Learn more
These promotions will be applied to this item:
Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.
- Highlight, take notes, and search in the book
- In this edition, page numbers are just like the physical edition
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead) (Teaching and Learning in Higher Education) 1st Edition, Kindle Edition
Customers reported quality issues in this eBook. This eBook has: Poor Image Quality, Broken Navigation . The publisher has been notified to correct these issues. |
The moment is right for critical reflection on what has been assumed to be a core part of schooling. In Ungrading, fifteen educators write about their diverse experiences going gradeless. Some contributors are new to the practice and some have been engaging in it for decades. Some are in humanities and social sciences, some in STEM fields. Some are in higher education, but some are the K–12 pioneers who led the way. Based on rigorous and replicated research, this is the first book to show why and how faculty who wish to focus on learning, rather than sorting or judging, might proceed. It includes honest reflection on what makes ungrading challenging, and testimonials about what makes it transformative.
CONTRIBUTORS:
Aaron Blackwelder
Susan D. Blum
Arthur Chiaravalli
Gary Chu
Cathy N. Davidson
Laura Gibbs
Christina Katopodis
Joy Kirr
Alfie Kohn
Christopher Riesbeck
Starr Sackstein
Marcus Schultz-Bergin
Clarissa Sorensen-Unruh
Jesse Stommel
John Warner
- ISBN-13978-1949199833
- Edition1st
- PublisherWest Virginia University Press
- Publication dateDecember 1, 2020
- LanguageEnglish
- File size1.9 MB
Kindle E-Readers
- Kindle Paperwhite (12th Generation)
- Kindle Paperwhite (10th Generation)
- Kindle Voyage
- Kindle Paperwhite
- Kindle Paperwhite (5th Generation)
- Kindle Scribe, 1st generation (2024 release)
- All New Kindle E-reader
- Kindle Paperwhite (11th Generation)
- Kindle
- Kindle (10th Generation)
- Kindle Touch
- Kindle Scribe (1st Generation)
- Kindle Oasis (9th Generation)
- All New Kindle E-reader (11th Generation)
- Kindle Oasis
- All new Kindle paperwhite
- Kindle Oasis (10th Generation)
Fire Tablets
Shop this series
See full series- Kindle Price:$73.62By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.
- Kindle Price:$114.54By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.
- Kindle Price:$225.07By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.
- Kindle Price:$336.38By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.
Shop this series
This option includes 3 books.
This option includes 5 books.
This option includes 10 books.
This option includes 15 books.
Customers also bought or read
- Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students, and Saving Faculty TimeKindle Edition$28.08$28.08
- Relationship-Rich Education: How Human Connections Drive Success in CollegeKindle Edition$38.00$38.00
- A Pedagogy of Kindness (Teaching, Engaging, and Thriving in Higher Ed Book 1)Kindle Edition$19.95$19.95
- Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and ClassroomsKindle Edition$29.60$29.60
- Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education (Equity and Social Justice in Education Series)Kindle Edition$31.34$31.34
- Teaching College: The Ultimate Guide to Lecturing, Presenting, and Engaging StudentsKindle Edition$0.99$0.99
- The Skillful Teacher: On Technique, Trust, and Responsiveness in the ClassroomKindle Edition$24.00$24.00
- Why Knowledge Matters: Rescuing Our Children from Failed Educational TheoriesKindle Edition$31.00$31.00
Customers who bought this item also bought
Editorial Reviews
Review
Paul Hanstedt, author of Creating Wicked Students: Designing Courses for a Complex World
“Nuanced and well balanced.”
Choice Reviews
From the Back Cover
The moment is right for critical reflection on what has been assumed to be a core part of schooling. In Ungrading, fifteen educators write about their diverse experiences going gradeless. Some contributors are new to the practice and some have been engaging in it for decades. Some are in humanities and social sciences, some in STEM fields. Some are in higher education, but some are the K–12 pioneers who led the way. Based on rigorous and replicated research, this is the first book to show why and how faculty who wish to focus on learning, rather than sorting or judging, might proceed. It includes honest reflection on what makes ungrading challenging, and testimonials about what makes it transformative.
CONTRIBUTORS:
Aaron Blackwelder
Susan D. Blum
Arthur Chiaravalli
Gary Chu
Cathy N. Davidson
Laura Gibbs
Christina Katopodis
Joy Kirr
Alfie Kohn
Christopher Riesbeck
Starr Sackstein
Marcus Schultz-Bergin
Clarissa Sorensen-Unruh
Jesse Stommel
John Warner
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Why Ungrade? Why Grade?
Susan D. Blum
From birth onward, humans, in their healthiest states, are active, inquisitive, curious, and playful creatures, displaying a ubiquitous readiness to learn and explore, and they do not require extraneous incentives to do so. This natural motivational tendency is a critical element in cognitive, social, and physical development because it is through acting on one’s inherent interests that one grows in knowledge and skills.
—Richard M. Ryan and Edward L. Deci, “Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: Classic Definitions and New Directions”
Instead of focusing on getting a good grade, I focused on actually learning the material. I was less stressed out, and more interested in the actual class content.
—Undergraduate in my grade-free (until the end) class, Fall 2018
Humans, in recent memory, invented a way of looking at students’ learning. We in the United States call it grading; in Canada, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere, they distinguish between marking on particular assignments and final grading. Though grading seems natural, inevitable, a part of the very fabric of school, it isn’t. It was created at a certain moment, for certain reasons not entirely well thought out, and then became embedded in the structures of schools for most students.
But because we invented it, we can uninvent it. We can remove it.
And many of us believe we should.
There’s a growing 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. Though the destination tends to be generally the same, there is variation in the routes, the reasons, the contexts, and the specific ways various individuals at different levels of education enact our changes. This book is an effort to assemble some of the practices faculty have devised to question the apparent centrality of grades as an unchanging, unyielding fact of schooling (according to both teachers and students).
After I published a short article online in 2017 called “Ungrading: The Significant Learning Benefits of Getting Rid of Grades,” I was invited to a secret Facebook group called Teachers Going Gradeless, TG2. There was already a group that Starr Sackstein had been part of called Teachers Throwing Out Grades. Since then I’ve discovered more and more evidence of faculty going gradeless—most at the secondary (middle and high school) level, but increasingly in higher education. Much of the material in this book is available as blog posts, podcasts, Twitter threads, and interviews. Little has been published in print or peer-reviewed formats. We’ve retained some of the flavor of those posts, to keep the sense of energy and conversation of each author.
Almost everyone I approached was delighted to contribute to this book (those who declined had other commitments) and excited to push the conversation into a broader public realm. We believe that putting these pieces together produces a picture of what is possible—a picture greater than any individual alone can produce.
All the authors included in this book are troubled by some of the consequences of and reasons for grades. It could be because grading dehumanizes and flattens nuances in students’ practices and understanding. It could be the mechanistic approach, derived from the factory model of education, that we wish to challenge. It could be that we are concerned about the fixation on grades, which leads to cheating, corner cutting, gaming the system, and a misplaced focus on accumulating points rather than on learning. It could be that people wish to be more responsive to individuals in the classroom, to be more informative about feedback, to join students in a collective effort that isn’t primarily focused on assessment, evaluation, sorting, ranking. It could be that people are rebelling against audit culture, or what Jerry Z. Muller in his book The Tyranny of Metrics calls “metric fixation.”
[. . . ]
Product details
- ASIN : B08KH5C4WL
- Publisher : West Virginia University Press; 1st edition (December 1, 2020)
- Publication date : December 1, 2020
- Language : English
- File size : 1.9 MB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray for textbooks : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 269 pages
- Page numbers source ISBN : 1949199827
- Best Sellers Rank: #468,964 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #89 in Education Administration (Kindle Store)
- #285 in Inclusive Education Methods
- #351 in College & University Education
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Starr Sackstein is a visionary educator, prolific writer, and passionate advocate for transforming the world of education. With an unwavering commitment to student-centered learning and technology integration, she has emerged as a leading figure in the field of progressive education.
Starr's journey in education began in the traditional classroom, where she quickly realized the limitations of conventional teaching methods. Fueled by a desire to create more meaningful and impactful learning experiences, she embarked on a mission to revolutionize education. Her career path led her to explore innovative teaching practices, including project-based learning, competency-based assessment, and personalized instruction.
A trailblazer in the realm of assessment, Starr championed the shift from grades to a more holistic approach. She pioneered the use of student self-assessment and reflection, emphasizing the importance of metacognition in the learning process. Her groundbreaking book, "Hacking Assessment," resonated with educators worldwide, sparking conversations and reforms around how students are evaluated and empowered.
Starr's influence extends beyond the classroom through her writing and speaking engagements. As a prolific author, she has penned numerous articles for prominent education publications and authored several influential books, each challenging the status quo and providing practical strategies for educators to implement change. Her thought leadership has been instrumental in shaping the ongoing dialogue on educational reform.
In addition to her writing, Starr's dynamic presence as a speaker has inspired educators at conferences, workshops, and events across the globe. Her ability to connect with diverse audiences and her deep insights into pedagogy and technology have earned her a reputation as an engaging and thought-provoking speaker.
Starr's impact is evident in the transformations she has catalyzed in schools and classrooms. Through her consultancy work, she has collaborated with educational institutions to design innovative curricula, revamp assessment practices, and create dynamic learning environments that foster creativity and critical thinking.
As an advocate for integrating technology in education, Starr recognizes the power of digital tools to amplify learning experiences. She has explored the potential of social media, blogging, and digital portfolios to engage students and extend their learning beyond the classroom walls.
Starr Sackstein's legacy is one of courage, innovation, and unwavering dedication to advancing education. Her relentless pursuit of meaningful change has challenged educators to rethink their practices and prioritize the growth and well-being of each student. Through her writing, speaking, and transformative work, Starr continues to shape the future of education, inspiring a generation of educators to embrace progress and possibility.
Susan D Blum is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Notre Dame. She has written or edited 10 books and many articles about the anthropology of higher education, truth and deception, ethics, plagiarism, linguistic anthropology, and China.
Jesse Stommel is co-founder of Digital Pedagogy Lab and Hybrid Pedagogy: the journal of critical digital pedagogy. He has a PhD from University of Colorado Boulder. Jesse is a documentary filmmaker and teaches courses about pedagogy, film, and new media. Jesse experiments relentlessly with learning interfaces, both digital and analog, and his research focuses on higher education pedagogy, critical digital pedagogy, and assessment.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonTop reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2024A very useful and thought provoking guide for educators thinking of removing grades from their courses. Plenty of examples of how this can be done across diverse disciplines. I found the arguments very convincing. I hope the upgrading movement continues to gain momentum so that we can focus on student learning rather than grade justification.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2024Really informative and has changed my practices
- Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2022This book is a collection of essays from different educators about their reflections and practices designed to work around traditional grading. Most of the contributors are from university settings, but some are from K12. The combination of the forward by Alfie Kohn, the overviews by the editor Susan Blum, and the contributions from the different educators provide a very good understanding of the negative impacts of traditional grading. The main message is how grades distract from real learning, e.g. how students do what they must to get the grade without any concern about what they are learning. We also read about the inconsistencies and arbitrary nature of grades, in addition to the inequities related to treating every student the same. And we read about different approaches that have worked for the contributors. For any educators who have concerns about grading, reading the different perspectives and stories from the multiple sources provides a rich body of perspectives and experiences to inform and assist others who wish to try to change their own practices. That is the strength of this book.
I enjoyed reading the different perspectives on "ungrading." Nevertheless, I was disappointed by the sole focus on grading. In particular, while the educators here made real progress in moving from ranking to constructive feedback, they seem to all have continued the same content and curricula they have always used. They assume that students will be well served by learning what the teacher believes is important in the way that makes sense for the teacher. That is certainly the well-accepted way. However, modern learning science and experience have clearly shown that the best learning occurs when students find the work interesting and engaging and have a chance to learn largely in their own ways. This involves teachers getting to know their specific students and mentoring them to engage in authentic learning experiences that are meaningful for those students and largely self-directed while also leading them to master skills and content that the teacher knows are important for each student's development. While assessment is a big barrier, the compliant, pour-knowledge-into-young-minds approach is also a major issue. For education to be effective and equitable, one must look at all aspects of learning and the learning environment together. In that sense this book can contribute as part of a larger effort, but I would advise doing the same kinds of reflection and experimentation on the entire learning environment.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2025quick & nice! thanks
- Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2021Ungrading is a provocative anthology of approaches to assessments that go far beyond the simple letter grade. While “ungrading” implies the absence of grades, it does not mean students are not assessed on their assignments. Instead, the authors suggest a variety of ways that assessment can be more valuable for students and teachers. The ideas can be easily scaled from elementary school to university and adapted for the humanities and the sciences.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2021As an advocate of self-directed education trying to survive in higher education, I was so grateful to find the #ungrading community on Twitter and even more excited that I stumbled into this community as this book was being released. I love that each chapter is written by different educators. It would make a great read independently but would be even better if read by the whole staff of a school or district with asynchronous brainstorming and discussion about how to implement within your sphere.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2021This book does a great job of introducing ungrading as well as sharing a wide variety of different approaches and practices to employing ungrading. I started ungrading in my own classes before reading the book, but each chapter still offered really wonderful insights and inspiration. Everyone should read it!
- Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2021Every teacher should read this book! It really made me think about how and why I assess my students. Several viewpoints are offered and I found items from several of the authors that I was able to implement successfully in my own classroom.
Top reviews from other countries
- GrammaticusReviewed in Canada on November 30, 2024
1.0 out of 5 stars Unreadable
This book may contain insightful and useful guidance on "ungrading." Unfortunately, the book is written as if the editor and contributors felt they needed to make light of the subject matter in order to get people to read it. Ka-pow! Let's make a joke of ourselves. Just kidding. Ugh.