Faculty here at UMass and across higher education have raised interest in alternative grading practices like ungrading, specifications grading, and contract-based grading that seek to answer this question and imagine traditional grading otherwise. Alternative grading practices recognize that learning is not linear and prioritize growth and student agency through clear expectations and transparency, feedback to monitor progress, and multiple opportunities to demonstrate learning.
Join the Alternative Grading Listserv
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Alternative Grading Collaborative: Connect with community
Attend a meeting of the Alternative Grading Collaborative to connect with other instructors interested in rethinking traditional assessment practices to prioritize student growth. Our monthly meetings will be a space to workshop ideas, troubleshoot challenges, and share successes in teaching with alternative grading approaches.
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CTL Book Indication: Grading for Growth
Want to learn more about alternative grading? Grading for Growth: A Guide to Alternative Grading Practices that Promote Authentic Learning and Student Engagement in Higher Education provides an overview and introduction to alternative grading, including theoretical foundations and case studies from a variety of course contexts.