The Future of Grading

As educators, we have heard, time and time again, that the most effective way to gauge a student's understanding of a concept is to ask them to explain in their own words rather than a multiple-choice test. Why? Each student has a one in four chance of guessing correctly on a multiple-choice question. Therefore a student with no understanding of the concept can still answer a question correctly. 

However, when we ask a student to explain a concept in their own words, they must rely on their own understanding of the topic at hand, rather than luck. What's interesting is that no matter how many times we've heard this, our grading system still favors the multiple-choice test.

We've reached a point in the reevaluation of our teaching system where we have to ask ourselves if the future of grading reflects replicated answers or actual cognition.

Current Grading System

Our current grading system focuses on the outcome. Students spend their time focusing on what they need to completed to achieve their desired educational rank. A test score, for example, grades the students' ability to answer questions correctly. A test score is not always able to determine if the student will remember the content going forward.

Why Is This a Problem?

We want students to answer questions correctly. However, when we focus on achieving the correct answer, we miss out on the opportunity for growth and understanding that comes from the learning process. Students often hurry through assignments and lessons with the sole goal of achieving a high score on their submission. They end up missing the opportunity for exploration that comes with taking one's time.

Process vs. Product

Product learning is what our current grading system reinforces. We score comprehension when the student reaches the product (the answer and understanding). We expect the student to have achieved a full understanding of the topic. Process learning focuses on the growth, free-thinking, creativity, and understanding that occurs throughout the learning process. Here's an example of the difference between the two. 

A student is learning about the life cycle of a plant. In product learning, the goal is for the student to accurately label the life cycle phases on the diagram at the end of the unit. In process learning, the expectation is that, throughout the learning process, the student's understanding grows and changes. The value is put on the process and resulting understanding rather than on replicating answers and information.

Why is Our Focus Shifting?

The education system has continued to change and evolve since we created it. What is different now is that there is a much deeper appreciation for the importance of education. As a society, we now understand the need for educating any and everyone that we can. As researchers, teachers, lawmakers, and parents have started to focus on the importance of learning, the methods in which we deliver education are changing. Schools with different and unique training methods have surfaced in an attempt to teach students in the most developmentally appropriate and effective way possible. With this exploration, the future of grading must also evolve and grow to accurately reflect learning, growth, and experience.

What Needs to Change

Although many experts and teachers agree that change is necessary, the widely accepted grading system has yet to undergo a massive overhaul. There are many areas of the grading system where change is necessary, yet we've yet to discover how to change and implement the grading system. Here are some of the challenges that one must consider with making change.

Competition

How can we create a grading system that encourages collaboration rather than competition? Much of our current grading system pits students against each other as they strive for the highest award.

Learning Styles

Does our current grading system equally reflect understanding for each student's individual learning style? How do teachers measure the success of a student who effectively memorizes facts and data as well as a student who excels at the problem-solving process?

Honesty

I would venture to say that our current grading system does not often allow students to be honest with their teachers about their comprehension for fear of receiving a lower grade. How can we encourage asking clarifying questions and discourage fear of seeming unintelligent?

Product vs. Process

One of our major challenges as teachers is finding a way to measure process learning. We know that it's important and often results in a better long-term grasp of the subject, but it is harder to measure. Product learning, on the other hand, is easy. There is a right and a wrong answer. How do you measure effort, creativity, and critical thinking?

Subjectivity

The teacher must look at grading from an anecdotal perspective that doesn't involve subjective opinion and emotion. 

A Challenge Worth Facing

To many, changing the grading system is a daunting process, and that feeling is valid, which is why up to this point, a universal shift in grading practices has not been made. But a change to our current system is so worth it. We owe it to our students to reevaluate the systems that we have in place in favor of ones that are more conducive to development and learning. We need to shift our mindset to view our students' education as a continual, ever-changing, growing, and evolving process that is more important than the ultimate product. A math lesson then becomes more than just an algebra test score. It becomes a lesson in patience, perseverance, asking for help, and eventual understanding.

While the future of grading is still yet to be determined, our self-awareness and reevaluation of current practices are leading us in the direction to effect meaningful and long-lasting change.

The future of grading is promising.

Written by Lacy Smith

Education World Contributor

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