I have been speaking against extra credit for years. Rick Tarara's post is
exactly congruent with what I experience with students coming into my
college physics courses from "good" high schools. Rick expresses my
sentiments quite well... thanks.
Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D. Phone/voice-mail: 419-358-3270
Professor of Chemistry & Physics FAX: 419-358-3323
Chairman, Science Department E-Mail edmiston@bluffton.edu
Bluffton College
280 West College Avenue
Bluffton, OH 45817
We've discussed the 'extra credit' problem before, but to summarize the
concern many of us have:
1) Students are coming out of High School with straight As who are really B
and even C students. They have supplemented their 'less than perfect' grasp
of the material and half-formed skills with EXTRA CREDIT.
2) In most college classes, these students now perform at their 'root'
level, B or C. While they beg for 'extra credit', such is not built into
most of our syllabi (nor should it be).
3) The students are often frustrated and discouraged--"I've always been an
A student" they argue, and of course the reason they are now getting the B
or C is OUR FAULT!
IMO, while extra credit is not a bad thing in itself, it should not be used
to allow students to raise their grades to the A level when their
demonstrated knowledge/skill is below that level. It does both the student
and their future instructors a disservice. Grades, to be useful, need to
reflect more than a 'work-ethic'.