Alternative Grading

This week I would like to share a relatively recent article entitled, “How an alternative grading system is improving student learning” by Arnaud (2021). The author cites several problems of current grading practices, which indicate grades are

• gatekeeping devices, causing graduate schools and potential employers to discount students’ abilities;

• inaccurate as a measure of student learning as many people assume; and

• routinely normalized to adjust for differences among graders, especially in large enrollment courses.

The author shares an alternative grading system known as specifications—or specs—grading. “This system eschews the conventional points-based approach to grading. The key components of specs grading are clearly defined learning outcomes (direct measurable statements of what a student will know; be able to do or believe after taking a course), pass-fail grading of assignments with no partial credit, and multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery of learning outcomes.

Specs grading makes grading more transparent for students; gives professors and students a clear picture of what students have learned and what they still need to work on. Success is defined by detailed analytical rubrics, so grading is more consistent and has the potential to be more equitable.”

There are many other resources for considering alternate grading approaches, which I will share below for your review.

1. Grading for Growth newsletter (Talbert and Clark, 2021)

2. Alternative grading approaches (Moore, 2021) [Ungrading, Contract, Specs]

3. UVA's Center for Teaching Excellence Alternative Grading: Practices to Support Both Equity and Learning (2021)

4. Readiness assessment tool helps instructors decide on spec grading (Palmer, 2022).

5. Credit-bearing learning achievements uses narrative evaluations (Angel, 2020)

6. Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students, and Saving Faculty Time, details the experiences of 17 faculty from a wide variety of disciplines who switched to specifications (“specs”) grading (Nilson, 2020).

7. Grades Are at the Center of the Student Mental Health Crisis. (Elyer, 2022)

8. Meaningful Grading contains tips on grading in the arts (Springborg, Haugnes & Holmgren, 2020)

9. Creativity and Grading:Nurturing the Aha Moment (from Pedagogies of Care)

10. Grading, Untangled (2019 Lily Conference Presentation)

11. Alternative Grading Systems: Quantitative Comparisons (Myers, 2022)

Another article entitled, “Ways to Talk About Grading With Your Students” offers three additional suggestions, which include:

• Help students understand the implication of grades;

• Help students develop a realistic vision of effort; and

• Strive for equity in grading.

References

Arnaud, C. (2021). How an alternative grading system is improving student learning. Chemical and Engineering News, 99(15).