Student Perspectives on Standards-Based Grading Used in Engineering Project-Based Courses

• In Event: 30.031 - Learning, Cognition, and Motivation in Postsecondary Engineering and Computer Science

Abstract

Most higher education institutions employ a traditional, summative scoring system to report student grades at the end of each semester. This system is limited in that it offers a final grade based on individual assignments completed throughout the semester without testing whether students have sufficiently understood the learning objectives of the course. We propose standards-based grading as an alternate to the traditional system because it offers students meaningful grades, feedback from instructors, a deeper understanding of the learning objectives, and a recognition of future goals based on the evaluation. This study aims to highlight student perceptions towards the standards-based grading system implemented by three professors at their respective institutions through an analysis of student responses to open-ended reflection questions.

Authors

• Shreya Vaishnav, Arizona State University

• Adam Robert Carberry, Arizona State University Polytechnic