Strengths

Canfield High School: Implementation of an Online Grading System

 * ==== Background ==== || ==== **S**trengths ==== || ==== **W**eaknesses ==== || ==== **O**pportunities ==== || ==== **T**hreats ==== || ==== Diffusion ==== || ====Conclusion==== ||

**Strengths:** As Canfield High School began the mass implementation of //Engrade// this 2010-2011 school year, it is important to understand why the transition was relatively smooth and an overall successful.

__Gradual Trial/Evaluation__:
As one of the change agents who researched and chose this online system, I was well aware of the advantages provided by online grade books. In the 2008-2009 school year I was the only teacher to implement this system, as the goal for me was to //increase that level of communication// I had with students and parents, while lightening the actual paperwork and phone calls that I made on a weekly basis.

It was evident within the first group of classes that I implemented it into that I had more communication with students and parents then ever before, with less of a headache. It was able to really increase the communication as the //additional features// provided by Engrade were easy to use. For example, Engrade allows teachers as well as students and parents the ability to privately message each other about missing assignments, progress, and overall scores.

After the success I had with my first group of students, I shared the online system with Mike Roussos, who also became a major reason this system saw the widespread success it has this year.. Mike is a social studies teacher at CHS, but more importantly he is a well respected veteran teacher who has been in our building for 34 years. Mike became a key player as he tested the system and found it to be extremely easy to use and worthwhile for all parties involved. At that point Mike decided to share Engrade with some of the other veteran teachers whom he thought would find value in the change, as I did with some of the other teachers I work closely with (turning point).

All of the initial adopters who tested Engrade immediately began using the system and never looked back. In addition to their use, over the course of the 2009-2010 school year they also suggested this use to those that they thought could benefit from it. As more teachers jumped on board with the online grade system our administrators began to take a closer look at what the buzz was all about.

After our administrators evaluated the system they felt that it was something they thought all of our teachers should be using (this is typically where much of the resistance occurs within our district, when it becomes a requirement). This will be discussed in further detail in later sections. Our administrators provided an inservice for our staff at the beginning of the school year, which was led by many of the teachers who had already implemented it.

__Features/Ease of Use__:
Not only did Engrade provide an online and open grade book, but it also increased communication beyond the ability for each student and parent to instantly view student grades. Engrade has many features built in that also allow you to increase communication including:
 * Individual Messaging
 * Group Messaging
 * Wikis
 * File uploading (assignments/reading)
 * Flashcards/Quizzes
 * Course Calendar
 * Discussion board

One of the best parts about all of these features are that our teachers who are not as technologically savvy are able to figure them out relatively easily and with little additional instruction.