“Traditional” grading is a term used to describe the most common form of grading in an academic setting. In recent years, it has been seen that courses implementing this grading system “tend to be more oriented towards product over process, and instructors in these courses hold more power over the assessment process than students do” (Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning n.d.). Over the past few years, especially post-COVID-19 pandemic, it has become more normal for institutions to implement more equitable approaches to grading, often referred to as “alternative grading.”  

Alternative grading is an umbrella term that covers any grading method that differs from standard practices. Most alternative grading practices aim to evaluate students’ work based on effort and learning instead of performance. Recently, it has been the focus of articles in The Chronicle of Higher Education (Miller 2022; Supiano 2022; Lang 2021) and Inside Higher Ed (Perman 2025; Harrington 2024), reflecting growing interest among faculty. More faculty are using this as an alternative to the normal grading approaches they’ve historically used.  While there are several forms of alternative grading, two common practices include contract grading and ungrading. This blog post will share our personal experiences in courses that used these alternative grading methods at some level.  

Contract Grading 

This approach implements the use of a “grading contract.” This system works by establishing an agreement between students and an instructor regarding what assessments/goals must be completed to receive a certain grade.  

Kaz’s Experience

During my freshman year, in the second semester, I was first exposed to contract grading. For this class, the students could choose what grade they wanted from this class. During this process, we were encouraged to consider our other commitments and how much energy we would put into the class and make an informed decision.  

The outlines and requirements for how to achieve each grade were laid out and explained thoroughly to ensure that students understood what would be expected of them to do in order to achieve the grade that they wanted from this class. From there students were allowed to choose what assignments they wanted to do and what assignments they could skip based on these laid out requirements. 

This style was helpful not only because of the explicit instructions that were detailed and explained during class to reduce the levels of confusion; it also allowed for a semester overview and offered students a way to plan around different assignments, which allowed for a less stressful semester in general. As a student I tend to over think assignments when they are first introduced, and because of that they look very daunting when I first see them. To know what was coming and what was expected of me allowed for me to think about the assignment well before it was assigned, reducing the amount of time I spent spiraling around one subject.

Kira’s Experience

For the January term of my sophomore year, I took a history class called Argentine Tango. The four-week course consisted of thorough discussions of the culture of tango dance using readings, movies, and music. We also were able to dance daily and learned hands-on how to dance the Argentine tango. This course impetrated the use of contract grading. Instead of assigning a letter or point grade to individual tasks, the professor provided comments and suggestions for improvement, which we could revise to improve our understanding of the topics. All the students met with the professor twice during the term to discuss our progress in the course and how we could improve, both in our dancing and our academic performance.  

While initially unsure how this grading system would work for me, I concluded that this form was terrific. It decreased many students’ anxiety in the course and allowed us to learn in a way that was not overwhelming or stressful. This grading allowed me to realize that grades are not the sole purpose of learning, and it is much easier to get a good grade than to learn and grow as a person. I am very grateful to have had the experience of taking this course.

Ungrading  

Ungrading aims to eliminate letter grades and points altogether, and instead focus on providing feedback to students in order to improve their work and encourage deeper thinking. Its goal is to continuously work to improve student’s skills and learning. 

Ben’s Experience

As a student in my sophomore year, I have already taken three classes that used ungrading. Ungrading, according to my syllabi, centers grades around actual learning and the accomplishment of goals that the student sets out for themself at the beginning of the semester. The only letter grade used in ungrading is the final grade, with individual assignments being used as an opportunity for feedback. Essentially, each student is being scored based on how much they have grown and learned since they started the class. At the end of the semester, the student has the opportunity to present the letter grade that they believe they earned. I understand that this entire process takes a lot more work for an instructor than a traditional class, but the goal is for each student to have the experience that they need individually.   

I have mixed feelings about ungrading. I love the concept as a whole since I am very driven by personal growth. I love being able to set my own goals, and I appreciate that this form of grading allows my goals to change throughout the semester. As a neurodivergent learner, I often encounter unexpected challenges in any given class, so I appreciate having a flexible curriculum. However, I struggle with feeling a lack of direction when learning with this grading criteria. I love learning, but I can have a hard time sharing what I know if I am not expressly directed to share the what, why, and how. Ungrading often gives broad assignments and allows students the opportunity to work on them in whatever manner they see fit. I have found that I need to put extra effort into these assignments or ask professors for clarification because I do not know what to do. I tend to be more stressed in ungraded classes than in other classes. While the flexibility provided in ungrading is wonderful, I often require more rigidity in individual assignments. 

Caroline’s Experience

In my teaching, I have used alternative grading strategies a couple times in more courses at various levels. As an educator I really am focused on process, and I have found that facilitating growth mindset in process is often stunted if I apply grades to some components. I have used journals or learning charters as a tool to have a process-oriented conversation with students in a one-on-one space. The goal there is engagement and depth of reflection. My feedback is always asking for more extension or engaging in conversation. I tend to use this in courses with readings, discussion, and use prompts to engage students in a space outside of the classroom discussion. I then ask them to use these learning charters and other components of the course as evidence of how they met the learning goals of the course as an assignment at the end of the semester.  

Allowing students to use multiple sources of evidence and a reflective process to self-assess their growth and performance in class has been hit or miss for me, to be honest, and I think it is partially developmental. When implementing in my COR 1100 courses, a first-year seminar course, it is a challenge for students to engage in this format. That continues to be a work in progress for me. But this format used in an upper-level topic course or in a senior seminar course tends to lead to thoughtful engagement and growth. 

I have also done complete ungrading in my senior seminar course with success. I see this as a transition point for students in which it frankly doesn’t matter what I think, but rather matters what their peers and themselves think. So, moving them to timelines and content that are self-driven versus instructor-driven has other benefits and challenges. Overall, students embrace this model as they create content based on their disciplinary expertise and interests showcasing this content in a portfolio format that is a public facing website. I find they blossom in this context after they trust that they have full agency over their products in this course.  

Resources 

Here are some helpful published works that have looked at these approaches: 

Grainger, Peter, and Katie Weir. “An Alternative Grading Tool for Enhancing Assessment Practice and Quality Assurance in Higher Education.” Innovations in Education and Teaching International, vol. 53, no. 1, Jan. 2016, pp. 73–83. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2015.1022200. 

Percell, Jay C. “Lessons from Alternative Grading: Essential Qualities of Teacher Feedback.” The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, vol. 90, no. 4, July 2017, pp. 111–15. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.2017.1304067.  

Streifer, Adriana C., and Michael S. Palmer. “Is Specifications Grading Right for Me?: A Readiness Assessment to Help Instructors Decide.” College Teaching, vol. 71, no. 4, Oct. 2023, pp. 244–51. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2021.2018396. 

Zarate, Kary, et al. “Students’ Perceptions of Different Grading Systems in Higher Education.” College Teaching, June 2024, pp. 1–9. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2024.2369848. 

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References 

Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. n.d. Alternative Approaches to Assessment. Accessed [Accessed May 7, 2025]. https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/beyond-the-grade. 

Harrington, Maureen. 2024. “The Value of Giving Students Choice in Their Assignments.” Inside Higher Ed, September 17, 2024. https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/career-advice/teaching/2024/09/17/value-giving-students-choice-their-assignments-opinion. 

Kenyon, Amy. 2022. “What Is Ungrading?” Duke Learning Innovation & Lifetime Education (Blog), September 21, 2022. https://learninginnovation.duke.edu/blog/2022/09/what-is-ungrading/. 

Lang, James M. 2021. “2 Ways to Fairly Grade Class Participation.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, May 17, 2021. https://www.chronicle.com/article/2-ways-to-fairly-grade-class-participation. 

Miller, Michelle D. 2022. “Ungrading Light: 4 Simple Ways to Ease the Spotlight Off Points.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, August 2, 2022. https://www.chronicle.com/article/ungrading-light-4-simple-ways-to-ease-the-spotlight-off-points. 

Perman, Stacy. 2025. “Four Powerful Benefits of Ungrading.” Inside Higher Ed, March 21, 2025. https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/career-advice/teaching/2025/03/21/four-powerful-benefits-ungrading-opinion. 

Supiano, Beckie. 2022. “The Unintended Consequences of ‘Ungrading.’” The Chronicle of Higher Education, April 29, 2022. https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-unintended-consequences-of-ungrading. 

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About the Authors 

The students and faculty authors of this post are collaborating on the 2024-2026 CEL Research Seminar on Affirming and Inclusive Engaged Learning for Neurodivergent Students. 

Kira C. Campagna is a CEL Student Scholar majoring in Elementary Education with a minor in Environmental Education. 

Caroline J. Ketcham is a professor of exercise science at Elon University and a seminar leader. As the 2021–2023 Center for Engaged Learning Scholar, she focused on supporting neurodiverse and physically disabled students, and in 2023, she received Elon’s Distinguished Scholar Award. 

Ben Krasnow is a CEL Student Scholar majoring in Human Service Studies. 

Kaz Kelly is a CEL Student Scholar and a member of the seminar leadership team. She is majoring in psychology and English, with a concentration in creative writing. 

Stephen Byrd is an associate professor of special education at Elon University and a seminar leader. His research centers on families’ perceptions of disability, access to information, and special education services. 

How to Cite This Post  

Campagna, Kira C., Caroline J. Ketcham, Benjamin Krasnow, Kaz Kelly, and Stephen Byrd. 2025. “Perspectives on Alternative Grading.” Center for Engaged Learning (blog). May 13, 2025. https://www.centerforengagedlearning.org/perspectives-on-alternative-grading/.