When it comes to posting grades online, most University of Idaho students would like their instructors to do more.
That”s according to an ASUI poll where 94 percent of students said they would find it useful to have more grades posted online. A total of 529 students responded to the poll.
ASUI Senator Rachael Miller has been working with ASUI President Max Cowan and Vice President Stetson Holman on the project after receiving overwhelmingly positive responses to the poll.
“I think students should be aware of their grades at all times,” Miller said. “Come crunch time, you don”t know whether you have a D or you have an A. If you don”t know what your grade is, you”re out of luck.”
Miller said she has been working to meet with professors to get their side of the story. So far, she has talked to one who posts grades regularly and is in favor of the policy, and one who does use Blackboard for many purposes but not to post grades.
“The one against (posting grades) said she was 100 percent against. She said it would take her time away from the student,” Miller said. “However, she said she would consider it now that she knows how many students care.”
She said the instructor thought that if a student were concerned about their grade, it would indicate they need help, and it would be best if they came to her to talk about it.
Miller said these two meetings have been helpful and she would like to have more of them to solicit more feedback from faculty.
The project, Miller said, was part of Cowan and Holman”s campaign platform last spring and was one of the reasons they were elected.
“I had a bunch of teachers who didn”t post grades,” Holman said. “I looked into it, and it turned out it was a common experience.
Cowan said students told them they had never heard from ASUI about this kind of change. While creating the platform, he said they also heard back from student leaders they knew who all thought a project on posting grades online would benefit students.
“We want to better improve communication,” Cowan said. “Grades are the simplest way of communication between faculty and students.”
Holman said instructors who do not use Blackboard much or at all are more prevalent in certain majors and in upper division courses. But, he said, it effects enough people that he thinks it is important.
Holman said that University President Chuck Staben has been in favor of early and consistent feedback.
“As digital natives, we like and use this information,” Holman said. “I think it enriches our learning experience.”
Moving forward, Miller will be working with Lindsey LaPrath, an ASUI representative on Faculty Senate, to push for a requirement of all instructors to post grades online. Cowan plans to work with administration to get training for faculty who do not know how to use some or all of the required software.
Nishant Mohan can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NishantRMohan