Do your students equate the number of points for an assignment with how much effort to put in – do more points result in more activity and engagement? Do you have a few high-points assignments or lots of small ones? Have you experimented with these options?
Moodle is great for keeping track of lots of small-point assignments and quizzes. I have a couple of high-points projects and lots of smaller graded activities. I was never a fan of high-stakes exams, and students have to work hard all semester with this new format.
Around the middle of the semester, I ask students how much time they spend a week on assignments for my class. I am surprised by the frankness and the range.
Some students seem to spend way too much time on the low-points activities without any real demonstration of learning. I worry about these students as this is a lack of study skills rather than the complexity of the subject or the assignment.
lectric library 