Can Alternative Grading Approaches Motivate Students and Help them Focus on Learning? Exploring “Ungrading” √ §

Join us to explore alternative ways to assess and evaluate students’ work. A range of approaches have been designed to help learners develop intrinsic motivation and love for learning. Educators suggest that “ungrading,” which is a collective term for these alternatives to traditional grading, can motivate students, reduce their anxiety, and connect them meaningfully to their learning. Plus, they argue, it can save faculty time. As we tour global, transformative alternative examples like contract, competency-based, and specifications grading, we’ll discuss how many approaches rely on self and peer assessment. We’ll also look at small stakes steps you can implement more easily to experiment with alternative approaches.