Wo kshop
Recommended ci a ion: Ch is ensen, D., & Singelmann, L. (2025). Taking The
Leap om T adi ional o T ans o ma i e: Implemen ing Al e na i e G ading in
Enginee ing Cou ses. In Kangaslampi, R., Langie, G., Jä inen, H.-M., & Nagy, B.
(Eds.), SEFI 53 d Annual Con e ence. Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing
Educa ion (SEFI), Tampe e, Finland. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17631307.
This Con e ence Pape is b ough o you o open access by he 53 d Annual Con e ence
o he Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing Educa ion (SEFI) a Tampe e Uni e si y in
Tampe e, Finland. This wo k is licensed unde a C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion-NonComme cial-Sha e Alike 4.0 In e na ional License.
TAKING THE LEAP FROM TRADITIONAL TO TRANSFORMATIVE:
IMPLEMENTING ALTERNATIVE GRADING IN ENGINEERING
COURSES
D. Ch is ensen a,1, L. Singelmann b
a Minneso a S a e Uni e si y, Manka o – I on Range Enginee ing, Vi ginia, MN, USA,
ORCID: 0000-0002-5061-4663
b Minneso a S a e Uni e si y, Manka o – I on Range Enginee ing, Vi ginia, MN, USA,
ORCID: 0000-0003-3586-4266
Con e ence Key A eas: Di e si y, equi y and inclusion in ou uni e si ies and in ou
eaching; Cu iculum de elopmen and eme ging cu iculum models in enginee ing
Keywo ds: al e na i e g ading, equi able g ading
ABSTRACT
No ma i e-based g ading scales and s a egies ha e long exis ed and been
accep ed in he ealm o educa ion ac oss he wo ld bu can be biased and
inequi able o s uden s. Al e na i e g ading is becoming mo e widely p ac iced wi hin
educa ion, including enginee ing educa ion, and has shown gene ally posi i e
ou comes. Al e na i e g ading can posi i ely impac s uden s’ lea ning h ough
au onomy, sel -di ec ed lea ning, mo i a ion, and g ow h-mindse . I is ocused on
adap ing o di e en cou ses, con ex s, and cul u es by oo ing i sel in lea ning
ou comes, no compe i ion. Because o he lack o consensus su ounding he ypes
o al e na i e g ading and implemen a ion s a egies, i can be in imida ing o adop
lea ning ou come-based al e na i e g ading s a egies ins ead o he adi ional
no ma i e-based g ading p ac ices.
This wo kshop aimed o mo i a e educa o s in hei pa hway o adop ing al e na i e
g ading s a egies by ancho ing hei unde s anding in a amewo k ha ocuses on
commonali ies amongs al e na i e g ading s a egies. In his in e ac i e session,
educa o s we e p o ided wi h ample s uc u e in lea ning abou al e na i e g ading
as a whole wi h ou pilla s as a guide – p o iding clea s anda ds, help ul eedback,
ma ks ha indica e p og ess, and eassessmen oppo uni ies. Pa icipan s explo ed
cu en p ac ices in al e na i e g ading p o ided by he expe iences o he
acili a o (s), b ains o med implemen a ion s a egies ha align wi h each o he
pilla s, and le wi h an ac ionable and achie able goal ela ed o hei pe sonal
implemen a ion in a cou se o in e es .
1 D.Ch is ensen, da cie.ch is e[email p o ec ed]
1 BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
No ma i e-based g ading scales o igina ed hund eds o yea s ago and ha e been
es ablished as he s anda d o assessing s uden s, bu hese me hods o en a e
suscep ible o biases and inequi able p ac ices (Feldman, 2019; Hacke son e al.,
2024; Singelmann e al., 2025). To imp o e equi y o g ading p ac ices, al e na i e
g ading me hods a e becoming mo e widesp ead bo h inside and ou side o
enginee ing educa ion wi h posi i e esul s and eedback om s uden s (Feldman,
2019; Hacke son e al., 2024; Singelmann e al., 2025). While no m-based g ading is
ocused on a summa i e app oach ha os e s compe i ion and selec ion o he mos
alen ed s uden s, al e na i e g ading s a egies a e lea ning-ou comes based,
ocused on de eloping s uden s' lea ning (Ca be y e al., 2019). Al e na i e g ading
can p o ide s uden s wi h addi ional au onomy, sel -di ec ed lea ning skills,
mo i a ion, and g ow h-mindse (Feldman, 2019; Hacke son e al., 2024). I can also
suppo s uden well-being as he al e na i e g ading me hods a e mo e s uden -
cen e ed han adi ional no m-based g ading (Ca be y e al., 2019; Cla k & Talbe ,
2023).
Howe e , a la ge buy-in o al e na i e g ading p ac ices and s udies o he ou comes
su ounding hem a e needed. This buy-in and esea ch is made mo e challenging
by he wide a ie y o s a egies and a ying de ini ions o app oaches o al e na i e
g ading. While he de ini ions h oughou al e na i e g ading p ac ices a y, some o
he commonly men ioned o ms o al e na i e g ading may include s anda ds-based
g ading, upg ading, speci ica ions g ading, con ac g ading, o labo -based g ading
(Cla k, 2023; Cla k & Talbe , 2023; Hacke son e al., 2024). De ining and
di e en ia ing hese di e en o ms can eel in imida ing o hose looking o
implemen al e na i e g ading s a egies, bu inding commonali ies be ween hem
o e s a way o p o ide s uc u e and suppo . The e o e, expe s in al e na i e
g ading ha e iden i ied ou pilla s o al e na i e g ading ha uni y all app oaches:
clea s anda ds, help ul eedback, ma ks indica ing p og ess, and eassessmen
oppo uni ies (Cla k & Talbe , 2023; Talbe , 2021). These pilla s wi h b ie
explana ions o each a e included in Figu e 1.
Figu e 1
Fou Pilla s o Al e na i e G ading wi h Explana ions (Talbe , 2021)
By in oducing he ou pilla s o al e na i e g ading, his wo kshop empowe ed
pa icipan s o design an al e na i e g ading scheme ha i s hei class oom, cul u e,
and con ex . Ra he han ying o pa se h ough de ini ions and de e mine which o
he many o ms o al e na i e g ading hey should explo e, his wo kshop ocused on
iden i ying s a egies ha align wi h a uni ying amewo k o al e na i e g ading,
which may include pa s o mul iple al e na i e g ading schemes.
2 WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
As quo ed in Feldman (2019), “Examining g ading is ‘impo an , messy, and
uncom o able’” (p. XXVIII). Because o he lack o de ini ion and guidance,
al e na i e g ading can be an in imida ing space o ins uc o s o ake he leap in
designing a cou se wi h al e na i e g ading implemen ed.
The goal o his wo kshop was o p o ide mo i a ion o educa o s on hei pa h o
al e ing hei g ading p ac ices by gi ing space o unde s anding al e na i e g ading
p ac ices unde a uni ying amewo k and b ains o ming implemen a ion s a egies in
conjunc ion wi h o he educa o s who a e also in e es ed and mo i a ed in simila
a eas.
2.1 Ta ge audience
The a ge audience was educa o s who a e in e es ed in implemen ing new g ading
s a egies in hei class ooms. This could be in ei he p ima y, seconda y, o pos -
seconda y con ex s as all p ac ices in al e na i e g ading can be designed o i
adi ional g ading scales and submissions (e.g., A-F inal g ade on ansc ip s) ha
a e needed.
2.2 Expec ed lea ning ou comes
Because o he wo kshop, a endees will be able o:
• Unde s and he ou pilla s o al e na i e g ading p ac ices (clea s anda ds,
help ul eedback, ma ks indica ing p og ess, and eassessmen oppo uni ies)
• B ains o m and de elop implemen a ion s a egies o each o he ou pilla s
• Choose app op ia e implemen a ion s a egies o a cou se hey each
3 WORKSHOP DESIGN
3.1 Time plan
Table 1 gi es a summa y o ac i i ies ha happened du ing he wo kshop. The ocus
was o gi e ample ime o ins uc ion, indi idual b ains o ming, and g oup
b ains o ming. Wi h his app oach, enough s uc u e was gi en o pa icipan s o
unde s and he con ex o he ou pilla s o al e na i e g ading bu also de eloped
many ideas h ough discussion wi h o he s. They le he wo kshop wi h speci ic
implemen a ion s a egies ha hey en ision wo king well in one o hei own
cou ses.
Table 1
Gene al ime plan om he wo kshop
Segmen
Time
(minu es)
Ac i i ies
P e-Wo k
-10
• Ha e pa icipan s si a ables acco ding o hei
cu en eaching con ex (e.g., p ima y, seconda y,
pos -seconda y)
Welcome and
In oduc ion
10
• In oduce wo kshop acili a o (s)
• B ie in oduc ion o al e na i e g ading and he ou
pilla s (clea s anda ds, help ul eedback, ma ks
indica ing p og ess, and eassessmen oppo uni ies)
• Choose a speci ic cou se ha you could implemen
al e na i e g ading in
In oduc ion o
Al e na i e
G ading
App oaches
10
• P o ide a a ie y o a i ac s (e.g., syllabi, g ading
shee ha shows con e sion o cou se GPA, s uden
eedback) a each able om cou ses ha ha e
implemen ed al e na i e g ading
• Iden i y any e idence o he amewo k o pilla s ha
a e seen in he a i ac s
• Iden i y any s a egies ha may be ele an o he
speci ic cou se you chose
• Iden i y any ques ions ha may be ele an in
applica ion o he speci ic cou se you chose
• Sha e ou akeaways and eme ging ideas
In oduc ion
W ap-Up
10
• A g oup discussion on he a i ac s, explaining which
pilla s he ins uc o saw in each and why
• Ques ion and answe , especially as i ela es o
implemen a ion in cou ses chosen du ing he
in oduc ion
G oup Can as
15
• Fill ou a can as wi h implemen a ion s a egies o
each o he ou pilla s
• Include s a egies ha may be ele an o he speci ic
cou se chosen du ing he in oduc ion
G oup Sha e
Ou
5
• Each g oup sha es one akeaway om he g oup
can as
Indi idual
B ains o m
5
• Iden i y a leas one s a egy om you can as ha
you could see you sel implemen ing and eco d
plans o implemen a ion you in end on comple ing
be o e you nex i e a ion o he cou se
W ap-Up
5
• Q&A
• Sha e addi ional esou ces
• Sha e con ac in o ma ion
3.2 In e ac i i y
Pa icipan s u ilized bo h indi idual and g oup ime o b ains o m implemen a ion
s a egies ega ding hei lea ning abou al e na i e assessmen . They used he
aming o a cou se hey would like o implemen al e na i e g ading in h oughou
he wo kshop. They chose his cou se du ing he in oduc ion. They had a chance
ea ly in he session o ge o know hose a ound hem h ough some explo a ion o
al e na i e g ading app oaches in a mo e s uc u ed way, p o ided h ough examples
by he session acili a o (s). Small g oups o med as pa icipan s come in o he oom.
They sel -o ganized by he educa ional le el a which hey each (e.g., p ima y,
seconda y, pos -seconda y) as well as he cou se size hey ypically ha e (e.g.,
la ge s. smalle ). The g oups we e a mos ou people. Fu ni u e was a anged o
allow e e yone o hea and be hea d in hei g oup. The oom u ilized o he
wo kshop allowed o his o happen well.
Small g oup ime o b ains o ming allowed he pa icipan s o choose ideas ha i
hei speci ic con ex s, while s ill p o iding he uni ying sca olding and amewo k o
he ou pilla s ha span many di e en al e na i e g ading s a egies. Th ough
example sha ing by he acili a o (s), pa icipan s had ample con ex p o ided o
apply he lea ning o hei own cou ses. While i is acknowledged ha hey could no
map ou hei en i e cou se and c ea e all he necessa y ools, he in e ac ion
hope ully spu ed mo i a ion o u u e e o s, w apping up wi h a speci ic goal in he
o m o implemen a ion s a egies wi hin he ou pilla s ha hey can wo k owa d.
4 WORKSHOP RESULTS
The wo kshop, held on he a e noon o Monday, Sep embe 15 h, had app oxima ely
20 pa icipan s ha joined he wo acili a o s. Pa icipan s came om a b oad
spec um o backg ounds – some in adminis a i e posi ions, some eaching small
classes, some eaching la ge classes, some eaching in oduc ion cou ses, and
o he s eaching uppe -di ision o g adua e cou ses. All pa icipan s we e highly
engaged wi h hei g oups and pa icipa ion o e all in he wo kshop was s ong.
Two p ima y a eas we e he ocus o many o he pa icipan s’ cu iosi y abou
implemen a ion o al e na i e g ading p ac ices. The i s was ocused on he why o
al e na i e g ading. This included bo h wha alue i b ings o s uden s as well as
conside ing he mode n ools ha a e changing bo h he lea ning and eedback
mechanisms in educa ion. The wo kshop acili a o s we e able o p o ide i s -hand
expe iences om bo h he ins uc o and s uden pe spec i es because o he
g ading s uc u es hey had implemen ed in cou ses and esea ch hey had
conduc ed. The second was on he logis ical aspec s o implemen ing al e na i e
g ading, especially in high-en ollmen cou ses. The wo kshop acili a o s we e able
o p o ide scaling-up ad ice based on hei cu en expe ience implemen ing
al e na i e g ading p ac ices ac oss he en i e s uden body in hei p og am. Wi h
bo h o hese a eas o ocus, he acili a o s we e also able o emphasize ha he e is
no one-size- i s-all solu ion – e en he same ins uc o may ha e di e en
implemen a ion s a egies o al e na i e g ading in di e en cou ses.
The wo kshop ma e ials included:
• Se o p esen a ion slides o guide ins uc ion and ac i i ies
• A i ac s om cu en implemen a ion o al e na i e g ading (e.g., oken
g ading)
• Can as o b ains o ming he ou pilla s
Addi ional ma e ials men ioned and sha ed wi h pa icipan s we e:
• Al e na i e G ading One-Page ( om D ew Lewis)
• G ading o G ow h Blog Pos
• ASEE S anda ds-Based G ading Pape ( om wo kshop acili a o s)
• Example cou se ma e ials om al e na i e g ading p ac ices in Ci cui s and
Was ewa e T ea men
All o he ma e ials can be accessed in a sha ed Google D i e
(h ps://d i e.google.com/d i e/ olde s/1B0g_ iQRAAZogVXsxT6SHwG lS Y-
9Ze?usp=d i e_link).
O e all, h ough ins uc ion om he acili a o s (e.g., sho p esen a ion a he
beginning wi h acili a o implemen a ion examples included), explo ing al e na i e
g ading a i ac s in small g oups (e.g., syllabus s a emen s, assignmen ins uc ion,
oken shee , e c.), b ains o ming implemen a ion s a egies in small g oups h ough
use o an indi idual can as, and iden i ying an indi idual inspi a ion a ea o
implemen a ion, pa icipan s we e able o de elop a mu ual ounda ion o base
al e na i e g ading in. The pa icipan s we e able o see and de elop an
unde s anding o he de ini ion o he ou pilla s – bo h in hei alue and lexibili y o
implemen a ion. The pa icipan s’ ques ions and engagemen wi h hei g oups
e idenced ha hey we e in igued and inspi ed by he lea ning. Whe he hey had
e y speci ic ideas o o e hauls o gene al one changes o hei cu en g ading
p ac ices, he wo kshop acili a o s conside he wo kshop a success.
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