A+ for Engrade

During this week of Literacy and Technology, I was introduced to a free grading software program called Engrade. Engrade is a new software program that allows teachers to place their class rosters online and then digitally record their students' grades and attendance. The program requires teachers to assign their students with a numeric code which allows parents and students to access students' grades, class calendar, attendance records, and comments about their performance online. Teachers are given several options on how they would like their grades recorded. For example, they may choose between recording grades as percentages or letters. Afterward, teachers may place their assignments into categories and decide how they would like weigh each category. Grade are calculated either manually or automatically with this software.

This program is very useful to teachers because it is easy to use and allows teachers to record their grades in no time at all. It is a user-friendly tool that will help teachers keep organized; and it will be especially helpful when transferring grades to report cards at the end of each marking period. This program is also beneficial to teachers because it allows them to keep in constant contact with parents and students. As long as parents have access to the internet, this program would allow them to see their child's grades on a daily basis. Students and parents can also access their teacher's page to check the due dates for projects, homework assignments, or upcoming tests. However, if they do not have internet access, they would not be able to benefit from the program in these ways. Students may be more motivated to apply themselves and keep up their grades if they know that their parents will see them on a regular basis.

With every new software program there is always room for some improvement. There are some features that could be added to the program that may make it even more user-friendly for teachers, parents, and students. It would be helpful for the program to allow teachers to more easily place a percentage range for each grade rather than only A, B,C,D, and F. It might also be nice for teachers to have the option to categorize assignments by subject so that parents and students can have an easier time distinguishing between assignments. Finally, adding an e-mail option for teachers to send their grade book to parents after updates are made would be an excellent feature for Engrade to include. Programs such as Engrade would be an excellent addition to any school district for recording grades in the 21st century!