Student Progress Tracking Guide | Documentation

1. Overview

DojoMaster's student progress tracking system allows instructors to monitor skill development, record proficiency assessments, and track student advancement toward grading requirements. This comprehensive system provides visibility into each student's journey from beginner to mastery.

Key Features

Six Proficiency Levels: Track skills from NOT_STARTED through MASTERED with clear progression stages
Skill Categories: Organize skills by category (e.g., Basics, Forms, Sparring, Weapons) for structured learning
Difficulty Ratings: Skills are rated as BEGINNER, INTERMEDIATE, ADVANCED, or EXPERT
Individual Assessments: Record detailed proficiency assessments for each student and skill
Progress Reports: View comprehensive reports showing skill progression over time
Grading Integration: Skill proficiency directly affects grading eligibility and AI predictions
Assessor Tracking: Record who assessed each skill and when
Assessment Notes: Add detailed notes to each skill assessment for context

Why Track Student Progress?

Systematic progress tracking helps instructors identify students ready for grading, personalize instruction, recognize achievements, and provide data-driven feedback. It also powers AI-driven insights for retention risk and grading readiness predictions.

2. Prerequisites

Before tracking student progress, ensure you have:

✓OWNER, SENSEI, or SEMPAI role (required to record skill assessments)
✓Skill categories created (organize skills into logical groups)
✓Skills defined (create skills with names, descriptions, difficulty levels)
✓Students enrolled (students must be active in your club)
✓Belt system configured (belt ranks with required skills defined)

3. Understanding Student Progress

Student progress tracking in DojoMaster is built around the concept of skill proficiency—measuring how well a student has mastered each required skill for their belt rank.

What is Progress Tracking?

Progress tracking is the systematic recording of student skill development over time. For each skill, instructors assess the student's proficiency level, providing a clear picture of:

•Current Abilities: What skills the student has mastered
•Areas for Improvement: Skills that need more practice
•Grading Readiness: Whether the student meets skill requirements for their next belt
•Development Trends: How quickly the student is progressing

How Progress Tracking Works

1.Skills are Defined: Club creates skill categories and individual skills with difficulty ratings
2.Belt Requirements Set: Each belt rank specifies which skills are required
3.Instructors Assess: During classes, instructors evaluate student proficiency for each skill
4.Progress is Recorded: Assessments are saved with proficiency level, assessor, date, and notes
5.Reports Generated: System calculates average proficiency, mastered skills, and grading readiness

Skill Categories and Organization

Skills are organized into categories for easier management and assessment. Common categories include:

🥋 Basics

Fundamental techniques: stances, blocks, punches, kicks

📋 Forms/Kata

Choreographed patterns and sequences

🥊 Sparring

Controlled combat techniques and strategies

⚔️ Weapons

Traditional weapons training (bo staff, nunchaku, etc.)

4. Skill Proficiency Levels

DojoMaster uses six proficiency levels to track student skill development from initial exposure to complete mastery.

NOT_STARTED

Student has not yet been introduced to this skill. No assessment recorded.

When to Use: Default state for all skills before first assessment

LEARNING

Student has been introduced to the skill and is beginning to understand the basic concepts. Requires significant guidance and correction.

When to Use: First 1-2 weeks after introducing a new skill

PRACTICING

Student can perform the skill with guidance but makes frequent errors. Technique is developing but inconsistent.

When to Use: Student understands the skill but needs regular practice and feedback

COMPETENT

Student can perform the skill correctly most of the time with minimal guidance. Technique is solid but could be refined.

When to Use: Student demonstrates consistent execution with occasional minor errors

PROFICIENT

Student performs the skill with high accuracy and good form. Can execute independently without guidance.

When to Use: Student shows strong technical proficiency and consistency

MASTERED

Student has complete mastery of the skill with excellent form, power, and control. Can teach others and apply skill in various contexts.

When to Use: Student demonstrates exceptional skill execution and deep understanding

Proficiency Scoring

Each proficiency level has a numeric score (0-5) used for calculating average skill proficiency. This average is used in AI predictions for retention risk and grading readiness. Students with average proficiency ≥ 4.0 are considered highly skilled.

5. Recording Skill Assessments

Recording skill assessments is the core of progress tracking. Here's how to assess and record student proficiency:

Assessing Individual Students

1.Navigate to Students → [Student Name]
2.Scroll to the "Skill Progress" section
3.Click "Record Assessment" or "Update Skill"
4.Select the skill category and specific skill to assess
5.Choose the appropriate proficiency level (NOT_STARTED through MASTERED)
6.Add assessment notes (optional but recommended) to provide context
7.Click "Save Assessment"

Assessment Best Practices

•Be Consistent: Use the same criteria for all students when assessing the same skill
•Assess Regularly: Update skill proficiency every 4-6 weeks or after significant improvement
•Add Context: Include notes about specific strengths or areas needing work
•Focus on Technique: Assess technical proficiency, not just effort or attendance
•Be Honest: Accurate assessments help students progress appropriately
•Track Progress: Review previous assessments before recording new ones to see improvement

What Gets Recorded

Each skill assessment records:

Student ID: Which student was assessed
Skill ID: Which skill was assessed
Proficiency Level: Current proficiency (NOT_STARTED to MASTERED)
Assessed By: Instructor who performed the assessment (automatically recorded)
Assessed At: Date and time of assessment (automatically recorded)
Notes: Optional detailed feedback or observations

Important: One Assessment Per Skill

Each student can have only ONE current assessment per skill. When you record a new assessment, it replaces the previous one. The system tracks the most recent proficiency level and assessment date. Historical progression is calculated by comparing assessment dates and proficiency changes over time.

6. Viewing Progress Reports

DojoMaster provides multiple ways to view and analyze student progress:

Individual Student Progress View

1.Navigate to Students → [Student Name]
2.View the "Skill Progress" section showing:

📊 Overall Statistics

• Total skills assessed
• Average proficiency score (0-5 scale)
• Number of mastered skills (PROFICIENT or MASTERED)
• Skills in progress (LEARNING, PRACTICING, COMPETENT)

📋 Skills by Category

Skills organized by category (Basics, Forms, Sparring, etc.) with proficiency level, last assessment date, and assessor name for each skill.

🎯 Required Skills for Next Belt

Highlights which skills are required for the student's next belt rank and their current proficiency in each. Shows progress toward grading requirements.

📝 Assessment Notes

Detailed notes from instructors about each skill assessment, providing context and specific feedback.

Student Portal View

Students can view their own progress through the Student Portal:

•Belt Progress Card: Shows current belt, required skills, and proficiency levels
•Skill Breakdown: Lists all assessed skills with proficiency levels
•Progress Trajectory: Visual representation of skill development over time
•AI Insights: Personalized recommendations based on skill proficiency (AI-Enabled tier only)

Club-Wide Progress Analytics

Instructors with OWNER or SENSEI roles can view club-wide progress analytics:

•Average Proficiency by Belt Rank: Compare skill levels across different belt ranks
•Most/Least Mastered Skills: Identify which skills students struggle with or excel at
•Assessment Activity: Track how frequently skills are being assessed
•Top Performers: Students with highest average proficiency scores

7. Progress Toward Grading Requirements

Skill proficiency is a critical factor in determining grading eligibility. DojoMaster automatically calculates whether students meet skill requirements for their next belt.

How Skill Proficiency Affects Grading

•Required Skills: Each belt rank specifies which skills must be mastered
•Minimum Proficiency: Students typically need COMPETENT or higher for required skills
•Mastery Threshold: AI considers skills at PROFICIENT or MASTERED as "mastered"
•Average Proficiency: Overall skill level affects grading readiness predictions

Grading Readiness Calculation

The system evaluates grading readiness based on multiple factors:

✅ Skills Mastered

Requirement: At least 80% of required skills at PROFICIENT or MASTERED level

Example: If next belt requires 10 skills, student needs 8+ at PROFICIENT/MASTERED

📊 Average Proficiency

Calculation: Sum of all proficiency scores ÷ number of assessed skills

Example: (3 + 4 + 5 + 2 + 4) ÷ 5 = 3.6 average proficiency

🎯 Skill Difficulty

Consideration: Higher difficulty skills (ADVANCED, EXPERT) may require higher proficiency

Example: EXPERT skills might need PROFICIENT level, while BEGINNER skills might only need COMPETENT

Viewing Grading Readiness

1.Navigate to Students → [Student Name]
2.View the "Grading Readiness" section showing:

• Required skills for next belt
• Current proficiency for each required skill
• Skills that meet requirements (green checkmark)
• Skills that need improvement (yellow/red indicator)
• Overall readiness percentage
• AI-powered grading readiness prediction (AI-Enabled tier only)

Grading Readiness Indicators

• HIGHLY_READY (91-100): All requirements exceeded, excellent skill mastery
• READY (76-90): All requirements met, student is prepared for grading
• ALMOST_READY (51-75): Most requirements met, a few more weeks of training needed
• NEEDS_IMPROVEMENT (21-50): Some requirements met, significant gaps remain
• NOT_READY (0-20): Does not meet basic requirements, more training needed

8. Skill Progression Over Time

Tracking skill progression over time helps instructors identify trends, celebrate improvements, and adjust teaching strategies.

Understanding Progression Patterns

Different students progress at different rates. Common patterns include:

📈 Steady Progression

Student consistently improves proficiency levels over time (e.g., LEARNING → PRACTICING → COMPETENT every 4-6 weeks). This is the ideal pattern.

🚀 Rapid Progression

Student advances quickly through proficiency levels (e.g., LEARNING → COMPETENT in 2-3 weeks). May indicate natural talent or prior experience.

📊 Plateau

Student remains at the same proficiency level for extended period (e.g., PRACTICING for 3+ months). May need additional support or different teaching approach.

📉 Regression

Student's proficiency decreases (e.g., COMPETENT → PRACTICING). Often due to long absence, injury, or lack of practice. Requires intervention.

Tracking Progression Metrics

Key metrics to monitor for skill progression:

•Time to Proficiency: How long it takes students to reach PROFICIENT level for each skill
•Assessment Frequency: How often skills are being reassessed (recommended: every 4-6 weeks)
•Proficiency Trend: Whether average proficiency is increasing, stable, or decreasing
•Skills Mastered Rate: Number of new skills reaching PROFICIENT/MASTERED per month
•Skill Gaps: Skills that remain at LEARNING or PRACTICING for extended periods

Using Progression Data

Leverage progression data to:

•Personalize Instruction: Focus on skills where students are plateauing
•Celebrate Achievements: Recognize students who show rapid or steady progression
•Identify Struggling Students: Detect regression or prolonged plateaus early
•Adjust Curriculum: If many students struggle with a skill, consider teaching approach
•Plan Grading Events: Identify students ready for grading based on progression trends

9. Common Pitfalls and Troubleshooting

Here are solutions to common issues when tracking student progress:

❌ Problem: No skills appear in student's progress section

Cause: No skills have been created or no assessments have been recorded.

Solution:

1. Navigate to Settings → Skills
2. Create skill categories (e.g., Basics, Forms, Sparring)
3. Add individual skills to each category
4. Return to student profile and record first assessments

Note: Skills must be created at the club level before they can be assessed for individual students.

❌ Problem: Can't update a skill assessment

Cause: Insufficient permissions or student is inactive.

Solution:

1. Verify you have OWNER, SENSEI, or SEMPAI role
2. Check that student is active (not archived or deactivated)
3. Ensure you're logged in with correct account
4. Try refreshing the page
5. If problem persists, check browser console for errors

❌ Problem: Average proficiency seems incorrect

Cause: Calculation includes all assessed skills, not just required skills.

Solution:

1. Understand that average proficiency = sum of all proficiency scores ÷ number of assessed skills
2. Proficiency scores: NOT_STARTED=0, LEARNING=1, PRACTICING=2, COMPETENT=3, PROFICIENT=4, MASTERED=5
3. Review all assessed skills to verify proficiency levels are accurate
4. Update any outdated assessments

Example: Student with 5 skills at levels 3, 4, 5, 2, 4 has average proficiency of (3+4+5+2+4)÷5 = 3.6

❌ Problem: Student shows as "not ready" for grading despite good progress

Cause: Missing assessments for required skills or other grading requirements not met.

Solution:

1. Check which skills are required for the next belt rank
2. Verify all required skills have been assessed
3. Ensure at least 80% of required skills are at PROFICIENT or MASTERED
4. Check other grading requirements: attendance, training days, stripes
5. Review grading readiness section for specific gaps

Remember: Grading readiness considers multiple factors beyond just skill proficiency.

❌ Problem: Skill assessments are inconsistent between instructors

Cause: Different instructors using different criteria for proficiency levels.

Solution:

1. Hold instructor meeting to establish consistent assessment criteria
2. Create written guidelines for each proficiency level
3. Use skill difficulty ratings to guide expectations
4. Conduct periodic calibration sessions where instructors assess same students
5. Document specific criteria in skill descriptions

Best Practice: Head instructor should review and approve proficiency level definitions to ensure consistency.

❌ Problem: Students not progressing past PRACTICING level

Cause: Insufficient practice time, unclear expectations, or skill too difficult.

Solution:

1. Review skill difficulty rating - may need to be adjusted
2. Provide more detailed feedback in assessment notes
3. Break complex skills into smaller sub-skills
4. Increase practice time for that skill in classes
5. Offer additional training or one-on-one instruction
6. Check if attendance is sufficient for skill development

Note: Some skills naturally take longer to master. PRACTICING for 2-3 months is normal for complex techniques.

❌ Problem: Progress reports don't show historical progression

Cause: System only stores current proficiency level, not full history.

Solution:

1. Use assessment notes to document progression (e.g., "Improved from PRACTICING to COMPETENT")
2. Record assessment dates to track time between proficiency changes
3. For detailed history, maintain separate records or spreadsheet
4. Consider using AI insights (AI-Enabled tier) for progression analysis

Workaround: Assessment notes field can be used to track progression history manually.

❌ Problem: Too many skills to assess efficiently

Cause: Skill list is too granular or comprehensive.

Solution:

1. Focus on assessing required skills for each belt rank first
2. Consolidate similar skills into broader categories
3. Assess skills in batches during specific classes (e.g., Forms class = assess all forms)
4. Delegate assessment to multiple instructors
5. Prioritize skills that affect grading eligibility
6. Consider quarterly comprehensive assessments instead of monthly

Best Practice: Start with 10-15 core skills per belt rank, expand as needed.

10. Related Features

Student progress tracking integrates with several other DojoMaster features:

🥋 Belt System Configuration

Configure belt ranks and define required skills for each belt level

🎓 Grading Event Setup and Execution

Use skill proficiency data to determine grading eligibility and conduct belt tests

🤖 AI-Powered Insights

Leverage AI to predict retention risk and grading readiness based on skill proficiency

👥 Student Enrollment & Management

Manage student profiles and view comprehensive progress information

🎯 Stripe/Theme System Management

Award stripes based on skill mastery and track curriculum progress

📊 Dashboard Overview

View club-wide progress metrics and skill proficiency analytics

👨‍🏫 Staff and Instructor Management

Manage instructor permissions for skill assessments

🔐 User Roles & Permissions

Understand which roles can record and view skill assessments

11. Next Steps

Ready to start tracking student progress? Follow these steps to get started:

Set Up Skill Categories

Navigate to Settings → Skills and create skill categories that align with your martial art (e.g., Basics, Forms, Sparring, Weapons). Organize skills logically for easier assessment.

Define Individual Skills

For each category, add specific skills with clear names, descriptions, and difficulty ratings (BEGINNER, INTERMEDIATE, ADVANCED, EXPERT). Start with 10-15 core skills per belt rank.

Configure Belt Requirements

In Settings → Belt System, specify which skills are required for each belt rank. This enables automatic grading readiness calculations based on skill proficiency.

Establish Assessment Criteria

Hold an instructor meeting to define consistent criteria for each proficiency level (NOT_STARTED through MASTERED). Document these criteria for reference to ensure all instructors assess students consistently.

Begin Recording Assessments

Start assessing students during regular classes. Focus on required skills first, then expand to additional skills. Record assessments with detailed notes to provide context and track progression.

Review Progress Regularly

Schedule monthly reviews of student progress reports. Identify students ready for grading, those who need additional support, and skills that require more class time. Use AI insights (if available) to enhance decision-making.

🚀 Pro Tip: Start Small, Scale Gradually

Don't try to assess every skill for every student immediately. Start with your most advanced students (those closest to grading) and focus on required skills. As you become comfortable with the system, expand to more students and additional skills. This gradual approach ensures quality assessments and prevents instructor burnout.

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