Dr. Jay C. Percell is an Assistant Professor at Illinois State University in the School of Teaching and Learning. His research interests include Secondary Education, Grading Practices, Educational Technology, and Digital Literacy. Follow him on Twitter: @jaycpercell.
Talk Summary: Make Grading Point-less: Eliminating Points to Foster Student Motivation
Points-based grading has stifled students’ intrinsic motivation for decades. We have trained our students to value the ends at the expense of the means. Oftentimes, students attempt to do the least amount possible, but still expect to get everything they want. At a time when creative solutions are needed to solve global problems, our students need to operate under a different mindset. The way we assess and grade students in schools can directly influence their process and love of learning, and our grading practices should be re-conceptualized to change our perspective.
