Grading for Equity: A Curriculum Development and Grading Process to Enhance Instruction
Andrew D. Berns, J. Philip East, J. Ben Schafer · 2021
In Grading for EQUITY: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms, Joe Feldman states 'The ways we grade disproportionately favor students with privilege and disproportionately harm students with less privilege.' (2019, pp. xxii-xxiii) This workshop provides a process to make grading practices more equitable. The process includes: 1) analyzing course goals to yield desired course outcomes; 2) developing assessments of the outcomes; 3) developing learning activities; 4) adopting a different approach to grading assessments; and 5) developing an appropriate overall grading scheme. With some practice and discussion with peers you can implement an equitable grading process that revolutionizes your instructional practice. Grading will: no longer address student behavior subject to bias; incorporate better mathematical practices becoming more accurate, lack bias; and be motivating. Grading For Equity alleviates: the homework grading burden with feedback ignored by students; worries about cheating on homework; and arguing with students about points while it allows instructors to focus on working with students in a professional and less stressful manner. Workshop activity will address all five process elements noted above. Participants need to view a background presentation prior to the workshop and will receive sample outcomes, assessments, and grading suggestions for various types of courses in addition to workshop products.