Considering the design of an electronic progress-monitoring system

Several possible benefits of a computer-based grading system were immediately apparent. It would allow for automatic data aggregation, thereby eliminating the need for counting and recording students’ scores manually. Digital data storage would allow student performance charts to be generated dynamically and to facilitate comparison of individual with group growth patterns. Moreover, of great importance was the potential to change radically the grading experience for teachers. By carefully crafting interfaces, a system could highlight possible errors, change the mechanics of the grading process, and provide access to data visualizations that enhance decision-making. A well-designed scoring system could increase reliability, reduce grading time, improve teachers’ ability to identify writing problems, and improve overall satisfaction with the assessment process.