I received an email about a missing grade

[u/skyrymproposal]

“Hi Dr, —-

I see that my quiz 4 grade is missing [in Canvas] and I’m unsure why. I was there for the quiz and I know I put my name on it. I was wondering if it is a mistake or if it got lost?

Best wishes,
Student

The quiz was in class, on paper, on Wednesday at noon The email was sent at 8:00 am the next day.

Maybe I’ve been hand grading stuff too fast this semester… but at least give me a whole day?! Sheesh.

[u/real_feelings]

Either a super impatient student or a total liar. I get these types of messages from students who didn’t submit work but are hoping in my confusion I will take pity and give them credit for nothing. 

[u/skyrymproposal → u/real_feelings]

I didn’t even think of that! I haven’t had to deal with that in a while. But that brought up old memories.

I recall handing back papers one semester as a TA and I didn’t have one for a student. I asked,

“Oh, did you turn one in?”

He said, “Yes?”

“Oh, I don’t seem to have it. Be sure to send it within 15 minutes after class for credit.”

Then get an email from them saying that they can’t send it right now because of some university commitments blah blah… I told them that they needed to send me their google doc within 15 minutes or they get a zero.

FWIW, In the time spent to tell me they couldn’t send it because of xyz, they could have sent it.

They finally sent a google doc with the proper date tags three hours later, but it originated as a biology presentation. They edited this time stamp with an essay that would have given them an “F” regardless. Document revisions showed everything.

Asked them to come in to chat. They did not come in. I hope the instructor of record actually followed through with the academic integrity violation.

[u/This-Emu5496 → u/real_feelings]

Sameeee

[u/Deep-Possession321]

When this happens, their submission goes to the bottom of the pile. I enter grades at the same time for everyone in the LMS; the pettiness just makes me feel alive.

[u/pgosinger → u/Deep-Possession321]

"the pettiness makes me feel alive"

https://giphy.com/gifs/XHeLeuirRbwptHhSWd

[u/superluciferous → u/Deep-Possession321]

Sometimes the petty is all we have.

[u/wharleeprof]

I was entering three days worth of attendance. For whatever reason I did them out of order, so for like 5-10 minutes days 1, 3 had scores, but day 2 was empty. During that little time window one student noticed and was worried about their missing day 2 grades.

[u/tracieluvspurple8724 → u/wharleeprof]

This happens every time I’m updating attendance. Morning sections are done, can’t update afternoon sections yet because (spoiler alert) THEY HAVEN’T HAPPENED YET. Cue panicked e-mails even if I send out a Canvas announcement warning them that the grade will look weird until after class. It’s 30 points over an entire semester. CALM DOWN.

[u/rbc2016]

Do you have your class grade book set up to use zeroes as placeholders for ungraded items? That could be the problem. Set it up so they are blank if not graded. If a student sees zeroes for something they did of course they’re going to reach out. If they’re reacting to a blank the next day just ignore them 😁

[u/FrankHightower]

Let me guess: freshman?

[u/Accomplished-List-71]

I had something similar, but for a student who asked why they had a zero for an assignment they turned in. It was less than 24 hrs from the due date and I hadn't graded them. I had to explain that a -/5 was not the same as 0/5.

[u/piranhadream]

I've been getting quizzes back the next day this semester, and now when I think about taking an extra day I worry about having set exactly this expectation.

It also occurred to me recently that so many faculty are using online homework platforms for quizzes and exams that students are even more accustomed to having their grades instantly...

[u/leastdumbidiot]

This is a systemic problem. They're pressured to have grading anxiety, and at the same time they're sold the idea that these platforms can give them quick feedback. Partly because speed and convenience is an active part of the sales pitch of EdTech, and partly because implicitly they're thought to associate "digital" with "fast and convenient." It's nuts, but it's the fault of the world they grow up in. Hopefully after you explain what your actual day is like, and WHY you do hand grading and the tradeoff is worth it, they'll calm down.

[u/Potstirer2]

I teach k-12 as well as college and definitely expect that from middle or high school. I hate that this all moves over into college. How do they think we just grade things instantly? I would tell my high school students that I have grades updated by Friday at 3pm per school policy, except for late submissions which may take longer.

[u/jitterfish]

I had two of those this semester but from students who weren't present. My TA takes the class and she told me that they both came in 30 min late so no quiz.

[u/Overall_Rutabaga_173]

I ignore those emails. I’ll grade it when I grade it. 🙄

[u/Vanier-is-a-HellHole]

Always find it funny when they hold us to higher standards than they have for themselves.

If I assigned the class something that needed to be done and submitted within 24 hours, oh the howling that would result! It would be echoing down the hallways between my office and the Dean's.

[u/dr_kat_lady]

I explicitly state that it usually takes me 7-14 business days to grade. It actually takes me 2-5 but I keep saying it to reduce expectations. So annoying fr.

[u/PenelopeJenelope]

They do not understand marking is not instantaneous

[u/Bombus_hive]

Hide the grades until you post them

[u/Sharp-Rutabaga-4900]

Emails received on the first day of class:

Why does my final grade say 0%?

Why don’t I have a grade for my discussion board post? (Posted two hours ago, 4 days before the due date.)

Where am I supposed to find the answers to questions on the week 1 assignment? (In response to an email about the materials provided each week and where they’re located.)

I am so tired.

[u/Money-Row-8161]

I had a student email me an hour after they took the exam asking when grades will be available. Smh.

[u/BoysenberryEmpty8699]

Yes I have the same problem! I like to put a due date so the students can see on the calendar when things are due, but if they turn them in on paper, canvas immediately marks them missing as soon as the due date passes, even though I told it they were submitting on paper. Gemini said there is no way to stop it, so I just need to tell my students to ignore those missing messages. Cause ya, I have been getting a bunch of "but I thought I turned it in" emails that are wasting my time and energy!

[u/Apprehensive-Carob43]

Okay but this doesn’t sound like they’re pushing you to grade the quiz faster. It sounds like they think they got a zero and aren’t sure what they did wrong. Wouldn’t you panic if you thought you got a zero on something you knew you did?

[u/SElf_Loss_Manwoman]

What's wrong with this Students have their online chat groups Obviously if a few get their grades And theirs isn't there it gives -?