Ungrading as Resistance: A Collaborative Self-Study on De-Transactionalizing Teacher Education

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Nine
  In Roundtable Session: Examining Innovative Teacher Education Practices Through Self-Study (Table 18)

Abstract

Grading has been central to schooling of all levels. Aligned with many critical educators, we argue that traditional grading systems in higher education contexts perpetuate a transactional relationship between student and professor and student and university. In this collaborative self-study, we, three pre-tenured teacher educators at the same midsize, midwestern university, formed a critical friends group and explored ungrading in our own teacher preparation classroom. Through narrative inquiry, our preliminary data uncovered themes of (1) renewed resolve in using ungrading; (2) ungrading is an act of resistance; (3) limits of traditional grading.

Authors

• Xiaoying Zhao, Illinois State University
  Presenting Author

• Christie Angleton, Illinois State University
  Presenting Author

• Kristina Nicole Falbe, Illinois State University
  Presenting Author