Background: Generative artificial intelligence (AI) represents a potentially powerful, time-saving tool for grading student essays. However, little is known about how AI-generated essay scores compare to human instructor scores. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the essay grading scores produced by AI with those of human…

Wales is in the middle of a fundamental reform of its curriculum and consequent assessment design. There is a welcome broadening of the range of subjects offered at levels 1 and 2, yet the notion that some subjects are more important than others persists. Furthermore, the 'core' subjects of language, mathematics and science are seeing the biggest…

Anonymous marking, as a means to mitigate bias in grading, involves evaluating student work with their identities withheld. Anonymous marking is explored in this self-study to mitigate implicit bias, which negated a practitioner-researcher's educational values. The mixed methods action research findings show withholding student identities during…

Different sources of assessment evidence are reviewed during International Baccalaureate (IB) grade awarding to convert marks into grades and ensure fair results for students. Qualitative and quantitative evidence are analysed to determine grade boundaries, with statistical evidence weighed against examiner judgement and teachers' feedback on…

In fewer than two years, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has transformed the educational experience for both students and faculty. Writing feedback and evaluation tools like MyEssayFeedback, EssayGrader, and Markr have been released with the promise that faculty will be able to focus more on teaching than simply grading. However, the…

There is a need to provide more case studies of alternative grading strategies in the biology education literature and report on student perceptions of these strategies. Student participants were instructed using alternative grading strategies and then completed course metacognitive self-reflections. Qualitative content analysis was performed on…

Formative assessments, such as exit tickets, are effective tools for enhancing student reflection and understanding. While prevalent in K-12 education, their application in higher education remains underexplored. This study investigates the implementation of exit tickets in an undergraduate Principles of Marketing course, aiming to evaluate their…

The study examined the association of big five personality traits (i.e., conscientiousness, openness to experience, and neuroticism) with use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) among university students. It also examined the moderating role of perceived fairness in grading on the relationships of personality traits with GenAI usage.…

Student engagement is critical to academic success, particularly in the interdisciplinary field of biomedical engineering (BME). However, engaging and motivating students in class have become increasingly challenging, with the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating this difficulty. This Perspectives paper synthesizes the insights from three faculty…

Contemporary anarchism centers around three tenets: (1) a constant challenge of and resistance to all forms of domination, (2) so-called "prefigurative politics," in which all decisions are made in a manner that is consistent with a set of non-hierarchical values such as equality, decentralization, and voluntary cooperation, (3) a focus…

Letter grading systems in education have been widely accepted as a strong medium to assess the educational performance of students across the world. It has been a successful system for many years because it can motivate students to achieve satisfactory grades in a course. However, recent studies indicate that grades can also foster anxiety and…

Despite research investment and a growing body of diverse evidence there has been no comprehensive review and grading of evidence for public health emergency preparedness and response practices comparable to those in medicine and other public health fields. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened an ad hoc committee…

Specifications grading is an alternative grading scheme that prioritizes transparency and progress-oriented feedback, with the goals of increasing student motivation, fostering clear communication, and achieving educational equity. Despite its recent, rapid increase in popularity, little attention has been paid to the forms of support faculty need…

Finding effective ways to improve school attendance is more important than ever given the dramatic increases in chronic absence nationwide and in California. This report presents a compelling case for using data about unexcused absences to advance a more preventive, problem-solving, and equitable response to poor attendance. When an absence is…

How do students perceive alternative approaches to grading? Do those perceptions change over time? This mixed methods study addressed these questions for three alternative grading approaches - democratic contract grading, specifications grading, and "ungrading" - in a community college context. While alternative grading models in higher…