Specifications Grading

Higher education educators are passionate to search for alternative assessment and grading methods to help students master learning and cultivate an inclusive learning environment. A pedagogical strategy called, Specifications grading, structuring grades on learning competencies achieved rather than on earned points complements mastery learning (Nilson, 2014). It involves a wide variety of implementation strategies that were productive, allowing faculty a great deal of latitude and creativity in the system (Tsoi et al., 2019). Implementing Specifications Grading in teaching could motivate student learning, bring rigor and quality of student work up, and lessen the grading load and student stress and cheating. Learn more details about this pedagogical strategy by watching the mini-seminar videos or reading Linda’ Nilson book – Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students, and Saving Faculty Time.

Nilson, L. B., & Stanny, C. J. (2015). Specifications grading: Restoring rigor, motivating students, and saving faculty time. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.

Tsoi, M., etal.(2019). Variations in implementation of specifications grading in STEM courses. Retrieved March 04, 2021, from https://digitalcommons.gaacademy.org/gjs/vol77/iss2/10/