Online vs Hard Copy Gradebooks: Pros and Cons

Online vs Hard Copy Grade books: Pros and Cons

Classroom technology is constantly changing. The long reach of technology has even influenced the way teachers store their students’ grades. Gone are the old ways of recording grades on paper. Instead, teachers are presented with a wide variety of online tools for recording and tracking student grades. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of online vs hard copy gradebooks.

Pros:

1. Increased Transparency:

Online gradebooks can increase parent-teacher communication. It does away with the old system of sending detailed written reports to parents regarding their students’ grades, school performance and classroom behaviors (tardiness, proper submission of school work, engagement in class activities and so forth.) Instead parents can easily access all these information with a click of a button.

2. Increased Student Accountability:

Students can easily view their grades and comments about school work and performance. This encourage them to be more proactive and hold them accountable for their learning processes. While hard copy gradebooks also share this information with students, it is not as quick or easy for them to access, and it often requires teachers to set aside individual time with students to relay any feedback.

3. Recording and Retrieval made Easy:

Recording in online gradebook is easier compared to hard copy books. We can create different pages, tabs and other categories for recording using the many features that are present in gradebook apps. Using keywords, teachers can easily retrieve information. Comparison and computing of data is also simpler as compared to the manual method of doing so when using hard copy books.

Another key advantage is the flexibility of these different applications, allowing teachers to access them from different devices. This allows teachers to record information anywhere, any time.

4. Storage Space:

Hands down, online gradebooks win this point. Space constraints are a prevalent issue in many classrooms, and online gradebooks completely do away with the need for physical storage space.

Now to look at the Cons:

1. Technical Glitches:

Servers down, technical glitches and constant reminders to update and upgrade your application may be some factors that put teachers off from using online tools. Teachers also must remember to constantly save their work or ensure that the auto-save option is “on” to prevent having to do it all over again.

2. Needs Backup:

Unlike hard-copy gradebooks, we need to ensure that we have a backup file of our online gradebooks. Teachers need to ensure that the data is copied over to an external device or uploaded into the “Cloud” in case of a technical failure.

3. Compromised Security:

When choosing online tools, effective security features are an important consideration. Compromised security and hacking are some digital threats that we may face when using these online tools.

4. Technical Knowledge:

A certain amount of digital skill is necessary when using these tools. Not all teachers are technologically inclined, and some may need hands-on training on how to use these tools.

There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to the use of online gradebooks. Still, it is important that schools keep up with the changing media of choice among students and professionals alike. With even school administrations insisting on going digital, online gradebooks can refine the grading and communication processes for students, teachers, and families.

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