assessment for learning

7) student assessment and grading practices reflect a culture of practice through iteration, feedback, and revision that allows students to learn without negative consequences. 

Students and instructors share the belief that one can improve through reflection and practice.

• Three Mindset Shifts That Can Help Students Succeed article describes the importance of a growth mindset for college students. 

Students reflect on their learning strategies and how they might use a variety of strategies for learning.

• Growth Mindset Activity for STEM from University of Michigan Inclusive Teaching Resource Guides describes an activity that can be implemented in STEM classrooms.

• Growth Mindset Module for College Students 30-minute module for college students from Project for Education Research that Scales (PERTS.net) designed to students’ engagement, motivation and success.

Students are given opportunities to reflect on their learning processes and revisit the course materials to deepen their learning.

• Introducing Feedforward: Renaming and Reframing Our Repertoire for Written Response article about reframing written feedback. 

Students are given multiple attempts to show progress in learning and improve their grades on course activities and assessments.

• Allow resubmission for credit back.

• Provide ow-stakes quizzes, team tests, and average the first test average.

• Give more frequent quizzes/exams and drop the lowest score(s) to improve morale and lower the stakes.

Students have opportunities to revise assignments prior to turning in the final work and apply what they have learned to future assignments/tasks. 

• Provide more opportunities for revising assignments and assessments based on feedback.

• Allow two attempts for online quizzes without penalty. 

• If greater than ⅔ of class struggles on an exam question, allow resubmission of answer for full credit.

Students engage with equitable grading practices (have ungraded assignments where the purpose is to practice and learn new content and develop new skills, not giving zeros, appropriate weighting of assessment and assignments, etc.).

• Jesse Stommel’s introductory blog post on ungrading and compassionate grading.

• Kevin Gannon Blog on Labor Based Grading explaining his use of labor-based contracts.

• Learning agreements in lieu of traditional grading.

• Joe Feldman’s Grading for Equity is intended for a K12 audience but chapters 7 and 8 have recommendations for more sound mathematical grading practices.