The Use of Standards-Based Grading in a STEM-Focused Learning Context

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 20
  In Roundtable Session: Reimaging Measurement and Grading in Classroom Assessment

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to better understand the norms, processes, and implications of a standards-based grading system at a STEM-focused secondary school. Our analysis focuses on both teacher and student perspectives on the grading system, and the impact of the system on their roles as teachers and learners, respectively. While the system supported student awareness of learning standards and led to increasingly active roles in the learning process, the system also caused student stress and allowed some students to “slide through” until the end of a grading term. Our study provides evidence on the limitations and benefits of standards-based grading, which has been both understudied and underutilized in K-12 education in the U.S.

Authors

• David Slavit, Washington State University Vancouver

• Allison Therese deVincenzi, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School