Alternatives to Zeroes

Alternatives to Zeroes

In the past, students were given a mark of zero for:  

 Incomplete homework  Late assignments   Missing assignments   Non participation in class activity  Cheating 

Problems with this Practice:  

 A mark of zero is often an inadequate reflection of student learning.  A zero is skews the overall average for the negative (outlier).  A zero is often given to as a consequence for learning behaviours, not a learning outcome, essentially serving as a punishment for infractions. (T. Guskey)  Although often intended to motivate students, a zero can have the opposite effect on students, instead causing some student to give up.  If a grade or mark is intended to provide information about performance, a zero offers no feedback or suggestions for improvement.