The University of Calgary’s Faculty of Science is piloting the contract grading method, a teaching approach that bases grades on the student’s fulfilment of a “contract” with the instructor. For example, an instructor may let a student choose from 12 assignments, agreeing to award a B+ if they complete eight of them. UCalgary Assistant Professor Steve Sutcliffe likened the method to the realities of working in industry, where an employer would hire a contractor to do a certain amount of work. The benefits include reduced stress, deeper learning, and increased autonomy, though challenges can arise in larger classrooms or when adapting results to fit traditional grading systems.
UCalgary
