The Participation Problem: Wrestling with the Whys and Hows of Grading In-class Engagement

A fundamental aspect of the classroom experience is students’ participation: asking questions, responding to instructor prompts, engaging in exercises and other classroom activities, and interacting with peers when prompted. Research indicates widespread adoption and grading of participation in management course design yet research shows practice is rife with flaws and challenges (e.g., accurate assessment, equal opportunity to participate, etc.). Our proposed roundtable will engage instructors in wrestling with the challenges of grading student participation to elicit debate and insights about why we should grade participation, how to avoid flawed approaches, and how to maximize the benefits for student development.