Redesigning with students in mind

I thought my grading system measured learning. In the summer of 2020, I realized that it mostly measured compliance. Some students thrived; others gave up. The shift to online classes gave me new insight into my students’ lives and revealed how my grading system was preventing learning. I began to see my students’ different life situations more clearly. That realization changed everything and pushed me to look for alternatives.

Alisha Willett, Purdue University

Assistant professor of practice Jacob Adler discusses recombinant DNA with undergraduate students Emma Mulder and Michaela Spangler at Purdue University in 2025.

That summer and academic year, I dove into Joe Feldman’s “Grading for Equity” and other books on alternative assessment and grading. I also joined the Biology Grading for Growth Community of Practice online. These readings and conversations gave me the courage and practical tools to begin redesigning my courses.

For educators considering a grading redesign, I recommend finding a group like this rather than going at it alone. That support, along with research on the disconnect between grades and learning, made it clear that change was necessary.

I began adapting my courses to standards-based grading, in which students are assessed on specific learning goals that clearly define expectations rather than on accumulating points. I also introduced short, scheduled one-on-one meetings with each student to discuss their progress. A typical meeting would involve students reflecting on their learning and an opportunity to demonstrate proficiency with a learning goal. This new approach involved many small shifts, from restructuring the grading system to making manual changes in the learning management system and increasing feedback and interaction with students.

Overall, these changes had a major impact. Students told me they appreciated the increased transparency about exams and grading. They also said the one-on-one meetings improved communication.

They felt seen and heard. They understood what success looked like.

My students saw that I cared about their learning and growth. It just took adjusting my approach to make that visible.

While grading practices vary across my courses, my focus on clarity remains constant. I continue to look for ways to improve my teaching. Redesigning my grading taught me that clarity and care matter more than points. I am still learning, but now my students and I grow together.