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Kristina Rouech, Central Michigan University
JoDell Heroux, Central Michigan University
Holly Hoffman, Central Michigan University
Keywords: Equity, Ungrading, Innovation
Key Statement: This post encourages the use of ungrading as an educational practice that challenges traditional grading systems and provides tips for implementation.
Introduction
Ungrading is an educational philosophy and practice that challenges traditional grading systems. Instead of assigning grades, ungrading focuses on other methods of assessment and feedback that emphasize learning, growth, and personal development (Clark & Talbert, 2023). Ungrading meets students where they are and moves them forward with intentional support and guidance. Faculty provide individualized, specific feedback intended to assist students in successfully achieving the course objectives.
Ungrading practices remove the stigma associated with making mistakes and provide space for students to use them as tools for learning. Engaging in ungrading disrupts the approach to learning where instructors have all the power (Rapchak et al., 2023) and situates the student as the expert in their learning. This type of practice inherently values diverse ways of thinking as feedback is individualized and specific to the student. A particularly important aspect of ungrading is that it acknowledges that students bring unique skills, backgrounds, and experiences to the learning process and uses this information to support each student in achieving the course objectives. As with any teaching strategy, ungrading is not a one-size-fits-all solution as the implementation of ungrading can vary widely, with different instructors, disciplines, and institutions adopting different practices and methods.
Tips
Tip 1: Define and describe in your syllabus. Be clear and concise with your syllabus language to communicate the definition of ungrading and how it will be used in your course. Consider including a definition, how you will provide feedback, what students should do with the feedback, why you are ungrading, and how it matches with overall course expectations and objectives.
Tip 2: Use a progress tracker. Provide students with a tool (e.g., document, outline) to keep track of their work in the class. Use sections that match the various categories for coursework that you may have. For example, you could use engagement, assignments, and tests/quizzes. Leave space for students to record when the task was submitted, notes/feedback, and then notes for revisions.
Tip 3: Be open to innovative ideas and willing to listen to students. Creating a welcoming, open, and nurturing environment in the classroom often results in students feeling more comfortable and safer to share their thoughts and ideas inside and outside the classroom. This may result in students taking risks to explore unusual and often rewarding creative approaches and mindsets. Develop times outside of the school and traditional office hours to build meaningful connections with students. Having this open connection assists in out-of-the-box thinking of ungrading. It shifts the focus to the commitment of students to engage with the material in the learning environment.
Tip 4: Give space for new learning. The sky is the limit when considering opportunities for additional learning. Encourage students to be present in each moment to reflect and consider their mindset, current knowledge, and goals for new perspectives and information. Reflection provides moments for students to review past and current new learning. One key component of ungrading is the collaboration between the student and instructor. Space for learning about course content, as well as assessment and alternative approaches to supporting growth results in positive gains for all.
Tip 5: Encourage students to revise and resubmit work. Through the process of revising their work, students receive detailed, informative, and timely feedback (Clark & Talbert, 2023; Kalbarczyk et al., 2023). Students may instantly utilize this information to improve and increase the quality of their assignments. Resubmission of coursework results in higher levels of confidence and comfort in the classroom, as well as the mastery of topics, instead of the goal to earn a specific final grade. Ungrading provides opportunities to shift the focus with universal gains for students instead focusing on traditional grading measures
Tip 6: Utilize a grade declaration document. Encouraging students to complete a document that outlines the progress they have made with coursework multiple times throughout the semester provides opportunities for reflection, self-assessment, and goal setting. This may be done by listing weekly expectations (attendance, reading, assignments, etc.) and providing students space to record notes about completion. Throughout various weeks in the semester, allow students time and space to consider their learning and what grade they would give themselves at the current moment. Final grades are a requirement of the institution and are not finalized until the end of the semester. A disclaimer may be included that the instructor makes the final determination of the letter grade that are submitted at the end of the semester.
Tip 7: Focus on the learning objectives of your course. Ungrading allows you and your students to focus on the learning objectives of the course (Kalbarczyk et al., 2023). Assignments are assessed according to learning objectives rather than arbitrary items like timeliness, formatting, and determining the difference in point structures (i.e., 8 vs. 10 points).
Conclusion
Many aspects of ungrading may be implemented. It is important to determine which aspects work for you and your students. These tips show components that may be implemented and must be considered carefully. Implementing ungrading may be a gradual process that involves rethinking all components of your course, or you can jump into the deep end and institute the whole concept all at once. Be patient with yourself and your students as you examine new ways to be more inclusive and provide a supporting learning environment for all students. In the end, it is about exploring opportunities for enhancing learning, and self-reflection, as well as building knowledge and confidence. These tips are offered as a starting point to determine what works for you and your students.
Discussion Questions
How might implementing ungrading allow you to focus more on students’ individual needs?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of implementing ungrading for your content and context?
Which tips for implementation of ungrading seem most feasible or relevant for you and your students?
References
Clark, D., & Talbert, R. (2023). Grading for growth: A guide to alternative grading practices that promote authentic learning and student engagement in higher education. Routledge.
Kalbarczyk, A., Miller, E., Majidulla, A., Tarazona-Meza, C., Chatterjee, P., Sauer, M., & Closser, S. (2023). Exploring the implications of implementing ungrading in two graduate-level global health courses. Pedagogy in Health Promotion, 9(4), pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1177/23733799231169204
Rapchak, M., Hands, A. S., & Hensley, M. K. (2023). Moving toward equity: Experiences with ungrading. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 64(1), 89-98. https://doi.org/10.3138/jelis-2021-0062
About the Authors
