Ungrading

"Ungrading" is a set of practices described by author Jesse Stommel as "raising an eyebrow at grades as a systemic practice, distinct from simply 'not grading'. Ungrading argues that the current assessment practices in education undermine work, rather than supporting learning and collaboration.

Multiple books have discussed this concept. In Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead) Susan D. Blum, a professor of anthropology at the University of Notre Dame writes about this concept. The book carries a Foreword by Alfie Kohn. It includes thirteen chapters on the subject by various authors and a Conclusion chapter by Blum. According to Blum, the book addresses the topic of the "movement at this end of the second decade of the twenty-first century. I call it ungrading. Others call it de-grading or going gradeless." The book provides an understanding of why many educators now feel "grades should be eliminated from the educational system" and "brings a deep reflection into our assessment models, practices, and experiences."