2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Dynamics is a core undergraduate mechanical engineering course that often acts as a gateway to upper division engineering curriculum. Some students find the course exciting and motivating while others find it overly challenging and discouraging. Grading schemes can play a significant role in students’ motivation for, and approach to, learning. In this article, we present two different grading schemes used in an undergraduate engineering dynamics course at the University of California, Irvine, and specifically evaluate the merits of a standards-based, learner-centered, specifications grading scheme for promoting student learning and overall achievement. The first grading scheme we present is a traditional points-based scheme that assigns points to students’ performance on summative assessments like quizzes and exams. The second grading scheme uses specifications grading, without points, to assess all assignments as either demonstrating sufficient mastery of the course learning objectives or otherwise needing revision. This specifications grading scheme allows for assignment revisions and resubmissions and clearly defines assessment criteria and standards for passing assignments and earning a particular grade. This shifts students’ focus from accumulating points to mastering the learning objectives and promotes metacognition of learning and improving.

We describe the course learning objectives and the two different grading schemes, along with details of how the assessments in specifications grading were designed. Then we present students’ performance in both grading schemes and students perceptions on how specifications grading affected their learning, anxiety, and self efficacy, as collected in midterm and end of term surveys. In general, students reported feeling that the specifications grading scheme helped them learn and gave them confidence to earn their desired grade, although some students reported that the specifications grading scheme was more stressful than traditional points-based grading. Finally, we discuss the advantages and challenges, from the instructor’s observations and perspective, associated with transitioning from a traditional points-based grading scheme to using specifications grading.