Student goal setting and tracking

Last year I experimented with using Google Docs for student tracking and goal setting. Each student in the class had their own 'progress chart' set up as a shared document between them and myself. It had term by term goal setting, reflections and feedback, and I entered essay, test and exam results so that they could keep track of their progress in the subject.

It had great advantages. I didn't have to keep track of 28 pieces of paper for one. Students could access the material at home (ostensibly so they could also show their parents, who had been told about the chart through email), or whenever they happened to be in the computer lab. They could quickly see how their results stacked up (and it was amazing how often they forgot what they had gotten for an essay), and tally credits.

On the not so good side, it took a bit of work to keep up to date and so wasn't actually up to date a lot of the time. Students didn't always constructively reflect on their efforts and results.

So improvements for 2013. Parents will be given access to the document. There is also space on it for parent/caregiver input - whatever it might be. I expect that this will help keep me on my toes and the charts up to date! Students will also have 'target results' for each assessment and can compare these to their actual results. I want my students to get those Merits and Excellences. A large number of them can. They all need to be motivated to do so.

I have shared the document with my department and hope that it will be used.

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