As I review and ultimately grade student papers, I've confronted anew a dilemma. Let me explain.
I have 85 students in two sections of the organizational behavior class. That's a lot. And class sizes are only increasing. That challenges me in terms of creating assignments that serve my teaching goals while not overwhelming me with grading in the process.
It's a fine line I walk in this regard. I cannot in good conscience not assign a paper to students enrolled in any organizational behavior class I teach. It seems to go with the territory. The one this quarter is no exception. I don't just review for content, but for writing as well. I don't have to cover both domains, but I do. I have a background in communications. I teach a communications course. I cannot simply "turn off" my communications mindset. So, students get the added benefit of that feedback on their papers.
Out of concern for my workload, I limit this assignment to 1500 words. Some students exceed that limit. But on average, 1500 words equals five double spaced pages. With 85 students, that makes for 425 pages to read, critique, and grade. That's a lot. It's a slog. I struggle to balance the need to consider each paper with fresh eyes against the need to review and return them to students as soon as possible. Fortunately, students can write about any topic they wish as long as it relates to the course material. That offers some variety in what I'm reading. Nonetheless, it's easy to feel worn down by the process.
On top of that, students who receive less than a full A can revise and resubmit their work for another review and possible grade adjustment. I settled on that option as an alternative to allowing drafts. In the past many students submitted drafts that were good enough (and excellent in many cases) that no revision and resubmission would be warranted. That said, not everyone this quarter will get an A. Therefore, I'm potentially looking at another round of papers that I'm reading for the second time and comparing to the initial draft. That increases the total page count I'm reviewing for this first assignment.
I know I don't have to allow students to resubmit their work. Yet not to do so contradicts my philosophy about the importance of writing and revising. Besides, most of my students haven't been in school for some time. Some show considerable anxiety about writing. My revise and resubmit policy is one way I can help to reduce these concerns.
Yet it's the only paper I've assigned this quarter. That's a concession to the number of students. In the past I've assigned a second paper based on the analysis of a case study. The prospect of reading 85 analyses of one of two (or three) case studies that are traditionally used in organizational behavior courses at my school was simply too much for me to consider.