Mary's Question

Mary's Question: What's wrong with letting students grade themselves?

I find this question to be very interesting. The subject of grading is extremely controversial and must be handled delicately. By allowing students to grade themselves, many issues can arise. Some students may grade themselves higher than they should, giving themselves good grades for mediocre or poor work. Educators may not be able to rely on the honesty of adolescent students. Also, some students may neglect to complete quality work if they know they can grade themselves. Such a system may encourage and reinforce mediocrity and laziness.
On the other hand, such a system may truly benefit some students with advanced levels of maturity. These students may be able to use the self-grading process as a means of self-reflection. By evaluating their own work, they may be able to use their assessments as a greater means of self-improvement. However, they may feel a sense of instability if their teacher does not facilitate the grading process. Grading provides a sense of stability and structure that many students depend on. Without clear expectations, students may gain more confusion than self-awareness. This topic presents many possible outcomes and may call for some experimentation and data collection.

How do you think educators can use the grading process to encourage students rather than frighten or discourage them?