Designing Your Course for Un-Grading - a Guide

Un-grading offers a paradigm shift in education, moving the focus from simply attaining a grade to fostering a deep love for learning. By replacing traditional grading with frequent, detailed feedback, un-grading empowers students, allowing them to take ownership of their educational journey, embrace experimentation, and cultivate a growth mindset. The term “un-grading” is a broad category of alternative grading strategies that include, but are not limited to:

• Contract grading: Students actively shape their own learning experience by determining their workload and earning grades through the successful completion of agreed-upon tasks, especially in a written contract. For examples of contract and syllabus please see Contract Grading and Peer Review. 
• Labor-based grades: Assessment focuses solely on the amount of measurable work a student puts in; no grades are allotted to students. For examples of this category, please see What Labor-Based Grading Contracts Look Like.
• Specification grades: Instructors create clear "success criteria" for each assignment, providing detailed feedback and a "met standard/not met standard" rating. Students revise their work to meet these expectations, often with multiple attempts. While it may still culminate in a final letter grade, the focus is on mastery. For examples of this category, please see Sample Syllabus Statement on Specs Grading.

Here are some steps by Sadaf Rathod and Joan Giovannini to assist you in designing a course using an un-grading strategy.

01 Compile background information on your course

Recognizing the background context of your course, including its size, course level, delivery mode is crucial for identifying its unique strengths and potential areas for simplification for alternative grading strategies. Consider using the Compile Background Information on Your Course template to assess the constraints and possibilities for un-grading strategies in your course.

02 Create an un-grading strategy 

To effectively implement an un-grading scheme to your course, it's crucial to map the existing course structure, including its learning objectives, assessment methods, and feedback mechanisms. After analyzing this information, create a new ungraded system that will align with the course's goals, ensuring that students continue to develop the necessary knowledge and skills. Consider using the Creating un-grading strategy to plan your assessments and build in feedback structures.

03 Create a communication plan

To ensure clarity and transparency, consider various communication channels to reach your students. Here are some options:

• Syllabus: While drafting the syllabus, consider using the Inclusive Syllabus Template provided by UMass Center for Teaching & Learning.
• Course orientation videos explain the un-grading system, its benefits, and how it will work in practice.
• Asynchronous discussion boards or social annotation tools, such as Perusall provide students opportunity to ask questions, seek clarification, and share their thoughts and ideas, these forums can foster a sense of community and support.
• In class syllabus review dedicates time in your class to discuss the un-grading system, addressing questions and concerns. 
• Student Contracts create a clear understanding of the un-grading system and the students’ commitment to the learning process.

04 Implementing the new un-grading scheme in Canvas

While Canvas is a powerful Learning Management System, it's primarily designed around a traditional grading system. Implementing an ungraded system will require some creative workarounds. Here are some options:

Un-grading and Canvas

05 Collaborate with your UMass Colleagues

• Attend a monthly meeting for the Alternative Grading Collaborative at the UMass Center for Teaching and Learning.
• Read about Faculty Experiences with Alternative Grading at UMass.
• Learn about Using Ungrading to Get Students to Think About Their Work from UMass Professor Jason Hooper.