F04: Alternative grading practices for statistics courses

Information

Traditional grading methods can often be one of the barriers that blocks students from being successful in a statistics course. In this poster two statistics instructors we will share two alternative grading methods they used in statistics courses to provide a more inclusive learning environment. The first method, specifications grading, is a method of evaluating student performance in which students are graded based on the degree to which they meet specific, pre-determined criteria or "specifications" for a given assignment or project, rather than on a traditional scale (such as A-F or 0-100). This method is intended to make the evaluation process more objective and to reduce the subjectivity that can be associated with more traditional grading methods. It also aims to provide clear and transparent criteria for students to understand what is expected of them and how their work will be evaluated. The second method, called “ungrading”, emphasizes feedback throughout all assessments. Grades are not given on any assessment. The goal of ungrading is to shift student focus away from grades and towards learning. Final grades are determined after a meeting with the instructor and a student reflection they learned. Students provided positive feedback on course evaluations for both methods.