Education

Do you want to start setting smarter educational goals for yourself or some you know? In this article, we explain in detail how to set educational goals with examples.

Educational goals

Educational goals are an individual’s aspirations that consist of the skills, competencies, and qualities that you should acquire after completing a course or a program. In this article, we will discuss the different educational goals, how to set your academic goals and the various educational goal examples.

What are academic goals?

Academic goals are the educational objectives that an individual set for themselves. It will keep on evolving over time based on an individual’s changing interests, education level, financial feasibility, etc.

Academic goals that remain common for most people fall under the category of completing a certain course or program, reaching a certain grade point average, working in research projects to gain specialized knowledge, and attaining honours could also be significant academic goals.

Also read: Why career counseling is important and 15 types of career coaches

Purpose of education – Why you should set smart educational goals?

Setting goals is important for an individual to stay motivated. If you are able to identify educational goals that are most relevant to you, you begin to figure out the different ways in which you can make them come true. You begin to reconsider previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to achieving your dreams.

Smart educational goals not only will help you set some discipline in life but also keep you inspired and encouraged. It helps you know where you stand in your learning destination and stay motivated to embark on the journey.

How to set educational goals for yourself?

Let us have a look at some great ways to help you set educational goals for yourself and achieve them.

1. Set both long-term and short-term goals. Short-term goals will help you achieve the otherwise daunting long-term goals in an easier manner.
2. Set a measurable goal that will help you stay focused and motivated while preparing for the exam. For example, I will score an A in mathematics.
3. Push yourself to work harder by setting goals outside of your comfort zone.
4. Set reasonable goals that are doable but difficult
5. Map out a strategy to achieve these goals

Also read: Personal Development | Guide to setting personal development goals in 2021

Types of educational goals

There are different types of educational goals that can help you stay motivated. These goals can be set based on your objectives, intent, interest, etc. We will discuss different types of educational goals in the below section to understand when and how to set them.

1. Short term goals for students

Short term educational goals are small milestones that can help you pave the path for accomplishing goals over the long term. They are a great way to get the ball rolling and put things in perspective. Short term educational goals can provide instant gratification.

2. Long term academic goals

If the educational goal is more complex, you need to create a long-term strategy to achieve it. Sometimes checking off short term educational goals along the way will eventually lead you to a long-term goal. Put reminders and checkpoints to keep track of your journey towards the goal.

3. Time-based goals for school

Every educational goal needs a deadline so that you have a timeframe to focus on and something to keep you motivated. A time-bound goal will usually help you stay on track. It is important to have a realistic time frame for accomplishing the set educational goals.

4. Work-habit high school goals

Work-habit educational goals focus less on what the work is and more on how the work is being done. Improving work habits in order to bring more discipline and structure is essential. Analyzing work habits will help in identifying areas of improvement resulting in a better quality of work.

Also read: How to find the best remote education jobs in 2021?

5. SMART goals for college students

SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. A SMART goal incorporates all the mentioned criteria to ensure that you stay focused and improves your chances of achieving goals. It is useful in guiding goal setting by having criteria for measuring success.

6. Quantitative career goals

Quantitative educational goals are the educational goals that are evaluated based on numbers and statistics like next year I will complete 3 additional certifications relevant to my profile. It creates clear and easily measurable targets that can be tracked without a hitch. This approach is easier than setting qualitative goals.

7. Vocational goals

Vocational goals are set to acquire skills needed to find a job, maintain a job, or perform specific tasks required to maintain that job. Vocational goals must be measurable and age-appropriate.  Setting a vocational goal is a way to enhance the experience of “what you do”. These are based on interests, abilities, etc.

Also read: How to start an online tutoring business

Educational goal examples

Educational goals are the statements that describe what skills, competencies, and qualities you aim for after a certain period of time. It usually involves identifying objectives, creating short-term goals, and putting a plan in place to achieve those goals. Let us have a look at a few examples.

1. Short term goals examples for students

Below are some of the short term educational goal examples for students:

• Enhance your note-taking capabilities
• Submit all your class requirements including noters, assignments, reports, etc
• Read more books and expand your knowledge horizon
• Improve your overall academic performance by getting good grades on weekly and monthly tests

2. Long term goals examples

Here are a few long term goals that can be added to your list:

• Obtaining another degree or a certification
• Gain experience in a leadership role
• Acquire new skills by gaining additional work experience
• Make a career switch
• Reach a higher position in your current organization

Also read: Find how to switch a tiring career as you hit your 30s

3. Smart goals for college students examples

1. Dedicate two to three hours per week to career development
2. Limit your unnecessary screen time
3. Find an internship to acquire work experience and try out different career paths
4. Get accepted into a Graduate program
5. Publish an academic paper before graduation
6. Learn a new language

4. Program goals examples

Program goals are the broad learning statements that tell what is a student trying to achieve from a particular program.

1. Completion of the program with good scores/grades
2. Landing dream job after the program is completed
3. Skills one should acquire post-program completion such as communication skills, problem-solving skills

5. Career goals statement examples

Let us have a look at the career goal statement examples that you can use as inspiration for writing your own:

1. I will complete a career change from graphic designer to a web designer
2. I will land a job as a Data Analyst at a large financial institution by year-end

Also read: 10 Best ways to explain gaps in your resume effectively!

6. Learning goals examples

Take a look at some learning goals examples:

1. Learn and develop verbal and non-verbal communication skills
2. Give your memory a boost by learning to memorize and recall
3. Improve your analytical thinking capabilities by reading books, playing board games, etc
4. Learn to be open-minded and to work as a team

7. Intellectual goals examples

There are several examples of intellectual goals. Let us take a look at a few of them here:

1. Take one night class for a year to get one step closer to your dream job
2. Read one book per month for an entire year
3. Enrol for online classes and certification

8. Vocational goals examples

Vocational goals help you excel at your job:

1. Finding and applying for multiple jobs by using a computer and search engine
2. Call and ask for a job interview after submitting a job application
3. To land a dream job in one of the biggest and best companies in the world

9. Research goals examples

The research goal should be clear, specific, and provide direction to the research study. Examples of research goals are:

1. Define the focus of your study
2. Establish the limits of the study
3. Indicate the various steps to be involved
4. Clearly identify variables to be measured
5. Aspiration of study

10. List of realistic goals example

This is a list of realistic goals example:

1. One of the most common educational goals throughout a student’s career is to improve GPA
2. Building a portfolio to land good jobs
3. Accomplish a project ahead of time
4. Get up an hour earlier on weekdays
5. Join an extracurricular activity

Also read: Best resume software | Give the finest first impression

Educational goals for teachers

The world of a teacher has so many dimensions that it is possible to get lost. To manage and keep everything organized, one should set realistic educational goals for themselves. Below, we have discussed some of the educational goals that will help in your development:

1. Strengthening teaching skills can be one of the teaching goals

There is always room for improvement when it comes to any profession. Keep enhancing your skills by keeping yourself up to date with the latest technologies and enrolling for certifications. Online courses are a great way to enhance your knowledge.

2. Classroom goals such as classroom management

Another area that a teacher can improve upon is classroom management. It gets pretty easy if your class is run well and your students stay focused on what is being taught. It also keeps students engaged and communicates in a better way with teachers.

3. Teacher goal examples 

Teacher goals examples can be many depending on your objectives and current skills. For example: read a teacher mindset book, organize your time, organize your digital files, improve the way you differentiate instructions, acquire new technical skills. A teacher can set goals for themselves and help students set goals as well.

Also read: How to set up an awe-inspiring educational consulting business in 5 steps?

4. The professional development goal for teachers

Keep developing professionally by brushing up on your pedagogy. Learn new theories, brush up on your basics, or add a new technique to your toolkit. Improve the way you teach by learning from people around you and constantly improving. Learn more about learning.

Conclusion

Educational goals are not only meant for your student life but also for the real world. Creating educational goals will help you achieve your future goals and that is one of the major reasons why you should carefully set them. Keep yourself motivated and on track by setting relevant educational goals.

If you want to make sure you communicate the right message about your career gap, this is the article for you. Let’s deep dive into what are career gaps & how to explain them.

What are employment gaps or career gaps?

Career gaps are the time period when a person is not associated with any organization after leaving the prior company. The gaps may be due to study, medical reasons or a break from the professional world. They may sometimes be lengthy from 6 months to 1 year and sometimes less.

In this article, we will learn what is an employment gap, how to explain employment gaps in your resume effectively, resume examples with gaps in employment, cover letter for a gap in employment or letter of explanation for the gap in employment.

Also read: Career counseling | Why career counseling is important & 15 types of career coaches

What is a career gap?

In the professional profile of a person, a career gap is the employment gap when an associate is not linked or hired into any organization. The duration of the gap can be a few weeks, months or years. It is mandatory to mention career gaps in your resume. The critical part is to explain gaps in employment to the next recruiting organization.

How common are gaps in employment among professionals?

Gaps in employment are not uncommon. Certain professionals consider career gaps as an opportunity to revisit the skill sets and find out ways to build up new competencies. Work-life balance is now the new concept among professionals. A person can think of studying in between job shifts which he or she may find it tough to pursue while being employed full time.

Many opt for such gaps to travel around the world, a break from the busy professional environment. Some may concentrate on health and medical issues and well-being before joining another profession or job.

Also read: Career Change | 8 step process for the best career moves across any vertical

Why some companies are concerned about resume gaps?

Hiring companies need to understand the resume gaps to find out the genuine interest of the individuals towards the job. They try to find out the reason for career gaps of whether a person has been on bench due to incompetencies or whether the gap is to jack up the skills. Their objective is to recruit the right people for the role they are looking for. Therefore they would scrutinize any resume gaps to extract the correct reason. It helps them to judge the potential and capability of the person applying for the position.

Top reasons why employment gaps occur

In this section, we will find out the top reasons for employment gaps. There are many good reasons for gaps in employment and some may last for many months to years. But these are not unnatural and can occur to any one. Let us discuss those career gaps in the subsequent sub-sections.

1. Employment gap on resume for pursuing higher education

Employment gap on resume can happen if one plans to pursue higher education. Certain academic degrees of qualifications are difficult to continue while being involved in full-time jobs. Hence a break is needed for focused dedication and attention. Higher education is also done for facilitating better roles in the next jobs.

2. Gaps in resumes for medical reasons

Medical reasons are often a major contributor to gaps in resumes. A person with an ill-health may fail to perform well in his or her job in a company. Constant work pressure may also prevent undergoing medical treatments. Hence professionals are sometimes forced to go for a break.

3. Gap in employment to care for a child

Caring for a child is another very common reason for gap in employment. It is essentially the work-life balance that one needs while nurturing a newborn baby or a toddler. This gap normally happens with a woman professional after child birth.

Also read: Working from home with kids | Parent’s guide to remote working

4. Unemployment gap for travel

Travel rejuvenates and energizes minds. So there are professionals who opt for an unemployment gap to explore travel destinations; a way to enjoy a break from the regular professional and personal life.

5. Take time off between jobs for freelancing

People working in the fixed boundaries of jobs often feel the monotony. So it’s good to take time off between jobs and do some freelancing activities. These open the horizons of exploring the different genres of work and gain more exposure.

6. Work gap to undergo professional training

Work gap is sometimes essential to undergo any professional training which lasts for a long duration in multiple courses. It helps in greater concentration and dedicated focus, ultimately gain in pursuing future ambitions and growth opportunities.

7. Gap in resume due to depression

A person may undergo any mental ailments which result in depression. Treatments and cures are needed to overcome it. Hence he or she decides for a break in job and thus a gap in resume. The gap is essential for a complete cure.

8. Gap furlough

Gap furlough can happen due to a temporary economic condition prevailing in a region forcing companies to operate under low wages and interim leaves. Employees may undergo such a situation and that may lead to a gap in the resume.

Also read: How to start a business with no money and make it super successful in 3 years?

9. Gaps in resume for relocation

Digital nomads or professionals looking to relocate to a new city or country often opt for a gap in their career to find out the relevant choices and arrangements. Thus gaps in resume is common for them, usually leading to 4 to 6 months duration.

10. Work gaps due to family care

Sometimes there are medical emergencies in the family for which people need to take an off from a job and concentrate on the same. Work gaps are hence needed to ensure continuous care and attention to the members of the family.

How to explain gaps in employment?

Now that we have understood the various reasons for career gaps, the next question that comes up in mind is, how to explain gaps in employment?

In this section, we will point out the various ways to explain any gaps in employment.

1. Resume fillers with certifications and training courses

The best way on how to explain gaps in resume is to create resume fillers. Enter the certifications and training courses attended during the gaps. This will ensure that you were not sitting idle but elevating yourself for progression.

2. Employment gap for gaining experience

Another best way to explain employment gap is to specify the experience gathered during the time to enhance professional efficiency. This is one of the interesting how to explain employment gaps examples; ensuring you did not spend time in leisure.

3. Omit small gap work

If you have a small gap work then it is better to omit that. The recruiters will not realize or pay attention to such minor breaks. Gap cover-ups for negligible durations are acceptable and will not act as a hindrance for being recruited in the next job.

Also read: Best resume software | Give the finest first impression

4. Employment gaps on resume to be mentioned in brief

Whenever you mention employment gaps on your resume, you must keep it brief. The gap explanation can be mentioned during the interview. As your focus must be on your skillset and experience and not on how to explain a lengthy employment gap. The more you speak it out the better.

5. Use resume format to conceal gap employment

A good idea on how to fill in employment gaps on resume is to use a unique resume format. Ensure the format has sections where you can highlight your accomplishments and experiences. The recruiters will look into those sections first and can gain a good understanding of your professional background, and may heedless attention to gap employment.

6. List down the reasons for careers gap

For the career gap, list down the exact reasons and explain the same to the recruiters. Your reasons must be convincing, not de-focusing on future growth or opportunity. It is recommended to emphasize on the work or activities done during that tenure.

7. Be honest in explaining gaps in employment

Be honest and truthful while explaining gaps in employment. There may be an employment gap due to personal reasons, medical emergencies, academics, health issues and many more. But you must state the reasons briefly and clearly to leave out no ambiguities.

8. Explain unemployment gaps but focus back to the interview

It is crucial that you explain unemployment gaps but try to deviate back to the interview. Express your interest for the job and the role. Relate the same to your skillset and experience. Showcase your knowledge to earn the interest of the recruiters.

9. Add freelancing experience in the job gap

In the job gap, add freelancing experience to the resume, if you have any. You can also speak about the freelancing experience to emphasize that your focus is steady on your career, ambitions and growth. You must know how to list contract jobs on a resume taken up as a freelancer.

10. Employment gap explanation with interest and poise

Employment gap explanation must be done with poise. It is recommended to show interest while recruiters request you to please explain any gaps in employment. They will not prefer you to avoid or ignore the question. Remember there is no harm in career gaps.

Also read: Business Lawyer | How to find a business lawyer

11. Sample resume with gaps in employment

Let us now check a sample resume with gaps in employment:

“I resigned from my previous job to care for an ageing and ailing family member. Now I have hired a full-time attendant. I am available for full-time work and in the future.”

“I have quit from my current job to pursue my MBA. My course was for 1.5 years. Now I am back to work with much higher knowledge, competence and confidence; ready to take up new roles and job positions.”

“I had to relocate to New Jersey, US since my spouse shifted. I had to leave my present job for the relocation. Now since I am settled, I am looking for a new job to start with.”

For mentioning the duration, ensure to check how to right justify dates on the resume.

Sample unemployment letter of explanation

Here is a sample unemployment letter of explanation for your reference.

To whom it may concern,
I am writing this letter to explain the 4 month gap in my employment from July 2021 to October 2021. Recently there has been a serious medical emergency in my family. I had to take care of my ailing father. But now the situation has normalized and I have a full dedicated attendant for my father. I am now available full time for the role and the job”.

You can refer this sample cover letter explaining gap in employment and mention the reasons as appropriate.

Also read: John Maxwell’s 5 levels of leadership explained

Unemployment interview questions

Here are some unemployment interview questions for reference and unemployment phone interview tips:

Question: Please explain any gaps in employment
Answer: You need to specify the reasons, the duration and that you are ready for the next job and role.

Question: What have you been doing during the career gaps?
Answer: You must mention about any certifications, training courses, freelance jobs etc. which you have undertaken

Question: Have you been ever laid off by any company?
Answer: If the answer is Yes, then it is good to be honest about the reason but focus on your skill set and efficiency

How long is too long of an employment gap?

The answer for how long is too long of an employment gap is, potentially more than 6 months is considered as long. But sometimes the gap may extend to 1 year or more due to higher studies, relocation or even sabbatical leave for child care. But it’s, not the duration which is important, but the reason behind it. You must be able to justify that and ensure your experience and knowledge level are not hampered. Furthermore, you must know how to answer unemployment interview questions.

In this blog, we explain what is career counseling? What does a career counselor do? We provide you with tips to find career counselors near me.

Career counseling

Career counseling or career guidance is the counseling or guidance given to individuals to help select, change or leave their career. People avail of career counseling services at various stages of their career. Starting or changing careers is stressful, a career counselor breaks down the process with all the options available.

Who is a career coach?

A career coach is a trained professional who has extensive knowledge of different careers and professional opportunities. They specialize in career planning and resume building, and are well-informed about current hiring practices. Career counseling includes giving clients valuable negotiating and interview tips. Career guidance services include long-term career planning to help their clients get their dream job.

Also read: Career Change | 8 step process for the best career moves across any vertical

How can a career counselor help?

Career development starts early and depends on factors like interests, ability, education, and personality. Career counselors can provide career help in the following ways- 

• They shortlist realistic career options based on your skills, abilities, personalities, and background. 
• They provide options if you are interested in a particular career path but do not have the skill. 
• Career counselors have tools and techniques that can match your abilities to perfect your career choice.
• If you are underqualified for your dream job, career counseling near me will guide you on the qualifications, certifications, and experience required. 
• They can draft a perfect cover letter and resume for any position. 
• Career counselors conduct mock interviews to help you feel confident.

Tips to find a career coach near me

You can find a career coach near me quite easily if you know where to look. Here are some tips that may help –

• Ask your friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances who may know someone who provides career consultation services. You can ask your networks. 
• If you want a private career counsellor, you can refer to the National Career Development Association’s (NCDA) and National Board for Certified Counselors to find a career advisor near me. Private career counselling services are more expensive. 
• Psychology Today will give you a list of career counselors who are mental health counselors.
• If you are a college student, the career service center on your campus may be able to recommend a counselor career who works locally or have a career counselor on campus.

Types of career counselors

Career counselors work with people of all ages and different educational backgrounds and experience levels. Career counseling can occur in education institutions(high schools and colleges), social service offices, employment and staffing agencies, and private practices. Here are alternative careers for counselors

1. Independent career counseling coaches

Independent career counseling coaches provide career development and counseling to their clients. They generally work with mid-level or senior professionals. They learn client career goals and map out the next step based on the current situation. If the client wants to change fields examine their profile to see their transferable skills and identify a realistic career path. The coach knows where the best opportunities are.

2. Job counseling specialists

Job counseling specialists in help students find suitable careers as they enter the workforce. They use intake assessments and other career tests to determine students’ strengths and weaknesses. The job counselor advises students on ways to obtain their career goals and tutors students on effective job hunting techniques and resume writing skills. They counsel students in other areas that can affect their careers.

3. College career consulting services

Students can avail themselves of college career consulting services at contact centers, offices, universities, or colleges. They help students discover their career paths. The college career consultant evaluates student aptitude, interests, values, and personality to build student profiles with their best and worst career fits. They help students in the college application process. The counselors help students make more informed career choices.

4. Career guidance counselor

A career guidance counselor examines their client’s career-related dreams and aspirations, fears, and uncertainties during the consultation. They review the client profile and conduct appropriate aptitude and personality tests. The guidance counselor gives career-related options based on the results. They inform their clients about shortcomings and with strategies to correct them. They work with their clients while restructuring resumes.

5. Limited outplacement career consultant

Some senior-level employees are eligible for limited outplacement services with their company counselor. The career consultant may have individual sessions with the employee. Provide coaching or workshop sessions with reputed career counselors. Tap into their counselor network for other job opportunities.

Also read: Remote Jobs for College Students | How to find best remote jobs being a student

6. Career orientation specialist

Career orientation specialists work with young professionals entering the job market. They guide and counsel their clients as per their career goals. During the career counseling session, the specialist develops a career development plan, with the objectives and roadmap to achieve them. The specialist shortlists potential jobs that are suitable for their client. 

7. Vocational counselor

Vocational counselors use assessment and personalities tests to evaluate their client’s strengths and weaknesses. They assist people looking for new careers as per their preferences and aptitude. They usually work with mid and senior-level professionals. Vocational counselors work with people who need to look for alternative professions after an injury. They may be part of a rehabilitation team to improve a person’s skills and abilities.

8. Occupation psychologist

Occupational psychologists study employee performance, training procedures, and manuals to understand how companies function and how individuals and groups behave in a work environment. They help organizations deal with personnel issues and problems. They use their training in organizations for human resource development, talent management, training, assessment, selection, performance, staff wellbeing, organization restructuring, and work-life balance.

9. Online career counselor

An online career counselor offers professional development and career coaching services via online video conferencing. They perform career counselling assessments for their domestic and international clientele. Their initial consultation may be free to help you find a suitable counselor. Counselor uses a customized approach to help their clients achieve their professional dream. 

10. Career therapy coaches

Career therapy coaches give their clients comprehensive support during their job search. They offer services like resume and cover letter writing, LinkedIn optimization, network strategy, mock interviews, and negotiation preps. They help clients understand and address their workplace frustrations, anxiety, and distress. Career therapy can prevent people from making hasty and impulsive career decisions.

Also read: Top 11 jobs for people with social anxiety

11. Career specialist

A career specialist connects individuals with potential employers. They help job seekers find jobs, write resumes and cover letters, and prepare for their interviews. The career counseling service specialist uses assessment tests to determine personality type, skills, and work ethics. They recommend career paths for new job seekers. They help clients find academic or training programs.

12. Employment counselors

Employment counselors generally have two types of clients – job seekers and companies. They evaluate the job seeker’s skills and identify barriers to employment. They assist their clients in resume and cover letter writing and preparing them for interviews. The counselor works with the human resource department in companies on human resources and other employment-related issues like job dissatisfaction.

13. Certified career counselor

The National Career Development Association provides certified career counselor certification. Counselors need to have an advanced degree in counselor education. The certification recognizes training and experience for counseling, and specialization in career development, career counseling theories, and practices. They help their clients decide their future careers or pursue new careers. Certified career counselors help their clients understand themselves.

14. School and career counselors

School and career counselors use tools like aptitude tests and interviews to evaluate students’ abilities and interests. They try to identify issues that affect school performance. Work with students to overcome behavioral or social issues in class. Help students develop skills like organizational and time management and effective study habits. Help students create and work towards academic and career goals. 

15. Career psychologist

Career psychologist helps their patients with career change, management, and performance improvement. They work with organizations or individuals for sustained career development. They conduct workshops in areas such as leadership, sustainability and health, and performance at work. Counselor psychologists use applied psychology to help their clients manage and control their careers.

Also read: Best 35 business ideas for college students

Career coaches job description

What does a career coach do? Career coaches can work in school and college students or individuals for professional development. Career counselor job description is as follows:-

• Help clients recognize personal interests and life goals.
• Help clients to plan strategic career moves.
• Find new career opportunities for clients.
• Study and provide feedback on the client’s resume and cover letter. Help tailor the resume and cover letter for prospective jobs.
• Conduct mock interviews and provide feedback.
• Conduct seminars and workshops to provide information on different career paths.
• Guide those looking to switch careers. 
• Perform skill and personality assessment.
• Conduct aptitude tests to evaluate client interests and skills.
• Recommend career path after evaluating client’s qualifications and experience. Counsel them on additional qualifications and certifications if required.

Also read: Personal Development | Guide to setting personal development goals in 2021!

 How to become a career counselor?

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job of a Career counselor will experience an 8% jump in the next 10 years. The counselor career is stable with job opportunities. Most job descriptions for career counseling services have a prerequisite for a master’s or graduate-level degree. Here’s how to become a career counselor.

1. Get the required education for career counselor jobs

Common career counselor degrees in social and behavioral science, or psychology, or sociology. The courses are the foundation for counseling skills. The post-graduate degrees for career counseling are master’s degrees in counseling and career service or masters in career counseling. The courses cover topics like career theories, development, counseling theories, and the psychology of human development.

2. Gain work experience career guidance services

Most undergraduate and post-graduate programs require you to participate in internships. The internships provide you with real-world experience will help you build the skills needed. The internship will help you gain will provide valuable work experience required for entry-level positions. 

3. Obtain certification for career coaching services

After you complete post-graduate program in career counseling you will need to obtain your professional certification. The National Career Development Association gives Certified Counselor Certification (CCC) credentials. You need to pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE). Some states require you to obtain a license to practice career coaching services. To keep your professional certifications valid you need to continuing education credit.

Also read: Setup your personal office online

How much do career counselors make?

The answer to the question of how much do career counselors make depends largely on where you work. If you run independent career consulting services you can charge a fixed amount per client. If you work in school or college you get paid a fixed salary. Factors such as experience, location, and the nature of employment will impact your salary. The average annual salary of a career counselor is around $41644.

1. Free career counseling agent salary

The average annual salary of a free career counseling agent salary working in the army is $58064. While the average annual salary for a correctional counselor salary is $47332. Free career coaching at community centers receives an hourly salary of $16.

2. Salary of career counselors NJ

The average salary of career counselors in NJ is $57137. The salary of an entry-level career counselor starts at $51265 and an experienced career counselor in NJ can earn up to $64384 per year. The remuneration depends on factors like education, certifications, and experience.

3. Salary of career counselors in Indianapolis

The average annual salary of career counselors in Indianapolis is $80463. The salary for career consultancy services in Indianapolis can start at $45687 and can go up to $111039 per year. The salary generally includes benefits. The salary of counselors will depend on the education, certification obtained, and experience.

4. Salary of career counseling Boulder

The average annual salary of career counseling Boulder is $53879. The salary of counselling jobs in Boulder for entry-level professionals can start at $49422 and experienced executives can go up to $62798. The salary depends on the education, certifications, and experience of the counselor.

Also read: 8 Best free Video Conferencing Software 2020 | Connect & Collaborate!

Career counseling certification

The career for career counseling has evolved from providing career advice to finding the best fit for an individual’s lifestyle, personality, and qualifications. To become a counselor you need to have a master’s degree in counseling.

The National Career Development Association offers the following 

• Certified Career Counselor (CCC) 
• Certified Masters of Career Service (CMCS)
• Certified Career Service Provider (CCSP)

Other certification programs you can consider are 

• Graduate Certificate in College and Career Counseling, University of Memphis, Tennessee
• Graduate Certificate in Career Services (CCS), Western Kentucky University
• Certified Career Coach Course, Get five
• Certified Professional Career Coach, Indiana State University

Want to learn about Lewin’s democratic leadership style? In this post, we deep dive into what is democratic leadership, its characteristics, examples and more.

Democratic leadership

Democratic leadership or participative leadership or shared leadership is a leadership style that involves equal participation of each member in the decision-making process. Democratic leadership not only includes the leaders but their employees as well in the decision making process. In this blog, we will learn more about democratic leadership.

Also read: 21 irrefutable laws of leadership

Lewin’s leadership styles 

Lewin’s leadership styles are authoritarian (autocratic), participative (democratic style), and delegative (laissez-faire). These three leadership styles provided a springboard for more defined leadership theories. Let us have a look at these leadership styles in more detail:

1. Authoritarian leadership style

Authoritarian leaders or autocratic leaders are the ones who set clear expectations for what needs to be done when it should be done, and how it should be done.

2. Democratic leadership style

Democratic leaders take input from the entire group while making any decisions.

3. Delegative leadership style

Delegative leaders offer little to no guidance to the group and leave the decision-making to the group members.

Also read: 5 Levels of leadership by John Maxwell

Democratic leadership definition

Let us understand what is democratic leadership? Democratic leadership or participatory leadership is one of the most effective types of leadership. Under this kind of leadership, democrat leaders offer guidance to their group members and allow them to provide input while making decisions. In democrat leadership, participation of group members is highly encouraged but the final say in the decision-making process remains with the leader.

The participative style of leadership makes group members feel engaged in the process and stay more motivated and creative. Democratic leaders make followers feel an important part of the team and foster long time commitment.

Characteristics of democratic leaders

Democratic leadership styles involve taking all opinions and ideas into consideration, making a decision based on group members inputs, and delegating out the tasks equally. Democratic leaders’ definition states that they will put great emphasis on involving everyone during the decision-making process. Here are top characteristics of democratic leaders:

1. Participative leadership encourages collaboration

Democratic leadership encourages the group members to take a more participatory role during the decision-making process. The inputs from team members are highly valued and taken into consideration while making new decisions. Democratic companies create an environment of honesty, fairness, equality, and competence for their employees.

2. Democratic leadership style values creativity

Under the participatory leadership style, leaders highly value and encourage the creativity of the group members. The team members feel important and heard under such leadership. Such an environment is great for the team during the problem-solving process and for finding the best alternatives for making decisions.

3. Participating style of leadership has trusting followers

Participating style of leadership or democratic leadership provides leaders the ability to gain trust of their followers. Democratic leaders are generally admired and respected by their group members. They feel valued and important, trust their leaders to make the right decisions, and listen to them.

4. Participating leadership style offers help and guidance

Participating leadership styles in business often have leaders who are ready to offer guidance to their team members. The leader is often friendly, approachable, and trustworthy. A democratic leader works towards the betterment of its team and helps team members realize their own potential.

Also read: Leadership philosophy | 8 philosophies of great leaders [with templates]

5. Democratic leader seeks ideas and opinions

Democratic leadership is considered to be one of the best leadership styles in management. A democratic leader often encourages employees to communicate and share their ideas and opinions. Any decision taken by the democratic leader takes the inputs of its employees into consideration.

Pros and cons of democratic leadership

There are both pros and cons of adopting democratic leadership style.

Here are the advantages of democratic leadership:

• Multiple opinions – As everyone is encouraged to speak their minds, there are multiple opinions resulting in more knowledge.
• Less Absenteeism – Employees who are more committed to the team are more likely to show up everyday
• More room for creativity and innovation – Due to open discussion, creativity is highly encouraged under democratic leadership
• Trust based relationships – The feeling of trust is more as employee and management has equal decision making powers
• Higher productivity – Employees feel more motivated and committed as they are involved in the decision-making process

Also read: John Maxwell’s 5 levels of leadership explained

Here are the disadvantages of democratic leadership:

• Decreased performance – Few employees observe a decline in performance as they are not keen to be part of the decision making process. They feel they are made to perform leadership roles at a lower salary.
• Slow decision making process – As democratic leadership requires everyone’s input, the decision making process gets slower. It can be detrimental to business where quick decision-making is required.
• Not effective in case of uneducated employees – There is a risk of relying on different knowledge levels in case of democratic leadership.

Democratic leadership examples

Democratic leaders exhibit high-level self-confidence and to counter their great amount of responsibilities, they are not hesitant to involve their team in the decision-making process. To understand how democratic leadership has helped businesses and management to grow better, let us take a look at the following examples:

1. Participative leadership style in Apple

Tim Cook had a democratic leadership style that allowed the talents of every employee at Apple to contribute towards the company’s success. He took others’ views and opinions into consideration before making a decision. Cook encouraged employees to voice their opinions and ideas regarding the design and features of new products.

2. Democratic leadership style examples in football

Legendary football coach, Bill Shankly was a democratic leader who was the one to establish the club’s iconic “boot room”. The boot room was a small area where all coaching staff members would gather to informally discuss the vision, plans, and future strategies of the club.

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3. Participative management style of Twitter

Twitter is an example of a participative management style where even users are involved in the decision-making process. Users are free to spread their ideas and suggestions and express their views on the strategies of the company. All “tweeters” collaborate, participate, and somehow play a role in leading the company.

4. Democratic management style of Google

Google is known for its democratic management style where employees play an important role in making company decisions. Google is known for its creativity and innovation. It can be extremely effective in situations that call for creative ideas and solutions and time is not a constraint.

5. Examples of democratic leadership with millennial workforce

In recent times, the millennial workforce wants to work with managers and leaders who value their ideas and opinions. They thrive in an environment where managers are interested in investing in employees’ growth. A democratic leadership style is more likely to keep employees engaged and loyal.

How to implement democratic style of leadership in your team?

There are several factors that go into democratic style of leadership. These factors will help you begin implementing democratic leadership style in your own organization. Let us discuss five of these factors to understand what goes behind implementing democratic leadership.

1. Encourage creativity in participative leadership styles

Encourage creativity to implement democratic leadership style in your organization. Give more preference to innovation and creativity by giving team members a fair chance to communicate. Take opinions from the entire team while taking decisions regarding new products, services, rules, features, and policies.

2. Democratic leadership style examples value participation

Value participation and involvement from all members of the team rather than having a leader dole out orders. Give people at all levels of the organizational hierarchy an opportunity to share their ideas and opinions. Shun top-down directions and let information flow vertically and horizontally.

3. Democratic management style seeks ideas and opinions

Seek ideas and opinions from your team members irrespective of their designation and role to ensure proper implementation of democratic leadership style. Allowing employees to share opinions and ideas foster long term commitment and relationships. Employees should be involved during important decision-making processes.

Also read: 10 Recession proof businesses that have stood strong for over a century

4. Participative management styles allows inputs from everyone

To implement this style in your team ensure that the input is not only reserved for people with higher positions but taken from everyone. Allow staff to give their suggestions and opinions on areas that are within their scope of work and outside of it.

5. Stay approachable in democratic leadership style in nursing

Leaders and managers must stay friendly, amicable, and approachable so that employees working with them feel free to communicate. To implement democratic leadership in an organization, leaders and managers must be trained to include team members and staff during all-important decision-making processes.

Famous democratic leaders 

Here are some of the examples of democratic leaders who took responsibility for their actions, supported their team, and didn’t make excuses for their failures:

1. George Washington

George Washington was notably democratic while leading the U.S government. He showed strong signs of democratic leadership by appointing strong leaders to his staff.

2. Abraham Lincoln

Was Abraham Lincoln a democratic leader, is something many people still question. His character and principles were democratic but his leadership was autocratic throughout his presidency.

3. John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy was a charismatic leader who showed signs of both democratic leadership and Laissez-Faire leadership. Spearheading the Apollo space program was an example of his Laissez-Faire leadership style.

4. Jimmy Carter

Carter exemplified both pros and cons of the democratic style of leadership. He surrounded himself with experienced staff but often deferred to inexperienced subordinates.

5. Thomas Jefferson

During his tenure, Jefferson was both a democratic and autocratic leader.

Also Read: Managing remote teams | A priceless list of tips to succeed

Autocratic vs democratic leadership style

Have a look at the key differences between autocratic and democratic leadership styles:

1. Autocratic leadership is the kind of leadership where the leader has the absolute power of commanding and decision-making while in democratic leadership, the leader seeks and values the opinions of their followers
2. Autocratic leadership involves high-level of control whereas democratic leadership requires low level of control
3. There is a certain level of independence in thinking and communicating in democratic leadership, which is not present in the case of autocratic leadership.
4. Autocratic leadership is task-oriented while democratic leadership is more relation oriented.

Searching for the most efficient online gradebook? Here is a comprehensive list, along with the top features, prices, and pros & cons. Read on!

Online Gradebook

The job of a teacher doesn’t limit to teaching the students in a classroom. It is also the responsibility of the teachers to closely monitor the students in certain aspects and assess them. It is a keen responsibility of a teacher to monitor a certain number of aspects and rank/grade the students relatively.

Preparing a gradebook for an entire class is quite tedious as it is difficult to figure out the due dates, students, and to accurately locate certain assignments. Gone are the days of attending classes, using blackboard and carrying bulky notebooks, and flipping through the pages of gradebooks that used to shiver the minds of teachers and students.

Generally, grading isn’t something fun, but it has never been so easy and teacher-friendly. Electronic gradebooks are gaining popularity among the online learning community these days. Well, this blog gives detailed information about online gradebooks for a full-fledged learning management system.

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What is an online gradebook?

An online gradebook, also known as an electronic gradebook, is a teacher’s online record of their students’ assignments, lessons, grades, and progress. A gradebook software automates grade tracking, performance assessment of the students, monitoring the attendance of students, and easy access to synchronized data for teachers, principals, and school administrators, and even parents. 

An online gradebook is easy to use with flexible grading and allows access to students, parents, and school administers. A good gradebook software makes it easier to record in and use efficiently.

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Top 5 features of online student gradebook software

The top 5 features of online gradebook software include,

1. Student Management – Allows to create student profiles along with unlimited custom categories and share the academic records with administrators and faculties.
2. Enrollment – Enroll students in different courses and monitor their performance. Also allows teachers to view course timetable and events.
3. Attendance – Allows teachers to mark attendance in the class and send it to the administrators.
4. Grades – Allows teachers to assess student proficiency and add custom fields for grading.
5. Examination – Enables teachers to upload question papers and conduct examinations for students with dates and timings.

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Benefits of making grades online

The different benefits of marking grades online include,

1. Convenience – Marking grades online is convenient for teachers and students as it can be accessed from any device such as mobile, laptop, etc
2. Flexibility – Online grading provides flexibility in terms of conducting examinations and evaluating answers.
3. Feedback and Assessment – Online gradebook makes it easier to create assessments and provide feedback to students based on their performance.
4. Accessibility – Publishing online grades have removed the need for regular progress reports sent at home in a physical format.
5. Accountability – Increases accountability for teachers for their grading practices as the entire system is transparent.

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7 best online gradebook tools for teachers

Here is a list of 7 best online gradebook tools for teachers,

1. Edmodo teacher grade book

This tool can be said as almost an all-in-one tool for online education. Gradebook is one of the many features of this tool. Edmodo is an education software company acting as a communication platform between school students and teachers.

The software has an intuitive interface and also reminiscent of Facebook, Twitter resulting in student engagement. Edmodo is also a friendly platform for knowledge transfer, enables teachers to keep online discussions, polls and keeps track of the behavior performance of the students, etc. 

1. The core features of this application include easy sharing of worksheets, web-based distribution and grading of assignments, provided with mobile support, storing the documents, engaging in quizzes, etc.
2. The application is also a marketplace to install other free and paid apps to supplement Edmodo’s functionality
3. But the gradebooks cannot be accessed until the students are enrolled
4. Teachers outside the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and Canada cannot access free apps 

Pricing: The tool for student and classroom management is free. Installation of other applications entails the cost of USD 2,500 per year for a school.

2. Thinkwave teacher grading system

Thinkwave is one of the free online gradebooks to keep track of the grades of the students and report progress to parents. The software has created an in-house tool to create customs reports such as transcripts, progress & attendance reports, report cards, and more. This functionality is definitely useful to all the customers. Thinkwave is one of the best grading software for teachers. 

1. No prior training is required to access Thinkwave and multiple classes are managed in a single gradebook, which is definitely an easy-to-use interface 
2. The blog feature of the software helps the students and parents to exchange postings and news aimed at the general school audience
3. The daily progress summary which involves the overall and sectional performances and upcoming tasks for students assignments are well informed to parents enabling parents to access classroom information providing password-protected accounts
4. Students can also upload their assignments so the files become visible to the teacher’s view
5. The software also enables us to upload homework and handouts on the web (up to 25MB per file). The storage capacity extends to 100 GB but it is a part of the premium plan

Pricing: The basic version is a free online gradebook for homeschool. The premium plan has multiple options in different categories starting from USD 12.5 per month to USD 250 per month. The difference in pricing is based on access to the number of students.

3. Engrade parents gradebook

Engrade, a subsidiary of McGraw-Hill Education, is an e-learning solution that provides online learning management systems and educational assessment products. This solution encompasses two modules – Engrade instruct for managing online curriculum & interactive learning and Engrade inform for delivering web-based assessments.

The software provides a wide range of features other than a gradebook. The solution offers the ability to tailor assessment categories and to employ easy lesson planning and attendance planning. 

1. Real-time grading and straightforward interface, providing personal accounts for students and parents, allocation of different weightage to different students, and online collection of assignments are some of the highlighting features of the software
2. It is also provided with a database respiratory to store and retrieve previous assignments and lessons, a part of the premium version

Pricing: The software is free for individual teachers. The pricing of the software for collective usage is customized as per the requirements. Schools and institutions are encouraged to contact the Engrade team directly to enquire about the quotes. 

Fact: Engrade ranks in the top 5000 US websites as of March 2015.

4. Schoology homeschool gradebook

Schoology, like other gradebook tools we have seen earlier, is a tool where the features are far beyond the usage of gradebooks. Schoology is one of the free online gradebooks but only limited to basic versions accessible by students, teachers, and parents.

The tool is a social networking service and a virtual learning environment for schools and higher education institutions. Online classes can also be managed based on the tools provided by cloud-based software. This type of software is also known as a learning management system that allows users to create, manage and share academic content. 

1. A teacher can comment and grade an assignment without having to download and then upload the grade version
2. The software tends to be a platform to encourage and motivate the students by allowing the teachers to create customized badges as trophies for their achievements
3. The software also allows the teachers to create a variety of assignments and to effectively use the calendars ensuring communication for all
4. While online gradebooks, attendance, customized grading options, user connections to personal systems, test,s and quizzes are the other features of the free version
5. Whereas, the paid version is an addition of other features that are web conferencing, unlimited data storage, audio/video recording, priority support, etc.

Pricing: The basic version is a free online gradebook for homeschool. The pricing for the premium version is customized as per the requirements. Schools and institutions are encouraged to contact the Schoology team directly to enquire about the quotes. 

5. Alma electronic gradebook

Alma is a cloud-based management system catering to the education industry and businesses. The software is comprehensive enough that claims to streamline the whole learning process including grade reporting, board-wide communication, lesson planning, and more.

The software is a combination of both student information systems (SIS) and learning management systems (LMS). Like other gradebook software, Alma can calculate based on terms defined by the teachers. Teachers, as per their system, can enter the percentages or grades or scores or use a grade scale. 

1. The core features assist users to generate customized reports, administer the enrolment, admissions process, track commissions and manage school administration
2. The solution also lets the users broadcast emergency notifications and track the progress of the syllabus
3. The solution provides attendance tracking, gradebook customization, individual student profile which can also be accessed by teachers and parents to track the student attendance, performance, and teacher notes
4. Customization of the syllabus, automating lesson mapping with the school calendar, allowing the educational institutes to communicate with staff, parents and students are the other features of this software.

Pricing: The pricing plan for individual schools is based on three-tiered packages and the pricing is tailored for districts. Ultimately, the pricing depends on institution size and required features.  

6. Markbook standards based grading gradebook

Markbook is a class management system that is helpful in many aspects including student recordkeeping and reporting. The solution is available in two versions – paid offline version for windows and cloud-based versions working on both windows and macOS available only on an annual subscription basis. 

1. The system offers multiple communication formats – hardcopy, email and to send reports using the Markbook connect feature to smart devices 
2. The software is user friendly which allows the students to easily create individual and class reports where the teachers can track and analyze student performance
3. Teachers can also exercise flexible weighting which helps in evaluating and creating a better projection of student success. 
4. The solution is helpful in the analysis part as it is easy to handle the charts, analysis, optimise seating charts with photos and analysis
5. Class rosters can be imported from selected school information systems. Attendance can be recorded and analyzed whenever necessary
6. The teacher can adjust the grades of the individual using the option ‘informed professional judgment’

Pricing: Markbook offers a free trial that can be easily converted to a paid version. The one-year subscription price for an individual seat is USD 35.95 for windows, macOS, and other browsers.

7. JupiterEd gradebook viewer

The software is a cloud-based product focussed on improving to accomplish the academic tasks of the students. Jupiter Ed, a comprehensive product, is a Learning Management System (LMS) and Student Information System (SIS).

The solution offers four different modules – higher Ed, K-12 public, K-12 private, and individual teachers with few variations for each solution. Though the feature of the gradebook remains the same for all the modules of the software. JupiterEd is one of the best grading software for teachers. 

1. The software allows the teachers to assess students online, review the results and track the performance of the students in real-time
2. The gradebook module enables the teachers to record attendance, prepare behaviour logs, assess grades, and record standard-based assessments
3. Students and parents have the right to access and check the grades, receive the announcement, upload home assignments and download the relevant content documents
4. Own rubric charts can be created and shared with their peers. Grades configuration for different classes, allocating assignment weightage, adjustments in marking (points, percentage) are the other key features of the software is specific to the online gradebook.

Pricing: There are two versions in the pricing of the software which are based on the number of participants. For up to 50 students the yearly charges for Jupiter io Prime (includes LMS, SIS, online enrolment, and online payments) are USD 1400 per year.

The charge for Jupiter io Standard (includes only LMS and SIS) is USD 400 per year. If the number of students exceeds 50, the cost for Jupiter io Prime is USD 28 per person per year and for Jupiter io Standard is USD 8 per person per year.

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3 gradebook for teachers free

Teachers, students, and parents are all heavily benefitted by using online gradebook options. It helps them monitor the student’s performance and stay updated on the courses and syllabus. These student management tools are very efficient. We have curated a list of gradebook for teacher free,

1. TeacherEase – Free online gradebook

TeacherEase is a gradebook for teachers free available. It supports both traditional and standards-based grading systems. Teachers can easily save time, monitor student performance, and communicate with parents through this online gradebook.

Allows teachers to keep attendance and behavior-based log records.  Data from the gradebook is always up-to-date without any additional effort by the teacher. Printable progress reports are also available for parents without internet access. It provides ease of accessibility.

2. Edmodo – Free gradebook

Edmodo is a free social media platform for schools. Edmodo allows teachers and students to collaborate in a safe cloud-based environment.  It offers a friendly environment for knowledge transfer by enabling teachers to carry out online discussions, polls, gamification, behavior performance, etc.

Teachers can also interact with their colleagues easily. Also, allows online submission and collection of assignments. One disadvantage however is that only instructors within English-speaking countries have access to free apps.

3. LearnBoost – Free online gradebooks for teachers

LearnBoost is another free online gradebook and roster software for teachers. The clean and simple user interface makes it easy for anyone to use without any technical knowledge.

It allows teachers to manage their classroom, keep track of student grades, maintain attendance, conduct examinations, create and manage lesson plans, maintaining schedules, tagging different standards to their respective lesson plans, etc. This tool can be an asset for any teacher when used effectively.

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3 free online gradebook for homeschool

Online gradebook is not just great for teachers and educators but also for parents who are homeschooling their kids. They allow you to manage different subjects and provide educational tools to make learning fun. Here is our pick of free online gradebook for homeschool,

1. The Happy Housewife – Teacher grade book online 

This free online gradebook for homeschool provides worksheets that are awesome and easy to use. It provides a summary overview of all the grades in each course, attendance record, quiz, test, book list, course list, curriculum, resources used, etc.

At the end of the assessment, a printable report card is automatically generated. This online gradebook also provides a printable book list, field trip lists, and extra-curricular activities report.

2. Schoology – Teacher gradebook

Schoology is a free online gradebook for homeschool use. It provides a virtual learning environment for students and their parents. Schoology is designed in a way to accommodate all students from kindergarten to grade 12 and fully engage with their learning.

This online gradebook has 200+ education tools and platform integrations. Schoology Basic is free to use for anyone. It provides free educational tools and online games for kids who are being homeschooled.

3. iGradePlus – Teacher grading

An affordable, user-friendly, easy-to-use, secure, and reliable free online gradebook for homeschool purposes. The customizable and comprehensive features make this online gradebook a practical solution for a variety of instructors and teachers.

Some of the features offered are school management, grade management, attendance, and behavior tracking, extensive student and parents communication features, etc. It is an amazing website for teachers, students, and especially parents. There is a free trial and free version available.

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3 free printable gradebook for teachers

Online gradebook also provide printable templates that you can use as a physical copy. These can either be put on a display board or kept in the teacher’s notes for personal use. Let us have a look at the different options for free printable gradebook for teachers,

1. Super teacher worksheets – Grade books for teachers

Super teacher worksheets provide free printable gradebook for teachers to use for grading management. They have printable layouts for assignment tracking, student agenda book pages, lesson planner pages, etc.  The printable grading grid helps you keep a track of the student’s performance.

2. Teacher Vision – Engrade my class

These free printable gradebook for teachers will help you keep your classroom, lesson plan, and paperwork organized. The online gradebook provides blank printables to organize the class lists and their respective grades. This printable sheet is customizable as per your needs and requirements.

3. The Spreadsheet Page – Online teacher grader

This free printable gradebook for teachers is perfect for anyone who wants to keep records of multiple people. These templates are easily customizable. The online gradebook works well for teachers, homeschooling families, and managers. All you have to do is download it and get a printable copy.

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3 free gradebook software download

Gradebook are essential for teachers who wish to manage students in a more effective manner. These are available as online gradebooks or you can download them for offline use on your system. Here are the three free gradebook software download you can consider,

1. Class Mate Gradebooks

Classmate gradebook is an online gradebook software that helps teachers to calculate, manage, and organize student grades. Common tasks can be performed easily on the program’s main screen. This free gradebook software download has all the features you would need – attendance tracking, seating charts, conduct grades, etc.

2. Easy Grade Pro – Teacher grade sheet

Easy Grape Pro, free gradebook software download, provides a range of tools to help you save time entering student data, provides you with a wealth of student information all at one place, and assists you in generating professional progress reports for your students. 

3. Thinkwave – grading sheet for teachers

Thinkwave is a free gradebook software download that helps teachers to keep track of student’s grades and progress. The clear interface of this online gradebook allows you to manage multiple classes with the same gradebook. Gradebook for individual use is available for free of cost.

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3 online website grades

Online gradebook websites allow teachers and students to access the platform from anywhere. They provide flexibility and ease of accessibility to the teachers, students, and parents. They make student management fairly easy. Below are the 3 online website grades update tools that you should consider,

1. MyAttendanceTracker- Online gradebooks

MyAttendancetracker is an online website grades tool that helps teachers to track and record their student’s attendance and grades without any hassle. The online gradebook provides web-based tracking allowing you to access the tool from anywhere you have access to the internet. All this is provided for free!

2. Engrade – Online grading

Engrade is helpful for tracking online website grades. This online gradebook is a cloud-based instructional management program that helps teachers in organizing classes and monitoring student performance. The gradebook program is for teachers, students, and parents who wish to keep a track of the complete studying program.

3. Jumprope – Grading website

Jumprope is a true standards-based online gradebook. They help in collecting and organizing website grades skillfully. Customization of the system based on users’ philosophy, grading scale, vocabulary, curriculum template, and standards is also possible. It provides a solid way to collect, track, and report student-based achievements.

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3 grading app for teachers on mobile

Grading apps help teachers to keep records of their students effectively. They also provide flexibility to access the files whenever required. These online gradebooks are available for use on mobile. Let us look at the top 3 grading app for teachers on mobile,

1. Grading apps like Canvas

While grading assessments turned in on paper or conducted in the classroom, Canvas will allow you to directly enter grades into the Canva gradebook but when the assessments are carried out through the Canva app, you will have to use SpeedGrader to enter grades.

2. Zipgrade – Student grade tracker

Zipgrade is an amazing grading app for teachers that allows you to grade multiple-choice tests in minutes. All you have to do is to scan the test with the smartphone and the app will take care of the rest. This online gradebook is free to download.

3. Gradebook Pro – Teacher gradebook app

Gradebook Pro is an intuitive and powerful grading app for teachers. This online gradebook is an efficient classroom management tool. It allows teachers to record attendances, scores, student performances, behavior tracking, etc. This teacher grading software is a complete solution with no in-app purchases.

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Pros and cons of online gradebook

Online gradebooks can be an advantage and at the same time, a burden as well. The advantages and disadvantages of using online gradebook are as follows

1. Pros of online grade book

1. Maintaining a record of the past test events and grades is a plus while using a gradebook. Maintaining an online gradebook is easy if compared to a hard copy of books. Different keywords can be used to retrieve a document or a record. 
2. Comparison and computing are simpler and easier compared to a conventional hardcopy. The manual method of assessment is prone to errors whereas these errors are completely eliminated using a computerized gradebook. 
3. Online gradebooks are completely transparent as the parents are provided with access to the solutions to track the performance of the students in real-time. Parent-teacher communication is much efficient and convenient on online platforms to get to know about student behavior. All the information of the students can be obtained with a click of a button
4. Documents also tend to get missed or misplaced and pace constraints are also prevalent in a classroom. As most of the online gradebooks are cloud-based, there is no bit of shiver to retrieve a document. There is no need for physical storage space.

2. Cons of gradesonline

1. While conventional grading and assessment go hand-in-hand for a particular teacher, this is not the case with online grading. There is a very few online gradebook software offered without any charges, while most of the software charge cost to operate it. 
2. Technologies are always prone to technical glitches and an online gradebook isn’t an exception. Server down, technical errors and reminders to update software may be some factors that put teachers off from using it. Teachers also need to be cautious to save the document instantly to prevent the loss of their work. 
3. If a teacher is not comfortable and unskilled about the technology upgrades, it is definitely going to be difficult for the teacher to use it effectively. A certain amount of digital skill is required to use these tools. 
4. Security features are important when choosing to work with an online solution. Effective security features is a must to prevent from hacking threats. This is something common these days that we may face using an online tool.

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Summary and frequently asked questions on online gradebook

Here is a summary of frequently asked questions on online gradebook,

1. What is an online gradebook?

An online gradebook is a teacher’s online record of their students’ assignments, lessons, grades, and progress.

2. What are the best online gradebooks for teachers?

Engrade, Jupiter Ed, Thinkwave, Markbook, Edmodo, Alma, and Schoology are the best online gradebooks for teachers. 

3. What are the best free gradebooks?

Thinkwave and Schoology’s basic version is the best free gradebooks suitable to be accessed by students and teachers. 

4. What are the pros and cons of online gradebooks?

Recording and retrieval of data, ensuring transparency with parents, and cloud-based storage are some of the advantages of online gradebooks. While technical glitches, knowledge of technical know-how, and data security threats are some of the disadvantages of using online gradebooks.