In “Crowdsourcing Authority in the Classroom,” Cathy Davidson tackles the negative comments she received about her new grading system. This is a perfect example of how technology is dividing our conventional grading system and our new peer grading system. Although many professors may think her grading style is truly unordinary, it has become the norm in all of my rhetoric classes.
This new form of grading came about because of technology. Technology has allowed professory to incorporate online wiki’s, blogs, documents (google docs), presentations (preznet), and others into the classroom. With new technology we also learn differently. For instance, we can submit our term papers through email or on a google doc. Thus, traditional methods are changing the way professors teach and the way we learn. In light of this, it is inevitable that Davidson is receiving such negative responses from traditional professors.
Davidson explained, “The point…is to show how, in Internet culture, we are often judging, responding, offering feedback, and working together through crowdsourcing but our educational system rarely if ever does anything to prepare students for offering or receiving feedback.” Here she highlights how our Internet culture is something to celebrate within the classroom because we can teach new methods of critiquing and offering constructive criticism.
Eventually, I think conventional professors are going to see how inefficient their grading system is once traditional forms of media go out of date.
Because I am a rhetoric major, I have been exposed to Davidson’s “crowdsource grading” methods. However, I am wondering if there are any other majors that would see this grading system work with their classes (engineers? Business? Etc.)? Do you think traditional methods of grading will cease as professors are faced with this digital divide in the classroom?
I can't help but think that traditional methods of grading are going to persist, especially in the applied sciences and other subjects that require students assimilate large amounts of technical knowledge. Still, even scientific arguments are somewhat rhetorical in nature. The most effective demonstrations will be the ones that are thoughtfully arranged and that explain their in terms that the audience can easily grasp (analogies are always welcome, particularly in the more abstract sciences). So in a way it might make sense for engineering students to be exposed to the Davidson method, at least here and there. You can't get full points in the maths and sciences if you can't explain yourself, and you can't get recognition if you can't talk to your peers... so why shouldn't explaining oneself to his/her peers be made a top priority?
ReplyDeleteI think traditional methods of grading are already on the way out for many reasons, but the digital divide is definitely a big contributing factor. The Internet has become such a huge element in our society and culture that it is inescapable that one day classrooms are going to have to start modeling themselves after some of the interactions taking place online, if only because they are so much more effective. The current system of teaching as well as grading is clearly not working out, and this up-in-the-air time we are experiencing with all schools right now might be the perfect time to change the system completely.
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