Students’ and instructors’ perception on graded class participation: a multidisciplinary perspective within a comprehensive research university

Graded class participation has become an increasingly important pedagogicaltool in higher education, driven by shifts away from passive lecture-style classes towards active, student-centred classrooms. At the National University of Singapore, course instructors assess and grade undergraduate students on their class participation, though its format and weightage vary greatly across faculties. Questions have also been raised over the efficacy of graded class participation in measuring student learning, with prior studies on the issue limited in scope. In this study, we evaluate the practice of graded class participation on a university-wide level, focusing on differences in howclass participation is conducted across faculties and the effectiveness, fairness and inclusivity of graded class participation. We conducted a cross-sectional survey entailing online questionnaires on 73 undergraduates, followed by semi-structured interviews with 15 faculty members. Significant differences in class participation were identified across faculties, and perceptions were polarised on the effectiveness of graded class participation. More crucially, gaps in the fairness and inclusivity of graded class participation were identified, along with potential alternatives and best practices. By bringing these perceived challenges to light, we engender an informed change in practices that will help elevate the intended outcomes for graded class participation in the future.