Alternative grading practices in education seek to re-center student curiosity and minimize the singular focus on achieving the grade. Alternative practices can elevate engagement and authentic learning while also providing more equitable grading schemes. Academics across disciplines are asking how alternative grading practices can enhance student experience. This presentation focuses on one upper-level interior design course where a strategy called “Standard-based Grading” (SBG) was implemented. The presentation will outline the grading scheme with the SBG outcome spreadsheets developed for this course, including the unique Canvas gradebook. The course was evaluated in a small-scale pilot study that yielded important insights about the student experience. These insights on both the perceived challenges and compelling benefits of SBG will be shared.

Teaching Effectiveness Framework Alignment: Feedback and Assessment