The development of equitable grading systems that provide students with effective feedback and provide instructors with an efficient means of assessment are of deep interest to chemical educators. A recent trend in chemical education, and STEM education more broadly, has been the use of specifications, or specs, grading that emphasizes mastery of…

The purpose of this article is to review the literature on the issue of grading as a method and technique of expressing students' performance in terms of school reality. Initially, a growing concern about the role of assessment of student's performance in the learning and, generally, in the educational process, is highlighted. Subsequently, the…

With increased interest in outcomes-based assessment in sport management programs, the Specifications Grading model can be implemented within individual courses to facilitate the process. Specific requirements that are articulated at course onset with explicit directions, samples of high-scoring work, and access to evaluation rubrics can set…

Teachers in American schools have substantial autonomy in grading students in their courses. Music teachers have historically used a plethora of grading criteria that include non-academic and non-achievement data such as participation, attendance, and behavior. This study aims to show how music teachers in the state of Missouri are calculating…

In England, examinations for general qualifications (GCSE, AS and A level) were cancelled in summer 2020 and summer 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and replaced with contingency measures involving teacher judgements. For summer 2020, the intention was to calculate grades using rankings provided by centres, prior attainment data for the…

This exploratory paper considers the practical and theoretical implications of a graded system of assessment in competency-based training within the Australian Vocational Education and Training System. The characteristics of competency-based training are considered and the possible relationships to graded approaches are discussed. The discussion…

Providing students with feedback on their performance is a critical part of enhancing student learning in chemistry and is often integrated into homework assignments, quizzes, and exams. However, not all feedback is created equal, and the type of feedback the student receives can dramatically alter the utility of the feedback to reinforce correct…

Concert attendance is often a major determinant of student grades in ensemble classes. Yet, there are reasons to question whether concert night is an effective setting for student assessment. This article probes the usefulness and fairness of concert grades and suggests policies that support equitable learning environments. Strategies for…

Gaps in teacher communication can cause confusion, especially when it comes to grades. To reduce asymmetries of information when grading performance tasks and projects, teachers should seek to honor each student's unique learning trajectory. Here, authors Eric Carbaugh and Kristina Doubet, present five ways to improve communication--and…

Assigning grades is conventionally the exclusive, lonely terrain of the instructor, even as other aspects of responding to student writing are collaborative. As an alternative that promotes student engagement and agency, labor-based contract grading is used in a growing number of writing classrooms. This article describes an alternative:…

The one-size-fits-all instructional and assessment practices of the past no longer equitably meet the needs of all students. Competency-based education (CBE) has emerged not only as an innovation in education, but as a true transformation of the approaches to how we traditionally "do" school. In "Deeper Competency-Based…

How can we help teachers use classroom assessments to gather appropriate evidence for all valued learning goals, and to use those assessments not just to measure learning but to promote it? This book provides an answer in a practical, proven, and unique Assessment Planning Framework that moves away from solely multiple-choice tests toward a wide…

Essay exams offer many benefits for instructors who seek to vary their assessment methods and engage students in critical discourse, yet they also pose many challenges and require thoughtful construction and evaluation. The author provides an extensive overview of the literature to illuminate best practices for designing and assessing effective…

This study was conducted to assess teachers' perceptions of classroom assessment as the function of gender and teaching experiences. To this end, the researchers employed a cross-sectional survey design collecting a survey data from 197 teachers selected from seven high schools using Zhang and Burry-Stock's (2003) modified assessment practice…

An effective assessment process can improve student performance, guide instructional decisions, and advocate for a music program. Strategies include designing and administering reliable and valid measures of student learning and using assessments to enhance feedback, longitudinal documentation of assessment results for accountability, and a…