Presented by Mike Verdusco and Erin Bell, CETL

Have you heard about spec grading or ungrading and wondered what they are all about? It can be a challenge to determine the assessment methods and strategies to promote and measure comprehension and/or subject matter. This session will provide the means for attendees to consider a variety of assessment modalities and grading methods based on a review of broad definitions of knowledge and assessment.

The session will provide discussions of standards-based grading, ungrading, mastery-based testing, specifications grading, and other assessments, exploring the merits and caveats of each to allow participants to assess which forms of assessment and grading would best support their current assignments, course goals, and student learning.

Session Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will differentiate various modes and meanings of knowledge and how they connect to assessment modalities.

2. Participants will consider assessment as an opportunity for learning.

3. Participants become familiar with how various assessment practices can be altered with holistic grading strategies to achieve desired outcomes.

Note: If you are interested in attending this session, you may wish to register for  Session B3 – Grading Gets in the Way of My Students’ Learning: Examples of Alternative Grading Strategies – immediately following this panel to hear about how to Detroit Mercy professors have put these techniques into classroom practice.

Audience: Faculty

Registrations