> If we start with the
> students, and I'm not saying we shouldn't have them question grading and
> even rouse them to some extent, we work from a weak position against
> university adminstrations and social norms. But if we can get the
> adminstrations to question the value of grading, then we start from a
> more powerful position, and one the opinions of which are considered more
> valuable and valid.
I think one way to work with administrators is through arguing from
academic research -- playing directly into a currency that is heeded by
administrators.
As far as I know, it is easy to find lots of serious studies that
support the conclusion that grading in fact damages the learning process,
whereas it would be downright difficult to find serious studies that
support the value of grading.
Part of this could involve collaboration with other departments -- if
you are in the school of Liberal Arts or whatever it might be called, make
a faculty contact in the Educational Research dept. if you have a school
or department of Ed where you are working. Maybe you could co-teach a
course with an Ed evaluation teacher on the topic of grading. Electronic
media makes collaboration such as this quite easy as I'm sure most on this
list already know, and can be done for a whole semester or just for a part
of a semester. . .
Bob King