Instructional Note: Setting the Stage for a New Path Forward: Introducing an Alternative Grading Framework to Students

Introducing an alternative grading framework to students can be a challenge. Instructors might encounter student resistance, confusion, and frustration. To better help students understand both why moving away from traditional grading practices is important and how the classroom’s alternative assessment system functions, this Instructional Note suggests centering dialogue, students’ histories with grades, and an overview of the classroom’s alternative grading practice during the first couple of weeks of class.