have more choice to demonstrate that learning in different ways and pursue learning in ways that is meaningful to them.
The evidence doesn’t always need to be the same type of product, or for that matter, a product at all.
It allows them to see themselves in the curriculum as important contributors to the learning process, and it transforms learning from something that is “done to them” to something that is “done with them”.
Emphasize Learning, Not Tasks
1. Choose and then unpack an outcome: analyze and examine the outcome, indicators, concepts and guiding questions in detail.
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Tip: Your assessment name could be written as a statement that would follow:
We Are Learning To ….
Example: We are learning to … Identify Key Ideas within a Text
Scoring Assessments – Using the Score Inspector
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When using the Missing, Incomplete, Late and Absent flags, color-coded indicators appear in the student’s score cell below the score. The Exempt flag changes the score to purple, and the Collected flag appears as a check mark.
| For more information on entering assessment scores, refer to this Section 5 lesson of the PowerTeacher Pro eLearning course. |
Scoring Assessments using Achievement Levels
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| For more information on scoring assessments using achievement levels, refer to this section 5 lesson of the PowerTeacher Pro eLearning course. |
Achievement Levels: Definitions
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Outcomes Scoresheet in PT Pro
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By default, outcomes grades are calculated using the three most recent achievement level scores.
Collecting Evidence of Learning - Creating Assessments in PT Pro
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Give it a Try!
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Activity: Inputting achievement levels scores in gradebook.
Part 1: Now that you have clarity on what to assess (what you want students to learn), explore how to best assess it.
Identify what evidence best reflects student achievement of this learning goal … or consider if there are multiple ways for students to demonstrate their understanding.
Accurately assessing their level of understanding can be aided using Success Criteria, and when shared with students, they will have a clearer understanding of the learning expectations.
Construct your success criteria (WILF): determine the measurable and observable indicators of learning that students are expected to demonstrate that they met the learning goal.
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Success criteria are often written as “I can” or
“I know I am successful when I can” statements and are created in student-friendly language based on the learning goal.
Create one or two high quality success criteria for your learning goal.
Part 2: For the assessment you created in your gradebook, imagine that it had been assigned to students in your class. Based on how your students performed in relation to the success criteria, input the appropriate achievement level scores for each student in your class.
Adding Comments when Scoring Assessments
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Adding Comments when Scoring Assessments
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Note: Comments entered in your gradebook can be viewed in the Student-Parent Portal.
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Grading Principles Progression Chart
Evaluation
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Aligning Achievement Levels and Reporting Codes in Determining Reporting Percentage Grades for Grades 7-12
Evaluation and Reporting
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In terms of PowerTeacher Pro, determining a student’s grade may involve manually overriding the grade that your gradebook has calculated – so that the teacher can apply their professional judgement. Not all evidence may be captured in PT Pro – so determine, don’t just calculate, grades.
When the teacher gives students multiple opportunities to demonstrate their learning (using triangulation of data), the teacher can better determine how student learning has progressed over time, and what areas still require attention.
If the teacher has reliable and valid evidence that shows that a student attained a particular outcome, then they may want to not include in the grade an earlier assessment where the student exhibited a lack of understanding. Using PT Pro, you can exempt marks from old evidence so that the mark is not included in the student’s grade calculation.
In Assessment-based Grading, PT Pro is set up to calculate the students’ grades by incorporating all included assessments scores (that are checked to be counted in final grades).
In Outcomes-based Grading, PT Pro is set up to calculate the students’ grades by using the most recently assessed outcomes (which are scored using the achievement level scale: 1, 1+, 2, 2+, 3, 3+, 4).
PowerTeacher Pro Tips
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Use the Class Description to share your Assessment and Evaluation Plan.
When warranted, add student specific comments to provide descriptive feedback.
PT Pro is more than a tool used to track your assessments and complete report cards. It’s also a communication tool for students and parents/guardians via the Student-Parent Portal. Be mindful that what you enter in PT Pro will appear in the Portal, so be sure to be descriptive in your naming conventions, use the description box to provide additional details.
Promote the Portal to your students and parents/guardians so that they can be actively involved in the learning process.
Be sure you understand how student grades are being calculated. If you need to defend your grades in PT Pro, understanding how they are calculated – and having confidence in your evidence – will go a long ways to justifying your grades.
PowerTeacher Pro Tips
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Don’t assume that student grades are correct. PT Pro calculates grades based on many factors, so if you question student grades have a colleague review your gradebook, or on your own, be sure to:
| For more information on reviewing your progress and final grades, refer to this Section 5 lesson of the PowerTeacher Pro eLearning course. |
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Resources: