Classification of Alternative Grading Approaches: Review and Reflections from Practice

The purpose of this paper is to review and categorize how alternative grading has been practiced in higher education and reflect on how we, as instructors in a university, apply it in their courses. In this paper, the potential issues of traditional grading are characterized in three aspects: (1) judgemental, (2) high stakes, and (3) authoritative. After conducting the literature review, we classify three categories of alternative grading practices: (1) reduction of grade granularity, (2) standardized and iterative formative assessments, and (3) democratization of grading processes, which can potentially address the issues of traditional grading. Then, we report and reflect on how alternative grading is applied in three different courses (i.e., software development, engineering dynamics, and mechanical systems in buildings). As one takeaway message of this paper, while the general principles of alternative grading are known and shared among instructors, they can imply a wide range of possibilities for testing and implementation. At the same time, despite the diverse practices, common values can emerge to support instructors for better grading practices.