Flushing the Grades: A Pilot Study in Ungrading in a Watershed Hydrology Course
Abstract
There is a small but growing movement in higher education to go gradeless. The rationale for removing traditional metrics of assigning grades ungrading is multifaceted yet supported by published research, which suggests that assigning extrinsic motivation to learn (as is done in grading) reduces a students inherent intrinsic motivation. In other words, grades are detrimental to learning itself. In an effort to tap into students desire to learn and explore different scientific concepts, ungrading was implemented in a small, upper-level watershed hydrology course. The course content remained fundamentally the same, and traditional homework was still assigned. In lieu of returning graded homework assignments, students graded their own work through a peer review process. Assignments were checked for completion, and students were required to provide feedback on their level of comfort with the main topics within each assignment. For topics on which an individual was still struggling, the faculty provided extra feedback on the associated homework questions (again, still withholding traditional grades). Additional assessments included three short, reflective essays, in which students discussed their progression with the material and concepts in the courses. The final course assignment included a short oral exam. Students were given ten large-concept questions prior to the exam, and were asked to elaborate on two randomly-chosen questions in an informal discussion. After the exam, students were required to write a short, persuasive essay detailing the final grade they believe they deserved in the course. These essays were used in concert with the number of submitted assignments throughout the semester to assign a final course grade (which was a requirement of the university). Effectiveness of the ungrading pilot study was assessed through student feedback at both the beginning and end of the semester.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021AGUFMED55E0326D