NDSU professor shares innovative grading approach with the Chronicle of Higher Education
NDSU Biology Professor Jenni Momsen was recently featured in the Chronicle of Higher Education’s Teaching newsletter, which focused on whether faculty members should reconsider traditional grading systems.
As part of an ongoing series for the Chronicle Teaching newsletter, reporter Beth McMurtie is examining grading processes and whether traditional points-based grading systems truly measure proficiency. By reviewing grading systems, faculty are also able to address potential concerns related to student motivation, grade disputes, artificial intelligence and grade inflation.
Over the coming weeks, McMurtie is sharing ongoing profiles with faculty who have switched to different forms of grading and are happy about it. NDSU’s Momsen is one of the professors to share her experience with alternative grading.
“It’s always a little scary sharing your classroom innovations with others,” Momsen said. “I felt Beth did an outstanding job of learning about my course practices and reporting that information with accuracy and empathy.”
Several years ago, an interaction with a student in Momsen’s introductory biology class led her to reconsider how she assessed students within the class. A student expressed frustration about receiving a 4.75 out of 5 points and never achieving a perfect score.
This feedback helped Momsen understand that students didn’t find clarity in the highly detailed point system, sharing with the Chronicle that in their minds, “they don’t have a space to make mistakes.”
“We cannot maintain the status quo and expect to have continued success in the classroom,” Momsen shared. “We need to meet our students where they are and design courses that help them succeed beyond what they thought possible.”
The following semester, spring 2021, Momsen replaced a points-based grading system with a standards-based one.
She used the learning outcomes for Introduction to Biology to create the 18 standards students must demonstrate proficiency in through exams and class participation. Students take five exams throughout the course. However, when they are returned they don’t receive grades; instead, Momsen explains whether the student met each standard. Students can also earn the opportunity to retake up to two exams by reviewing an exam correction, reflecting on how they studied the first time and what they would change.
Momsen quickly found that the standards-based grading has eliminated students arguing over grades, leading them to focus on her feedback and ask for help understanding the standards rather than just asking how to get certain points.
By replacing the point-based grading system with a standards-based one, Momsen feels more confident that students have the foundational knowledge to be successful in subsequent courses.
After that spring 2021 semester, the other introductory biology sections at NDSU also switched to the standards-based grading system Momsen developed.
She hopes by sharing her experience, other instructors will critically review what they grade and why and then use that to inform curriculum and grading decisions.
However, Momsen was quick to note that what works for one instructor might not work for another.
“Figure out your ‘why’ of grading: What do you want a grade to mean?” she asked. “Then design your grading practices accordingly.”
Read more about Momsen’s grading approach in the Chronicle Teaching newsletter.