TEACHx 2026

A growing movement has challenged the accuracy and equity of commonly-used grading systems, leading to  practices like standards-based grading, specifications grading, and ungrading as possible alternatives. While promising pedagogically, these practices are often difficult to sustain in reality.  This talk will focus on the role of gradebooks and the way they may nudge us either to continue old practices and discourage adoption of new practices or to lean into more promising practices. The talk will follow the author’s personal experience with alternative grading systems and with a beta-version of a gradebook designed to support alternative grading rather than traditional grading.