For your consideration:
One approach I found very useful is that I give students opportunities to
resubmit papers, projects and tests with corrections and annotations if
they wish to improve their grades. These upgrades can be submitted and
resubmitted (originals attached) any time up to the final day of the course
(Final Exams excluded).
The feedback I received from them is very positive. Those who are
interested, submit these upgrades; those who are not don't. Some students
expressed the idea that a "C gets degrees" and they aren't interested in
higher grades. However, they all have favorable comments. They feel as
though they are finally being treated as adults that they are being
empowered by this policy.
Those who take advantage of this grading policy learn a great deal from
going over assignments and finding their errors or upgrading projects and
assignments. This grading approach helps lessen some of the negative
aspects of grades and allows the students to learn even more. As the
semester progresses, those who had to resubmit or upgrade find that
subsequently they have fewer and fewer items to resubmit.
The annotations and revisions are what help them learn and apply that
learning. By the end of term, most of the students finish with the "valued
coin of the realm", but more importantly they have learned by rethinking
and correcting their errors. At times, I have them in subsequent courses,
and their first project or paper shows this solid learning base, whereas
many times other students from other prereq classes don't seem to fair as
well at first even though they too have the correct "change" to enter.
Look forward to your comments
Michael Erickson