The On Task category works great for giving students real-time credit for the work they are doing. You can also use it to reduce your workload by scoring work that you just need to quickly scan (title the work using the “Subcategory” option and enter scores into your gradebook later). The ability of students to focus and stay on task is an important skill to reinforce.
Full effort for most students will look similar. But students should be scored on the basis of their own abilities. One student’s 100% effort on an activity can look much stronger than another student’s 100% effort. It’s often helpful, during a learning activity, to get the student’s perspective by asking them what effort score they would give themselves so far (and why) – see step 3 below.
BASIC STEPS:
- After the learning task or activity is explained, show a listing (or announce) what is needed for a full-credit on-task score.
- Watch to see who starts right away and then begin to circulate the room. A good goal is to circulate to all student groups or learning areas three or more times.
- When you find a student or students who are off task, remind them of the expectations. You might even ask them what score they deserve so far. Enter a score below full-credit and tell the student(s) that you will check back later and if their effort improves you will raise their effort score (but not to full-credit).
- Near the end of the learning task, make any adjustments to the scores you have already entered and then use the “Score All Students” button at the top of the App to give all other students full-credit or whatever score is the most common. For example, you may decide that most students deserve a “9” or “9.5” and only a select few deserve a 10. Use the “Score All Students” button to give unscored students a “9.5.” Follow that by changing the score of the select few from 9.5 to 10.
- For the On Task category, it is helpful to have the student order on the App match the student seat assignments. Use “Seatings” in the Teacher Dashbord to create listings by seat assignments. To Choose how student names are listed on the App, press the light blue area just below the name of the Course and choose an option below “Select Order.” Choices are: random, alphabetical by first name, alphabetical by last name, or by Seatings.
- To start a new scoring event, select the “Reset Scoring” button that is at the end of the student list.
ADVANCED OPTIONS
- The Scoring App should have a button that reads “More Scoring Options.” If you don’t see it go to the App’s “Home” screen (look at the bottom of the page that lists your Courses) and then “Settings.” In settings you can turn on “More Scoring Options” which has nine scoring choices instead of three.
2. You can raise or lower the scoring point value (loosely based on the time allotted for the learning task or activity). To view point value options, press on the point value box in the upper right corner of the app
3. Unless you create a new Subcategory (or select a previously created Subcategory), your On Task scoring will be categorized as “General”. Designating a Subcategory provides more information about a student’s on task behavior. For example: is the student’s on task percentage higher under ”General” “Notes” or “Lab”?
- To see Subcategory selection choices, press on the light-blue bar below the Course name.
- From the Teacher Dashboard you can create common Subcategories for specific effort categories and assign it to many Courses at once. On the Teacher Dashboard side-panel, go to “Settings” and then “Subcategories.”
