Several years ago, I began noticing a trend in my math classes. I would give students paper-based assignments, and they would return them when completed. On particularly difficult math concepts, such as order of operations, there were more than a few low grades, but I would grade them and return them to students. I would then follow up with the next assignment. One day, some students asked me if they could "do the homework over" for a higher grade. I allowed them to re-do the work. More students took advantage of this offer; soon, I was inundated with past homework assignments. Not only was I grading the new work from class, but I was also re-grading work. How could I make this work and still return graded work to students in a timely manner?
I researched a few websites and decided to use Quia.com as my new class platform. There, I could post homework assignments. Once I set everything up, I told students that my expectations for homework had changed. "Work for 100," I told them. Their assignments were now posted online, and they could re-do them before the due date. If there was a particular problem they were having an issue with on the assignment, the data would show me, and I could address it during class. Quia totally changed students' attitudes about their assignments. It worked so well, I began including some classwork assignments to the platform.
Allowing students to re-do their assignments continues to promote mastery of mathematical concepts. Instead of waiting for me to grade and return their assignments, students receive their grades immediately. They can review their work to determine what they're getting wrong and why. They can also communicate with me for assistance on an as-needed basis.
There are plenty of programs out there that teachers can use for online assignments. Give students the opportunity to take ownership of some of their own learning. The results can be extraordinary.
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