UnGrading In
Ethnic Studies 121
The framework I use in our course is called UnGrading. It is inspired by a body of scholars focussed on the science of learning (meta-cognition) and social justice in education. An earned grade will still be submitted after the completion of a student self evaluation.
No Points. Just Feedback & Guidance
Inspired by Laura Gibbs' approach, all-feedback-no grades, I do not put grades on student work. Instead I give lots of feedback and guidance toward successful outcomes. Students either meet and complete the assignment criteria or not yet. Students who do not meet the criteria receive an opportunity to RE-DO the assignment. In the end of the class session, students complete a Student Self Evaluation. What is a Student Self Evaluation?
Re-Do's
A RE-DO os a second chance. It enables students to take a risk without the fear of "failing." Not only do students get another opportunity to level up, they get to present written evidence of their improvement. Designing a space for students to Reflect, Edit, Discover and Observe their own performance and process enables students to articulate their own learning patterns, strategies, and identify obstacles. When students share how they improved, the RE-DO reveals their own areas of improvement and encourages self-confidence -the “I feel smart” moment. (*Personally, the RE-DO fosters my ability to provide individualized instruction and support and augmented the mutual teacher-student relationship.)
There is no voice-over in the video. Visual descriptors are available in the video description via YouTube.
Grades Suck
The video presents an argument representing my practice and my core beliefs about learning and the problems with grades. The implementation of UnGrading will be provided in the Orientation Module is Canvas.
"Agency, dialogue, self actualization, and social justice are not possible in a hierarchical system that pits teachers against students and encourages competition by ranking students against one another. Grades are currency for a capitalist system that reduces teaching and learning to a mere transaction." - Jesse Stommel.