ABSTRACT

Although grading is an integral procedure of teaching, there are differing opinions regarding the relative appropriateness of assigning grades in physical education. Further, a variety of grading practices exist and there is little general agreement among practitioners as to the most appropriate way to grade. The increased attention given to accountability creates a special demand for measurement and evaluation in the physical education curriculum. There needs to be limited, systematic, and objective measurement in the school setting that links goals, outcomes, and objectives with grade determination. This chapter suggests that grading should occur in physical education and cites two basic approaches to determining grades: norm-referenced and criterion-referenced. Norm-referenced tests include the types of assessment that measure relative achievement. Criterion-referenced tests use a single performance and compare it with a predetermined standard. Both types of testing procedures can be used successfully in physical education, and the selection of which method to administer is dependent on various factors. The manner of reporting grades is changing with the technological advances in recording, storing, and reporting information, and the computer can now be used to print the traditional report card as well as graphic profiles and personal letters. Alternative procedures for grading students with disabilities are also discussed.