Read on Twitter
Just wrapped up my first fully ungraded course no hard deadlines on assignments.
Overall, it was a big success! Lots of lessons learned.
THREAD
Overall, it was a big success! Lots of lessons learned.
THREAD
Background:
I've wanted to do this for a while. The pandemic and the amazing work of other educators were the motivating factors for doing it now.
At the core of my teaching is trust. I trust my students and I want them to trust me. Grades undermine this relationship.
I've wanted to do this for a while. The pandemic and the amazing work of other educators were the motivating factors for doing it now.
At the core of my teaching is trust. I trust my students and I want them to trust me. Grades undermine this relationship.
The basics:
Asynchronous online course on 3D Game Art (highly technical) for 53 students at UCSC. 10 weeks + 1 week extension (NorCal fires).
2 TAs and 1 Grader.
10 assignments with soft deadlines (no grade repercussion).
A Discord server for help and critiques.
Asynchronous online course on 3D Game Art (highly technical) for 53 students at UCSC. 10 weeks + 1 week extension (NorCal fires).
2 TAs and 1 Grader.
10 assignments with soft deadlines (no grade repercussion).
A Discord server for help and critiques.
"Grading" design:
3 self-evaluations (weeks 3, 6, 10) in narrative form focusing on effort and engagement, modulated by special circumstances (KEY), plus a self-assigned grade.
Final grade = Average of self-evals + Instructor modifier that can only bump grades up (KEY).
3 self-evaluations (weeks 3, 6, 10) in narrative form focusing on effort and engagement, modulated by special circumstances (KEY), plus a self-assigned grade.
Final grade = Average of self-evals + Instructor modifier that can only bump grades up (
KEY).
Sample questions:
What are you most proud of so far about your work in this course? Take into account not just the final result, but your process as well.
Did you have any external circumstances (e.g. personal hardship) that you had to overcome to do the work for this course?
What are you most proud of so far about your work in this course? Take into account not just the final result, but your process as well.
Did you have any external circumstances (e.g. personal hardship) that you had to overcome to do the work for this course?
Positives:
Grading curve was virtually identical to my graded classes on similar topics.
We bumped up the grades of 19 () out of 53 students. Over 1/3 of the class graded themselves too low!
The quality of the work was *outstanding*, overall higher than previous quarters.
Grading curve was virtually identical to my graded classes on similar topics.
We bumped up the grades of 19 (
) out of 53 students. Over 1/3 of the class graded themselves too low!The quality of the work was *outstanding*, overall higher than previous quarters.
Positives (cont.):
Self-evaluations are really helpful for diagnosing pain points and understanding what your students are going through.
Most students turned in work within a few days of the stated assignment deadline.
TAs liked not having the stress of assigning grades.
Self-evaluations are really helpful for diagnosing pain points and understanding what your students are going through.
Most students turned in work within a few days of the stated assignment deadline.
TAs liked not having the stress of assigning grades.
Negatives:
One student reported stress from no hard deadlines or instructor-assigned grades. I did give students the option to grade them myself, if preferred.
A few students turned in most of the work in the final 2 weeks.
A couple of students were probably too generous.
One student reported stress from no hard deadlines or instructor-assigned grades. I did give students the option to grade them myself, if preferred.
A few students turned in most of the work in the final 2 weeks.
A couple of students were probably too generous.
Negatives (?):
It takes considerable more work to do this, especially emotional labor. Trust is hard.
I was VERY anxious when students failed to turn in work by the deadline and before the first self-evals were submitted.
But over and over again, they eased my mind.
It takes considerable more work to do this, especially emotional labor. Trust is hard.
I was VERY anxious when students failed to turn in work by the deadline and before the first self-evals were submitted.
But over and over again, they eased my mind.
Going forward:
More clarity on what is the minimum expected amount of work is needed. I lean on requiring all assignments, but 100% open to exceptions and reworking assignments on a case-by-case basis.
Self-evaluation deadlines must be HARD. They're meaningless if done late.
More clarity on what is the minimum expected amount of work is needed. I lean on requiring all assignments, but 100% open to exceptions and reworking assignments on a case-by-case basis.
Self-evaluation deadlines must be HARD. They're meaningless if done late.
Finally, I'm running a modified version of this model in my Fall classes at a new institution with a different student body.
Will report at the end of the semester.
I've a lot more to say about this, but I'll wait until then. Can't wait to do this in an in-person classroom...
Will report at the end of the semester.
I've a lot more to say about this, but I'll wait until then. Can't wait to do this in an in-person classroom...
Highly recommend this Ungrading Bibliography as a resource by @Jessifer: https://www.jessestommel.com/ungrading-a-bibliography/
This is a seemingly small intervention but it's animated by (and can propagate) a radically transformative ethos.
This is a seemingly small intervention but it's animated by (and can propagate) a radically transformative ethos.
