Work In Progress: Enhancing Student Collaboration Through Growth-Based Assessment Practices

Background and Motivation In a broad literature review, Geisinger & Raman (2013) summarized many factors related to student attrition from engineering majors. The authors noted that competitive grading environments commonly found in STEM disciplines have been linked with attrition, especially for historically underrepresented groups who arrive with lower STEM self-efficacy and self-confidence. Traditional grading practices in higher education are being increasingly scrutinized as systems which perpetuate systemic inequalities by conflating the outcome of learning with behaviors exhibited in the process of learning (Lipnevich et al., 2020). Alternative grading practices which include specifications grading, standards-based grading, and ungrading (Blum (ed), 2020; Lewis, 2022; Nilson, 2014) have begun to be more widely adopted in STEM courses. However, there is a need to measure the efficacy of these interventions (Hackerson et al., 2024). Collaborative learning environments represent an academic approach where students work together to achieve specific learning goals, emphasizing active participation and social interaction (Dillenbourg, 1999). The benefits of collaborative learning environments on student success in engineering have been well documented for decades (Menekse & Chi, 2019; Ralston et al., 2017). Research demonstrates that collaborative learning is linked with enhanced motivation, improved communication and social skills, and improved self-esteem (Micari & Pazos, 2021). In this work, we focus on learning as the result of peer-to-peer collaborations rather than learning directly from the instructor. Research Questions While there is evidence that alternative grading practices enhance student learning (Katzman et al., 2024), there is comparatively little understanding what impact these practices have on cultivating a collaborative learning environment. This work intends to answer the following research questions: 1. How does the implementation of a Grading for Growth philosophy for assessments influence the frequency and quality of collaborative interactions among first-year engineering students? 2. Do students perceive the collaborative components of quizzes and in-class assignments (ICAs) as beneficial or detrimental to their understanding of course content? 3. What factors do students identify as motivating/discouraging them from engaging in peer collaboration during graded in-class assignments and quizzes? Intervention We have actively redeveloped two of our first-year courses in engineering to embrace alternative grading and shift away from the traditional, competitive grading environment. We have embraced the four pillars that Robert Talbert and David Clark describe in their book Grading for Growth (Clark & Talbert, 2023). The pillars are clearly defined standards, helpful feedback, marks indicate progress, reattempts without penalty. We have made a few big changes and many small tweaks during the shift to this philosophy, but our biggest change has been the adoption of specification grading through what we call in class assignments (ICAs). Our ICAs are assignments that students must show that they have completed 100% correctly to get a completion grade. We require the students to show this either in person or live on Zoom so we can provide helpful, timely feedback. The students can reattempt as many times as they would like before the due date. The goal is to create a culture of learning over grades. Assessment Method To assess the effect of our intervention, we will develop a survey which inquires about the frequency and quality of collaborations as well perceived benefits of and barriers to collaboration. We hope to learn to what extent the adoption of an alternative grading practice for in-class assignments has affected student perceptions of collaboration. References Blum (ed), S. D. (2020). Ungrading. Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead) (S. D. Blum, Ed.; 1st ed.). WVU Press. Clark, D., & Talbert, R. (2023). Grading for Growth (1st ed.). Taylor & Francis Group. Dillenbourg, P. (1999). Collaborative learning: Cognitive and computational approaches. . Elsevier Science. Geisinger, B. N., & Raman, D. R. (2013). Why They Leave: Understanding Student Attrition from Engineering Majors. Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, 29(4), 914–925. http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/abe_eng_pubs Hackerson, E. L., Slominski, T., Johnson, N., Buncher, J. B., Ismael, S., Singelmann, L., Leontyev, A., Knopps, A. G., McDarby, A., Nguyen, J. J., Condry, D. L. J., Nyachwaya, J. M., Wissman, K. T., Falkner, W., Grieger, K., Montplaisir, L., Hodgson, A., & Momsen, J. L. (2024). 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