Chapter 7. Designing a More Equitable Scorecard: Grading Contracts and Online Writing Instruction

Abstract

The Practices & Possibilities Series addresses the full range of practices within the field of Writing Studies, including teaching, learning, research, and theory. From Joseph Williams' reflections on problems to Richard E. Young's taxonomy of "small genres" to Adam Mackie's considerations of technology, the books in this series explore issues and ideas of interest to writers, teachers, researchers, and theorists who share an interest in improving existing practices and exploring new possibilities. The series includes both original and republished books. Works in the series are organized topically.

“Success was Actually Having Learned:” University Student Perceptions of Ungrading

“…If an ungrading practice is not genuinely and openly negotiated with students, they may feel "suspicion and resentment" (Spidell and Thelin 2006, 55). Moreover, ungrading can involve more ambiguity than conventional approaches, which may cause students confusion, stress, anxiety, and concerns about fairness (Laflen and Sims 2021;McMorran and Ragupathi 2020;McMorran, Ragupathi, and Luo 2017;Reardon and Guardado-Menjivar 2020). Finally, common institutional challenges include large class sizes and unsupportive administrators.…”

“…The existing literature and our analysis suggest specific recommendations for instructors pursuing ungrading. Ungrading assessment approaches may be new and ambiguous to students, leading to stress, anxiety, and suspicion about fairness and transparency (Laflen and Sims 2021;Reardon and Guardado-Menjivar 2020;Spidell and Thelin 2006). It is important to clearly explain the ungrading approach and its reasoning at the beginning (Mallette and Hawks 2020).…”