MAILING LISTS

I'll add in what I do for students missing RATs.

If they contact me and have a legit reason, I give them a score of 999,
which is replaced at the end of the semester with the average from their
other iRATs and gRATs. Since I drop their lowest score for the RATs, I find
this keeps the math in the gradebook easier (I teach 100+ enrollments
without assistance).

If they know they will miss and arrange with me early, they can take it
right before they go (as mentioned in a previous message), leave notes on
it, and I give it to their team for the gRAT. In this case, they get both
grades since they "helped." 

Students who no show earn a 0. Students who come late for class and miss the
iRAT but help with the gRAT get only the gRAT score - if they put their name
on it and remind me they took it if I miss it in the book/didn't know they
came late.

I've been interested in how others handle this. I started using Peer Helper
Scores this term, which multiplies the team grade by a helper score to
develop a fair grade for each student for team work. For the other part of
the team  grade (unit project) I give everyone the same grade, regardless of
attendance, but I'm starting to wonder if I should drop that also (ie give 0
to no show and give 999 to students who have excused miss). 

I just wonder if, depending on the grading model, students are double
penalized for slacking. But again, my experience with evals tend to show
that even poor performing/attending students get decent grades here because
no one wants to "put their neck out." Switching to PHS has helped some,
because it weights with the score the team earned, but it is a question I
have in my mind. 

Erica
University at Albany