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What is your feeling about giving extra credit at the college level? Should it be an option, or should the regularly-scheduled quizzes and exams all that is allowed to make or break one's grade?
What is your feeling about giving extra credit at the college level? Should it be an option, or should the regularly-scheduled quizzes and exams all that is allowed to make or break one's grade?
I believe in it because it will reveal who the "real" students are, and will give students another chance to learn more. It's a great motivational tool. I even believe in offering an extra assignment to replace a bad grade (so long as the assignment is "tougher" or more involved than the previous task it replaces. Use it as a teaching tool and you can't go wrong. Grades are not the end all be all of the class. They too are just a tool to measure progress....not as a means of reward or punishment.
If you can't get an A with regular work, then you shouldn't be able to get one with extra credit. JMHO.
Another good point. I will say that as a student, I love extra credit for obvious reasons. However, I see how the lack of its availability can be a stronger motivator for students to study for exams.
If you can't get an A with regular work, then you shouldn't be able to get one with extra credit. JMHO.
I agree with Ski here. Extra credit gives someone a chance that they do not necessarily deserve. If you take the class seriously you won't need it in the first place. Students earn their grades honestly, it is not on the instructor to give the student a chance to correct their own failings; a failing grade should provide all the incentive necessary to work harder next time.Then again, in the words of my son when studying with him, I am "mean and unfair." He does get passing grades though. ;D
I think that it entirely depends upon the level of the course. For those students taking survey courses, I find nothing wrong with offering the opportunity for extra credit – provided that the work is worthy of credit above and beyond. Those little BS assignments that don't require that the student rise above and beyond – shouldn't count. However, by the time a student moves into the core and major requirements for their degree, extra credit seems a little juvenile. So, in other words, for HIST-101, sure, extra credit work (provided that it is at least as rigorous as the regular credit work) is fine. HIST-455... not so much. By then, either you "get it" or you don't, and you shouldn't get any "do-overs".
In my experience those that need extra credit usually won't do it. students that will go the extra mile are likely getting the A anyway; however there are those that just can't quite do it up right (the perpetual B+) and need the boost. I used to offer bonus credit (yeah it was usually a bit harder) if a student really wanted to insure the A or boost passed the B+ they'd go for it.The good thing was most passed on it since it required more... those that did it well got a small boost and learned more... win / win.
