When it comes to grading, there are many components, including homework, tests and class participation — perhaps the most arbitrary and debated category of the three. Though a student’s level of participation can often be indicative of how much one is engaging with the class material, this is not always the case. For most classes, therefore, participation should not be graded.
Everyone has a unique style of learning. Although I learn better through participation and enjoy contributing to class discussions, I know many other students who learn more efficiently by simply listening and observing. Those who do not enjoy public speaking may be at a disadvantage, even if they are comfortable and confident with the information. People who do not speak up during class, however, will most likely receive a poor class participation grade. It is not fair to punish people simply because they do not like to — or in the case of some anxiety disorders, cannot — talk in front of their classmates.
Grading a student’s level of participation also often discourages learning for the sake of learning. The unfortunate reality is that often students will raise their hands and make underdeveloped or unsubstantial remarks, just for the sake of receiving points for participating. I have personally witnessed this in many of my classes. Rather than being genuinely engaged in the class discussion and only sharing well-formed thoughts that they strongly believe, these students instead exploit the professor’s grading system and make comments that detract from the overall discussion. While professors are aware of the difference between high and low quality comments, students will still make any comment to try and get participation points — even if the syllabus stipulates that comments must valuably contribute to discussion. Mandating participation trivializes, not promotes, intellectual curiosity. Not every student who actively participates is simply looking to get a good grade — there are many who are thoroughly interested in the material and genuinely wish to share their thoughts. Making participation voluntary, rather than mandatory, will allow those who really care about the material to have an unhindered intellectual discussion.
There are more concrete methods of assessing how much students know, and more effective ways of encouraging class participation without sacrificing an environment of intellectual curiosity. Tests, pop quizzes, projects and presentations are other methods accurately and subjectively measure how familiar a student is with the class material. These, however, only address a few of the many ways that people learn differently. Other ways of counting participation include breaking into small discussion groups both in and out of class, having students post on online discussion boards and assigning reading responses. Instead of judging participation in terms of quantity, it would be better to measure the quality of the discussion. An introverted student or one with an anxiety disorder, therefore, would not be judged in the same way as a student who is more comfortable speaking in front of peers. Additionally, if the professor were to give the students discussion questions in advance, the students have time to craft thoughtful answers, thereby facilitating a more meaningful class discussion. Another method would be to have rotational system, where one or two students are in charge of leading the discussion each class. Giving students individual responsibility will make them more likely to make significant contributions to the discussion of the material.
There are exceptions. If the class is specifically centered on discussion, like many small seminars, it would make sense to have a graded class participation. Though imperfect, it may still be necessary considering the size and nature of the class. Generally, however, class participation should not be factored into students’ grades. I do not mean to say that it is not important — meaningful class discussion is essential to a fruitful learning environment. Encouraging students to participate in more structured ways, rather than counting any participation as a part of their grade, will yield far better results.
