"Comparing grades in online and face-to-face writing courses: Interpersonal accountability and institutional commitment." 471-489.Science Direct. Perry Library, Norfolk, Virginia. 10 May. 2010. doi:10.1016/j.compcom.2005.08.005 .
David Allan Sapp and James Simon write that one of the biggest challenges facing online classes is the integrity of the grading process. Sapp and Simon’s article focuses on the grading process of online courses and face-to-face courses. In the four online courses examined, 30% of students did not complete the courses on schedule; they withdrew, received incompletes, or failed the courses. In contrast, none of the students in five equivalent face-to-face courses failed to complete the course (473). Sapp and Simon compared grades from a first-year composition class and a business writing class. Each class was taught by the same teacher for distance courses and face-to-face courses. Students in the online classes either fared well in the class or failed the class, there were no in-between grades. Students in face-to-face courses thrive or survive. Sapp and Simon argue for greater attention to grading discrepancies and the “thrive or dive” phenomenon in face-to face and online writing courses (485). The reasons why students may fail online classes are: lack of motivation, institutional failure to recognize excused absences, increased student dropout, and students and faculty have a lower level of commitment to the online courses. Inexperienced teachers who create ineffective online classes may also result in high attrition rates for online courses. Sapp and Simon feel virtual classrooms exclude many details such as facial expressions or body language that the teacher has traditionally used to gauge understanding (478). The authors believe that increased interpersonal contact between teachers and students is necessary for online students to thrive.
I would recommend this article to my peers, because it gives recommendations on how to improve online writing courses. Sapp and Simon’s suggestion about building a community within the online class was helpful. The article also suggested that writing teachers could become indifferent and lazy because they do not see their students in online courses (481). It would be very easy to lack empathy or understanding towards a student. This statement will make me question my grading methods for online courses. I will make sure that I give online students the same courtesies I give face-to face students. I found some of the concerns voiced in the article by students to be helpful in planning my approach for online teaching. I will try to create a rapport with my students in order for them to feel comfortable. I would also try to edit their work in a way that would be supportive and encouraging. Typed feedback can sometimes come across critical and harsh without diction and tone of voice to alert students to our true meaning.
I would recommend this article to my peers, because it gives recommendations on how to improve online writing courses. Sapp and Simon’s suggestion about building a community within the online class was helpful. The article also suggested that writing teachers could become indifferent and lazy because they do not see their students in online courses (481). It would be very easy to lack empathy or understanding towards a student. This statement will make me question my grading methods for online courses. I will make sure that I give online students the same courtesies I give face-to face students. I found some of the concerns voiced in the article by students to be helpful in planning my approach for online teaching. I will try to create a rapport with my students in order for them to feel comfortable. I would also try to edit their work in a way that would be supportive and encouraging. Typed feedback can sometimes come across critical and harsh without diction and tone of voice to alert students to our true meaning.