Every college or university shifting classes online should make all grades pass/no record (or something similar).
Students will drop out, lose necessary scholarships, experience intense anxiety as a result of how they’re graded. Support students by not putting them through that.
Students will drop out, lose necessary scholarships, experience intense anxiety as a result of how they’re graded. Support students by not putting them through that.
If you and your institution just continue on grading, “business as usual,” here’s what all those grades will be measuring:
• how well students and teachers “pivot” to online
• whether students have necessary access and support at home
• their ability to “perform” in a crisis
• how well students and teachers “pivot” to online
• whether students have necessary access and support at home
• their ability to “perform” in a crisis
What all those grades mostly won’t be measuring: student learning and/or content knowledge.
Now is not the time to be testing students (literally or figuratively).
If you do give literal tests, make them collaborative, self-scored, open book.
If you do give literal tests, make them collaborative, self-scored, open book.
Ask students to evaluate their own work. Self-reflection and metacognition are critical skills in every discipline.
If you have a very large class, asking students to do more writing does not mean you have to read every single word they write.
Student learning will still happen even if teachers do not witness, evaluate, and record it.
If your institution makes no significant changes to its grading policies, consider giving As to anyone who is passing. As you “pivot” to online, design so that all attempts are measured as success.
If your system has a way to record an F as a W (or something equivalent to “withdrew”), use it.
Don’t give students’ incompletes. Right now, that will extend anxiety, not mitigate it, with no clear respite in sight.
Have a student create a plan for themselves and then record the grade as an A.
Have a student create a plan for themselves and then record the grade as an A.
If you are precariously employed and your institution is monitoring how you grade, with cruel policies and strict oversight, shame on them for not trusting teachers or supporting students.
There’s nothing radical about ungrading at this particular moment. It’s just necessary.
A few more thoughts here:
An update from my own institution: \
