AOPS Grades

[mommamagistra]

Could someone please explain the purpose of AOPS grades? AOPS is not an accredited institution nor is it my understanding that they send transcripts to colleges. In the case of homeschoolers, is there a reason to pursue a grade from them? DCs (plural lingo for kids?) have taken many math and now computer classes there, from AMC prep to PreCalc; but we have never asked for a grade. Should we?

[Julie of KY]

A few public school students need a grade for permission to skip their ps math class. By far, most students don't ask for a grade according to AoPS.

[regentrude]

Could someone please explain the purpose of AOPS grades? AOPS is not an accredited institution nor is it my understanding that they send transcripts to colleges. In the case of homeschoolers, is there a reason to pursue a grade from them?

 

Yes. If you do a transcript with grades (which most people do for high school because college like to see grades) you'd need a grade for math. If they take a class at AoPS, you would not have to design your own examination to base the grade on, but can simply take the AoPS grade.

I can't see myself going to the trouble of writing and grading math tests when the online class provides a grade - why would I not take it?

Edited August 23, 2012 by regentrude

[8filltheheart]

I don't know that they will give you a grade retroactively. We always had to ask at the beginning of the course in order to receive a grade at the end.

 

FWIW, even though they are not accredited nor send transcripts, most of the schools where our ds will be applying are familiar w/AoPS.

[Matryoshka]

I don't know that they will give you a grade retroactively. We always had to ask at the beginning of the course in order to receive a grade at the end.

 

I asked for a grade for dd's Prealgebra class, and they actually told me to please send the request at the end of the course.

 

Took ages to get the darn grade! But they gave some very detailed feedback in addition to a letter grade that I was happy to have, and said some very nice things about my dd that I was actually surprised at.

[8filltheheart]

I asked for a grade for dd's Prealgebra class, and they actually told me to please send the request at the end of the course.

 

Took ages to get the darn grade! But they gave some very detailed feedback in addition to a letter grade that I was happy to have, and said some very nice things about my dd that I was actually surprised at.

 

I can see that. I am thinking more in terms of asking for grades for a course taken a couple of yrs ago since the OP stated many courses over the yrs.

 

W/their new format, which I strongly dislike btw, I think that grades will become automatic and not an issue. I'm not sure how they would generate a grade from the older format from several yrs past.

[Luckymama]

W/their new format, which I strongly dislike btw, I think that grades will become automatic and not an issue. I'm not sure how they would generate a grade from the older format from several yrs past.

 

Can you please explain this new format? We only have experience with one AoPS class so far, the Mathcounts/AMC class Dd took this summer. I figured that had a different format anyway based on the content covered.

[Kathy in Richmond]

Could someone please explain the purpose of AOPS grades?

 

Some schooled kids are allowed to substitute AoPS classes for their school math, but only if AoPS provides a grade. Grading at AoPS is a relatively new thing; at the beginning they were an enrichment school & only gave certificates of completion/completion with honors. Most families today do not ask for the grade.

 

 

AOPS is not an accredited institution nor is it my understanding that they send transcripts to colleges.

 

They are pursuing accreditation this year.:D

 

Yes. If you do a transcript with grades (which most people do for high school because college like to see grades) you'd need a grade for math. If they take a class at AoPS, you would not have to design your own examination to base the grade on, but can simply take the AoPS grade.

I can't see myself going to the trouble of writing and grading math tests when the online class provides a grade - why would I not take it?

 

I never asked for grades from the multitude of AoPS classes my kids took. The detailed comments on their problem set evaluations, Richard R's occasional comments to us, and my own math experience told me what I needed to know.

 

W/their new format, which I strongly dislike btw, I think that grades will become automatic and not an issue.

 

They have no plans at all to go to an automated grading system.:):)

Edited August 23, 2012 by Kathy in Richmond

[regentrude]

I never asked for grades from the multitude of AoPS classes my kids took. The detailed comments on their problem set evaluations, Richard R's occasional comments to us, and my own math experience told me what I needed to know.

 

 

The bolded makes the big difference. It would imagine it to be much harder for a parent without your math background to base a grade on comments.

[KAR120C]

My main reason for requesting grades when I did was that for that year it was DS's main math instruction, and the instructors were (for once) not his mother. Math is the only area where he had never had an outside teacher before AoPS... We'll never have a non-mom letter of recommendation from a math instructor, so I feel like I really ought to have something from someone else to point to when I get to write that one myself.

 

When he did AMC prep classes I didn't request grades, both because we would have the test results to objectively evaluate his ability and because those were never his main math course for any one year.

 

As another poster has mentioned, the letter you get is more than just a grade - it has a very nice, detailed evaluation of how the kid did in class (problem sets and class participation). I would be fine with just the comments on problem sets, honestly... they're really detailed too... but just for sticking on the transcript I do like the one letter grade that I didn't make up myself.

[8filltheheart]

Can you please explain this new format? We only have experience with one AoPS class so far, the Mathcounts/AMC class Dd took this summer. I figured that had a different format anyway based on the content covered.

 

I described it here: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?p=4217315&highlight=wasted#post4217315

 

 

 

I never asked for grades from the multitude of AoPS classes my kids took. The detailed comments on their problem set evaluations, Richard R's occasional comments to us, and my own math experience told me what I needed to know.

 

 

 

They have no plans at all to go to an automated grading system.:):)

 

While ds has received comments back on his challenge sets, I would not say that they were enough for me to base a grade on. He would get several answers wrong on every challenge set and some sets would have a problem he couldn't even really try. All of it was gibberish to me since I didn't understand any of it. If I were basing a grade simply based on % correct vs. incorrect, I would have given him a low grade. AoPS, however, always gave him an A. Obviously, I was missing something in the translation (well, obviously, I couldn't even translate it!!!) :tongue_smilie:

 

While they may not be going to a fully automated grading system, the system that they used in the spring for alg was approx. 8 automated graded problems to 2 typed in answers. Responses dd received only ever addressed 1 of the 2 in problems or were restricted to "good explanation." The feedback was nil and the grading was essentially #/10 for each challenge set. Ds never received #/# grading on his challenge sets and the comments were far more directed toward how he had approached the setting up of the problem and his thought processes as he worked through the problem than simply plugging in the correct answer. I think this system is set up in a way where grades seem more "recorded."

Edited August 23, 2012 by 8FillTheHeart

[Luckymama]

With the AMC course Dd took this summer, they had online homework for each week. The homework sets varied between 10 and 16 problems with automatic grading. Dd did have to resubmit a few answers because she used an incorrect format. These homework problems were called Challenge Problems in some places, but were located under the "homework" tab. The "report" page had a bar graph for each week. As the student correctly answered the homework, the bar would progress from red to orange to blue (understanding) to green (mastery).

 

On the class message board, additional problems (Masters Round--I assume this is a Mathcounts thing?) were posted for each week. The kids could submit their answers if they wanted but no work was shown.

 

In a more traditional AoPS class, are there two levels of "homework?"----computer-scored problems and other problems kids would send directly to the instructor? I'm considering signing dd up for either the Intro to C&P or Intro to Number Theory class later this school year.

[Kathy in Richmond]

While ds has received comments back on his challenge sets, I would not say that they were enough for me to base a grade on. He would get several answers wrong on every challenge set and some sets would have a problem he couldn't even really try. All of it was gibberish to me since I didn't understand any of it. If I were basing a grade simply based on % correct vs. incorrect, I would have given him a low grade. AoPS, however, always gave him an A. Obviously, I was missing something in the translation (well, obviously, I couldn't even translate it!!!) :tongue_smilie:

 

While they may not be going to a fully automated grading system, the system that they used in the spring for alg was approx. 8 automated graded problems to 2 typed in answers. Responses dd received only ever addressed 1 of the 2 in problems or were restricted to "good explanation." The feedback was nil and the grading was essentially #/10 for each challenge set. Ds never received #/# grading on his challenge sets and the comments were far more directed toward how he had approached the setting up of the problem and his thought processes as he worked through the problem than simply plugging in the correct answer. I think this system is set up in a way where grades seem more "recorded."

 

yeah, whether or not you request grades is going to be very much an individual decision. We were more unschooly when it came to AoPS & used them mostly for the challenge, the community, and to keep the math love alive.:)

 

Richard R always says that if you're able to do 100 percent of a problem set, then it's too easy. So their grading system where, say, 2/3 correct is terrific, will come as a surprise to some.

 

The new automated stuff and grading system is mostly for the intro courses at the time being. I'm sitting at B&N this morning keeping L company while she gets some work done, so I asked for her opinion as an AoPS grader. She says that when she goes online to grab something to grade, that now there is a mix of the old (where she would grade a complete problem set for an individual student) and the new grid system (where she would grade problem 2, for ex, for a whole bunch of kids in a given class at once). So if she's grading in the new system, she wouldn't see a student's complete problem set at once, like she prefers. in the old system, she'd read the whole thing& be able to offer summary comments and suggestions.

 

Dd also suggests that different graders will probably write varying amounts of comments (she's one of the long-winded ones :glare:). and if a student does a really good job, there's not going to be much to say; probably the case with your dd's algebra 1 experience.;)

 

I'm going to guess that the more advanced the AoPS course, the less likely that it will convert to the new system. For ex, my kids both took Olympiad Geometry, and there's no way jose that they could put those problems into an answer box format. :D And those advanced classes were what attracted our kids to AoPS anyway. L recalls that she often felt her attempts atthe Oly Geom p-sets were not so hot, but her eval came back as one of the better students.:)

 

8---Have you considered sending your comments on the new format to the AoPS folks? they would appreciate constructive feedback. Currently they are growing by leaps and bounds, and some growing pains are inevitable. But I know some of these guys, and their hearts and goals are in the right place.

[snowbeltmom]

I have noticed that my dd's upcoming class is using the new format. My guess would be that this new format will be used for those courses that are tied in to Alcumus.

 

When my oldest started using AoPS classes four years ago, the only class that used Alcumus was Intro to C&P.

[FairProspects]

Richard R always says that if you're able to do 100 percent of a problem set, then it's too easy. So their grading system where, say, 2/3 correct is terrific, will come as a surprise to some.

 

 

Interesting! I wonder if AoPS would apply this philosophy to their younger (BA) materials as well.

[snowbeltmom]

Richard R always says that if you're able to do 100 percent of a problem set, then it's too easy...

My son was also told this during his classes. The Challenge Set problems are divided by a line. The student is expected to be able to solve all of the problems above the line, but not all of the problems below the line. In fact, when my oldest took the geometry class, the instructor told them that no one had ever been able to solve all the problems on a Challenge Set.