{"id":367,"date":"2020-07-09T17:50:36","date_gmt":"2020-07-09T17:50:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/michael-weingart\/?page_id=367"},"modified":"2021-01-27T17:53:36","modified_gmt":"2021-01-27T17:53:36","slug":"resources","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/michael-weingart\/resources\/","title":{"rendered":"Mastery Based Grading"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since fall 2020 I have been using a mastery-based grading system instead of a traditional points-based approach.\u00a0 \u00a0Here is how it works in one particular course, Math 104: Introduction to Probability:<\/p>\n

<\/h4>\n

The Mastery Based Scale<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are no points anywhere in the grading scheme.\u00a0 Instead, each assessable item is scored on the following mastery scale:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Mastered<\/td>\nProgressing<\/td>\nNeeds Improvement<\/td>\nUngradable<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Your solution is complete and correct, or contains only a minor, non-conceptual error.<\/td>\n\u00a0Your solution shows significant understanding, but contains enough errors or omissions that it isn’t up to the level of mastery.<\/td>\nYou have made a reasonable start on your solution, but it is seriously inaccurate, unclear, or incomplete.<\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

The solution hasn\u2019t been started or cannot be read, or there isn\u2019t enough written to assess accurately.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

There is a detailed list of 36 learning goals for the course, and they are used directly in the assessment of student work on homework and exams.<\/p>\n

Each homework assignment has one or more learning goals associated with it.\u00a0 Each exam has a large number of learning goals associated with it, and the final has all of them. Students receive extensive comments on their work, and a score on the mastery scale for each associated learning goal.<\/p>\n

Assignments and exams are scored separately, so that for each learning goal, a student has separate scores in the assignment category and in the exam category.\u00a0 There is also, for each learning goal, an overall, course-level mastery score, which is the greater of the assignment and exam scores for that learning goal.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Opportunities to Improve Scores<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

For each homework assignment and exam other than the final, students can submit the solution to a “second chance” problem.\u00a0 \u00a0A strong enough performance will improve the mastery score on one learning goal for each assignment or exam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From Mastery Scores to Course Grade<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

To earn a particular letter grade for the course, a student must achieve at least<\/em>\u00a0the indicated mastery levels\u00a0in\u00a0all<\/em>\u00a0columns:<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\npre-class work (21)<\/td>\nin-class work<\/p>\n

(21)<\/td>\n

Quizzes<\/p>\n

(21)<\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

post-class assignments<\/p>\n

(36 LGs)<\/td>\n

Exams<\/p>\n

(36 LGs)<\/td>\n

Learning Goals<\/p>\n

(36)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

A<\/td>\n19<\/td>\n10M, 7P<\/td>\n9M, 8P<\/td>\n\u00a0 29M, 5P<\/td>\n29M, 5P<\/td>\n32M, 4P<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
B+<\/td>\n19<\/td>\n9M, 8P<\/td>\n7M, 10P<\/td>\n\u00a0 25M, 8P<\/td>\n25M, 8P<\/td>\n28M,\u00a06<\/span>P<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
B<\/td>\n18<\/td>\n8M, 9P<\/td>\n5M, 12P<\/td>\n\u00a0 21M, 11P<\/td>\n21M, 11P<\/td>\n24M, 8P<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
C+<\/td>\n16<\/td>\n6M, 10P<\/td>\n3M, 12P<\/td>\n\u00a0 15M, 15P<\/td>\n15M, 15P<\/td>\n20M, 10P<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
C<\/td>\n14<\/td>\n\u00a0 3M, 12P<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 15P<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 10M, 17P<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0 10M, 17P<\/td>\n16M, 11P<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
D<\/td>\n11<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 13P<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 12P<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 5M, 20P<\/td>\n5M, 20P<\/td>\n\u00a0 10M, 15P<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Examples:<\/p>\n

To earn an A, the student must<\/p>\n