Are you looking for a better way to grade? Alternative grading practices, such as specifications grading and ungrading, focus on feedback and improvement. In this interactive discovery session, learn how you can use these grading methods.
Nontraditional grading practices, such as specifications grading, standards-based grading, and ungrading, have been used more frequently in the last several years. This session will focus on one instructor’s experiences with specifications grading and upgrading, as well as provide resources for getting started with these practices.
In specifications grading, instead of using points or partial credit, assignments are scored pass/fail according to whether the submission meets the provided requirements. The grader can relatively quickly determine if the assignment specifications were met; with less time spent on determining partial credit, more time can be devoted to providing feedback. A student’s course grade is determined by the number of assignments successfully completed. Students have the opportunity to revise and resubmit at least some assignments or retake assessments. This allows students to use the instructor’s feedback, make improvements, and eventually demonstrate competency in course topics, without being penalized for needing additional time to meet course outcomes.
Ungrading is a method to further separate feedback from grades/scores. The term “ungrading” is used to describe several methods of designing a course in which no assignments are graded or in which the student has input in the grading process. The instructor provides feedback on all assignments and helps students identify areas for improvement. Since most institutions require instructors to assign course grades, these are typically determined through student-instructor conferences or student self-reflections submitted throughout the course.
In this session, the presenter will describe the use of specifications grading in several undergraduate engineering courses over six years in multiple modalities, including traditional face-to-face, blended, and fully remote courses. Additionally, the presenter will describe lessons learned from implementing ungrading in one course.
Level of Participation:
In this interactive discovery session, the presenter will engage attendees in a small group discussion. For about seven minutes, the presenter will give an overview of specifications grading and ungrading and how they were implemented in several undergraduate engineering courses. During the remaining time, the presenter will facilitate a question and answer session and discuss with attendees how they might use alternative grading practices in their courses. You will receive a handout with examples from the presenter’s courses and other resources. All materials will be available on the conference website.
Session Goals:
In this session, you will be introduced to specifications grading and ungrading, see examples of how these alternative grading practices were implemented, and receive a handout with additional examples and resources. In this informal presentation, you will have the opportunity to discuss with the presenter how you can use alternative grading practices in your courses.