interpretative phenomenological analysis of high school students' experiences with competency-based learning grading reform efforts

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20394203

Abstract Traditional grading practices represent an antiquated and inequitable system in education. The reliance of external rewards and punishments embedded into a traditional system of grading runs counter to current research about learning, motivation and feedback (O'Connor, 2009). Additionally, traditional grading practices adversely impact traditionally marginalized students due to the influence of implicit bias and the inclusion of factors unrelated to academic mastery that overly emphasize the privileges students have or do not have (Feldman, 2018). As schools and districts work to reform grading practices, it will be important to understand the impact that these changes have on students and their opportunities to learn. As a result, this study utilized an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as a qualitative approach to make sense of the experiences of six high school students who were the recipients of competency-based learning (CBL) grading reform efforts. An analysis of participants' experiences identified four superordinate themes: (a) the messages a system sends; (b) errors as information; (c) hope is a good thing; and (d) the impact of change on students. Analyzing the data from this study with the literature and through the lens of self-efficacy theory revealed that CBL grading practices promote learning, deeper levels of learning and that they support students in developing a new perspective about learning. One additional takeaway is that students benefit from time and support to transition into a CBL system. The results of this study suggest that CBL practices provide a promising alternative for districts seeking to reform approaches to grading. Proposed recommendations include expanding the implementation of CBL, providing opportunities for educators to collaborate to design and implement a CBL system, and to engage students in CBL change efforts. Keywords: grading reform, grading practices, Competency-Based Learning