It’s always good to think about why we do something, and how we do it. Traditional grading often treats mistakes as deserving of penalty rather than as a learning process. They also mean that, as teachers, we are constantly judging rather than supporting students. Additionally, traditional uses of single letter grades blend academic and non-academic performance which can make grades meaningless.
This post highlights some great discussions on equity in grading. First I share some discussions on equitable grading. A must read is The Case Against the Zero, which discusses how we need to make grading more mathematically fair (there is also an entire chapter about this in the book Grading for Equity discussed below). Following that I share discussions about practice exams and group exams. Since exams are some of the more stressful assessments our students take, these two practices can be beneficial for students (and for teachers). Finally, check out the further reading list (there's probably something there to put on your spring break to-be-read list!).
Rethinking Traditional Grading
Grading Justice
In this podcast, Kristen Blinne discusses grading strategies that promote equity and encourage learning.
The Case Against the Zero
In this article Alexis Tamony discusses rethinking grading practices to make them more mathematically fair.
Grading for Equity
If you have some time, I recommend reading the book Grading for Equity: What it is, what is matters, and how it can transform schools and classrooms. In this book Joe Feldman discusses issues with traditional grading and offers practical, sometimes quick and easy, ways to implement more equitable grading practices.
The entire book is worth the read. If you told me you didn't have time to read all if it, then I'd say you want to start with chapter 2 for a short history of grading and chapter 4 on the negative impacts of traditional grading. Part III covers equitable practices. My favorite chapters are chapters 7 & 8 for discussions of mathematically accurate practices (this is eye-opening folks!), chapters 9 & 10 for practices that focus on knowledge and not behavior (rethink extra credit), and chapter 11 for practices that support growth mindset.
You can access an e-version of the book through University Libraries.
A New Way to Grade with Benefits to Students and Faculty: Specifications Grading.
Recently UNC’s own Dr. Molly Jameson wrote about her experiences with Specifications Grading. This grading method can relieve instructor and student stress around grading!.
Rethinking Exams
Practice Exams for Improved Learning
Practice exams have a lot of benefits. They are especially helpful for first year students because they provide practice for formats they may not be used to from high school. Practice exams also help instructors uncover incorrect or unclear answer options, questions that need more clarity, and where instructions may need to be clearer. In the piece Practice Exams for Improved Learning from January 2022, Dr. John Tures discusses these benefits.
Group Exams
I love group assessment, especially for things like teaching about processes or skill-based topics such as citation style. Group exams encourage collaborative learning and improve overall student learning in a course! You can read details of how to implement in the article Collaborative Learning through Group Testing.
Also check out the Faculty Focus Live podcast with Judy Klimet where she discusses group exams and how exam review supports student learning.
Further Reading
Blinne, K. (2021). Grading Justice: Teacher-activist approaches to assessment. Rowman & Littlefield
Cortright, R.N., Collins, H.L., Rodenbaugh D.W., and DiCarlo, S.T. (2003). Student retention of course content is improved by collaborative group testing, Advan. Physiol. Edu. 27: p102-108
Nilson, L.B. (2014). Specifications grading: Restoring rigor, motivating students, and saving faculty time. Stylus Publishing.
Nilson, L.B. (2015). Specifications grading [podcast]. Available at teachinginhighered.com/podcast/specifications-grading
Stearns, S. A. (1996). Collaborative exams as Llearning tools. College Teaching, 44(3), pp. 111-112
Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-centered teaching: Five key changes to practice. Jossey-Bass.
