I just created my self-grading modules today, so this is so timely for me.
I'm designing the first 5 weeks of a course on Digital Writing, using a Complete/Incomplete system. (I don't really like Pass/Fail, as terms. I'd even prefer Move On/Try Again, but I have no power to make that switch in language in our LMS.) At the end of Week 5, they'll grade themselves. There are no traditional grades at that point, so (I hope) there is almost no incentive to fake it.
Thanks for this! I believe in all this whole-heartedly. When I used a collaborative grading system last year I did have several students that mentioned valuing the self-accountability. But I also had a lot of students (probably more than in the other camp) tell me that the lack of extrinsic motivators just didn't work for them. I used a collaborative grading system for a year and a half and it seemed to get worse each semester. Last fall I had absolutely abysmal submission rates and attendance progressively got worse and worse. I even had a provision in the grading scheme that said that attendance and number of submissions could be a factor in their grade. But it didn't seem to matter. My 8am class routinely had less than half of the students in attendance. It was all so disheartening! When I talked with students at the end of the semester in their grading conferences, I specifically asked for feedback on the grading system, and a ton of students told me they didn't think it was working and that that they needed a grade hanging over their head or they couldn't make themselves come to class or do work. I think this says more about the culture of school than about the individual students. But I also couldn't help but wonder if I was just doing something wrong. After all that feedback last semester, I gave up on collaborative grading for the time being and switched to using a specifications grading system this semester where there are specific requirements for the number of submissions and attendance for each letter grade. I really hate having to do this, but I really didn't know what else to do!
David, thank you for sharing this! I think your experience is such a valuable reminder that context matters. What works in one class, for one teacher, for one group of students won't necessarily work in other contexts. The success of any grading model is also highly dependent on other pedagogical choices inside the classroom and a variety of events and circumstances outside the classroom.
I'm in favor of any grading systems that help students meaningfully engage and learn, and I hope specifications grading goes well for you. I've sometimes considered moving to contract grading for some of the reasons you describe. So much of what I do, though, is hybrid anyway. Maybe you can find ways to take the elements of collaborative grading and specifications grading that you like and combine them into a new system.
Yes, it is all very contextual! My model worked really well for some students and terribly for others. I've been wondering about some sort of hybrid system as well. I've even thought of doing some sort of "choose your own path" thing where students could choose a collaborative grading approach if they know that works for them or choose a specifications model if they know they need the structure. I don't know how this would work logistically or what other teachers would think if they found out.
Also, I hope it's clear that none of this was intended to contradict or undermine your post! As I said, I am fully enamored by Kohn's research and the work of Stommel, Blume, et al., which is why I started collaborative grading two years ago. I believe in it so much that I still can't help but wonder if there's something I could do to build more accountability into a collaborative grading approach to give them the support they need. More experimenting to do I guess...
An interesting read! What if you think of taking it a step farther and unlinking assessment and grading? Yup, it can be done and what a freeing thing it is -- for teachers and students!
Not sure what exactly you have in mind, but my system is pretty much all-feedback, no-grades--at least until I have to assign them at midterm and the end of the semester. So, the assessment is pretty much as un-linked from grades as I can make it!
Beyond awesome. Thanks!
I just created my self-grading modules today, so this is so timely for me.
I'm designing the first 5 weeks of a course on Digital Writing, using a Complete/Incomplete system. (I don't really like Pass/Fail, as terms. I'd even prefer Move On/Try Again, but I have no power to make that switch in language in our LMS.) At the end of Week 5, they'll grade themselves. There are no traditional grades at that point, so (I hope) there is almost no incentive to fake it.
We'll see how it goes!
Thanks for this! I believe in all this whole-heartedly. When I used a collaborative grading system last year I did have several students that mentioned valuing the self-accountability. But I also had a lot of students (probably more than in the other camp) tell me that the lack of extrinsic motivators just didn't work for them. I used a collaborative grading system for a year and a half and it seemed to get worse each semester. Last fall I had absolutely abysmal submission rates and attendance progressively got worse and worse. I even had a provision in the grading scheme that said that attendance and number of submissions could be a factor in their grade. But it didn't seem to matter. My 8am class routinely had less than half of the students in attendance. It was all so disheartening! When I talked with students at the end of the semester in their grading conferences, I specifically asked for feedback on the grading system, and a ton of students told me they didn't think it was working and that that they needed a grade hanging over their head or they couldn't make themselves come to class or do work. I think this says more about the culture of school than about the individual students. But I also couldn't help but wonder if I was just doing something wrong. After all that feedback last semester, I gave up on collaborative grading for the time being and switched to using a specifications grading system this semester where there are specific requirements for the number of submissions and attendance for each letter grade. I really hate having to do this, but I really didn't know what else to do!
David, thank you for sharing this! I think your experience is such a valuable reminder that context matters. What works in one class, for one teacher, for one group of students won't necessarily work in other contexts. The success of any grading model is also highly dependent on other pedagogical choices inside the classroom and a variety of events and circumstances outside the classroom.
I'm in favor of any grading systems that help students meaningfully engage and learn, and I hope specifications grading goes well for you. I've sometimes considered moving to contract grading for some of the reasons you describe. So much of what I do, though, is hybrid anyway. Maybe you can find ways to take the elements of collaborative grading and specifications grading that you like and combine them into a new system.
Yes, it is all very contextual! My model worked really well for some students and terribly for others. I've been wondering about some sort of hybrid system as well. I've even thought of doing some sort of "choose your own path" thing where students could choose a collaborative grading approach if they know that works for them or choose a specifications model if they know they need the structure. I don't know how this would work logistically or what other teachers would think if they found out.
Also, I hope it's clear that none of this was intended to contradict or undermine your post! As I said, I am fully enamored by Kohn's research and the work of Stommel, Blume, et al., which is why I started collaborative grading two years ago. I believe in it so much that I still can't help but wonder if there's something I could do to build more accountability into a collaborative grading approach to give them the support they need. More experimenting to do I guess...
Great work. Similar paradoxes arise in student AI work cycles: https://nickpotkalitsky.substack.com/p/beyond-efficiency-how-ai-is-unleashing
An interesting read! What if you think of taking it a step farther and unlinking assessment and grading? Yup, it can be done and what a freeing thing it is -- for teachers and students!
Not sure what exactly you have in mind, but my system is pretty much all-feedback, no-grades--at least until I have to assign them at midterm and the end of the semester. So, the assessment is pretty much as un-linked from grades as I can make it!