Equitable Grading Strategies

What do grades really measure? Can we create a more accurate indicator of our students’ skills and abilities? The historical grading system used in higher education is often more a measure of privilege than of learning. This system can create a competitive, hostile course climate that can undermine efforts to build community with students and positions instructors as gatekeepers, as opposed to partners. In this course we will investigate alternative, research-based strategies for indicating student learning that are more equitable, more accurate, and more effective at promoting student agency and motivation. We will also discuss some simple changes instructors can make to their syllabus policies and course design that can increase grading equity and student engagement with the learning process.