I read this article a little while ago -- The Downside of Checking Kids' Grades Constantly -- and it made me think. I have seen the evolution of the grade book from the paper one I used at the beginning of my career to the online version mandated by the state of Ohio today.
While the benefits of the technology seem to go without saying -- improved communication with home, constant feedback on performance, and quick notification of the need for intervention -- however, I can certainly see how this practice can mitigate any autonomy a student may be gaining in learning how to get his or her work done on his or her own terms.
I definitely agree that, in many cases, limiting parents' access to an online grade book could help foster a student's autonomy and help a student learn to overcome adversity before fear of immediate punishment for poor performance. Regardless of what your parents do to you for doing poorly in a class or on an assignment, wouldn't you rather have a chance to make up for it before it's immediately available to them in an email alert?
Read it for yourself. I'm interested to hear what you have to say. Here's a link to the assignment.
