No Grades!?
Gradeless education is an approach that aims to shift the focus from grades to learning. Instead of assigning grades, teachers provide feedback and work with students to help them improve their understanding and skills. The goal of this approach is to create a more holistic and meaningful learning experience, where students can focus on their personal growth and development rather than just getting a good grade.
Gradeless learning benefits students in a number of ways. Firstly, it helps to reduce stress and anxiety that can come from worrying about grades. Students can focus on learning for the sake of learning and on the process of improving their skills rather than just getting a certain grade. This approach also helps to promote a growth mindset, where mistakes and failures are seen as opportunities for learning and improvement, rather than as a reflection of a student's intelligence or ability.
Additionally, gradeless learning enviroment can help to promote more authentic assessments of student learning. Teachers can focus on providing descriptive feedback that helps students understand their strengths and areas for improvement, rather than just assigning a letter grade. This approach also help to promote more equity in grading, as teachers are less likely to be influenced by biases or stereotypes that can sometimes affect grading practices. Overall, a gradeless learning environment can be a powerful way to promote deeper learning and to create a more equitable and inclusive educational environment.
How do I know my student is doing ok? - Assessment in a gradeless environment.
Assessing students without grades can be done in a variety of ways. Some alternatives to traditional grading methods use at Mistwood include:
Narrative feedback: Instead of assigning grades, teachers can provide verbal or written feedback that describes a student's strengths, areas for improvement, and progress over time. This type of feedback can be more descriptive and personalized than a simple letter grade.
Portfolios: Students can create portfolios of their work over time, showcasing their progress and growth in various subjects. This type of assessment can be more holistic and give a more complete picture of a student's abilities.
Assessments based on mastery: Teachers can assess students based on their mastery of specific skills or concepts, rather than assigning a grade based on overall performance. This can help students focus on their areas of weakness and work to improve them.
Overall, assessing students without grades requires a shift in mindset and a focus on growth and progress over time. By using alternative assessment methods, teachers can provide a more accurate picture of a student's abilities and help them achieve their full potential.
Criticisms of traditional grading systems include:
Grading systems exacerbate stress and mental health challenges among students (Horowitz and Graf, 2019; Jones, 1993).
Grades decrease students' intrinsic motivation (Pulfrey et al, 2011; Chamberlain et al, 2018).
Grading decreases students' ability to learn from feedback, as students tend to focus on a letter/numerical grade and not the accompanying feedback (Schinske & Tanner, 2017; Kuepper-Tetzel & Gardner, 2021).
Grading perpetuates inequities between students (Link & Guskey 2019; Malouff & Thorsteinsson, 2016; Feldman, 2018).
They may encourage students to be risk averse, nudging them towards courses and assignments in which they feel they can do well at the expense of new areas of potential interest and inquiry.