Ever since I read Carol Dweck’s book Mindset five years ago, I have been looking for a new approach to grading. I wanted to find a way to give grades that supported a growth mindset. I was looking for a method of giving feedback that led directly to improvement in student work. Does such an approach exist? I think I have found it. Linda Nilson’s new book reinvents a philosophy known as “Contract Grading” and infuses it with cutting-edge empirical research. Her book is called Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students, and Saving Faculty Time, and I just love it.
Nilson, Linda B. Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students, and Saving Faculty Time. Stylus, 2015, p. 10.