Scheme: Competency-Based Grading in Data Structures
Contents
Scheme: Competency-Based Grading in Data Structures¶
This course example uses a competency-based grading scheme and assesses assignments on specification against an assignment rubric. Please visit the Spring 2021 course site for more detailed information.
Instructor Process¶
The course covers a very large number of topics over a 13 week period, several of which previous instructors didn’t get to as students fell behind throughout the semester. I decided to pick the most important topics and classified them as non-negotiables– these were topics a student shouldn’t leave a data structures and algo course without understanding. I chose to have 4 levels of knowledge, of which the highest required a self-directed final project to demonstrate. I categorized the original assignment requirements into the three levels of knowledge left, and that became that assignment’s rubric.
A concrete example using writing: Say the learning objective of the assignment is to write a paragraph. To reach awareness, a student would have to write between 3-5 sentences total. To reach this level of knowledge (awareness) students don’t have to worry too much about the sentences flowing well and being related, they just have to meet the bare minimum of length. To demonstrate understanding, the 3-5 sentences must be on the same topic, and lastly, to demonstrate competency, students would have to write 3-5 sentences about the same topic, that flow well together, and form a unified single idea.
System basics¶
Almost each grade band (A, B, and C) had two options/avenues to be earned (D only had one path). One of the options offered more flexibility for missing or incomplete assingments, the other did not. Final projects were an optional way to demonstrate knowledge to give students who missed any assignments an additional opportunity to boost their grade. Completing and submitting a final project was also required to earn an A in the course. There was also an opportunity to gain a + designation described in the syllabus (i.e., to get a B+ instead of a B).
Equity and learning focus¶
Final course grades were not based on averaging performance across assignments meaning students could have bad weeks that wouldn’t hurt their final grade.
Students had multiple opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge in any given topic area.
Other applied strategies for equity¶
Assignment resubmissions were allowed and encouraged throughout the semester. Some topics take longer than others to click, sometimes students have only a limited amount of time to devote to an assignment but can return to it later.
Soft deadlines and hard deadlines allowed students to self-pace while having an outline of where they should be at with their assignment completion.
Open-ended final projects to allow students to apply course topics to their own interests.