Evaluating a pass/fail grading model in first year undergraduate computing

Mark Zarb; Roger McDermott; Kyle Martin; Tiffany Young; Jess McGowan

doi:10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10343276

Evaluating a pass/fail grading model in first year undergraduate computing

Mark Zarb, Roger McDermott, Kyle Martin, Tiffany Young, Jess McGowan

School of Computer Science

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

This Innovative Practice Full Paper investigates the implications of implementing a Pass/Fail marking scheme within the undergraduate curriculum, specifically across first year computing modules in a Scottish Higher Education Institution. The motivation for this implementation was to ease stress and pressure on students entering higher education, which became particularly relevant following the COVID-19 pandemic. The study reports on the results of a survey that gathered feedback from Stage 1 and Stage 2 students who experienced the Pass/Fail implementation, and results shows that students generally appreciate the Pass/Fail model, although for many, the benefits only become apparent once they are exposed to alternative grading models. A number of recommendations are made for the implementation of similar marking schemes within computing in Higher Education curricula.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2023 IEEE frontiers in education conference (FIE)
Place of Publication	Piscataway, NJ
Publisher	IEEE
Pages	1-9
Number of pages	9
ISBN (Electronic)	9798350336429
ISBN (Print)	9798350336436
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10343276
Publication status	Published - 5 Jan 2024
Event	2023 IEEE ASEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE 2023) - College Station, United States Duration: 18 Oct 2023 → 21 Oct 2023 https://2023.fie-conference.org/

Publication series

Name	IEEE frontiers in education conference (FIE)
Publisher	IEEE
ISSN (Print)	1539-4565
ISSN (Electronic)	2377-634X

Conference

Conference	2023 IEEE ASEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE 2023)
Abbreviated title	FIE 2023
Country/Territory	United States
City	College Station
Period	18/10/23 → 21/10/23
Internet address	https://2023.fie-conference.org/

Keywords

Grading systems
Pedagogy
Assessment
cs1
Computing
Pass/fail

Access to Document

10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10343276

https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2225875

Cite this

@inproceedings{be59c6b16e2a4452a350eef5f2f57539,

title = "Evaluating a pass/fail grading model in first year undergraduate computing",

abstract = "This Innovative Practice Full Paper investigates the implications of implementing a Pass/Fail marking scheme within the undergraduate curriculum, specifically across first year computing modules in a Scottish Higher Education Institution. The motivation for this implementation was to ease stress and pressure on students entering higher education, which became particularly relevant following the COVID-19 pandemic. The study reports on the results of a survey that gathered feedback from Stage 1 and Stage 2 students who experienced the Pass/Fail implementation, and results shows that students generally appreciate the Pass/Fail model, although for many, the benefits only become apparent once they are exposed to alternative grading models. A number of recommendations are made for the implementation of similar marking schemes within computing in Higher Education curricula.",

keywords = "Grading systems, Pedagogy, Assessment, cs1, Computing, Pass/fail",

author = "Mark Zarb and Roger McDermott and Kyle Martin and Tiffany Young and Jess McGowan",

year = "2024",

month = jan,

day = "5",

doi = "10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10343276",

language = "English",

isbn = "9798350336436",

series = "IEEE frontiers in education conference (FIE)",

publisher = "IEEE",

pages = "1--9",

booktitle = "2023 IEEE frontiers in education conference (FIE)",

note = "2023 IEEE ASEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE 2023), FIE 2023 ; Conference date: 18-10-2023 Through 21-10-2023",

url = "https://2023.fie-conference.org/",

}

Zarb, M, McDermott, R, Martin, K, Young, T & McGowan, J 2024, Evaluating a pass/fail grading model in first year undergraduate computing. in 2023 IEEE frontiers in education conference (FIE). IEEE frontiers in education conference (FIE), IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, pp. 1-9, 2023 IEEE ASEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE 2023), College Station, Texas, United States, 18/10/23. https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10343276

TY - GEN

T1 - Evaluating a pass/fail grading model in first year undergraduate computing

AU - Zarb, Mark

AU - McDermott, Roger

AU - Martin, Kyle

AU - Young, Tiffany

AU - McGowan, Jess

PY - 2024/1/5

Y1 - 2024/1/5

N2 - This Innovative Practice Full Paper investigates the implications of implementing a Pass/Fail marking scheme within the undergraduate curriculum, specifically across first year computing modules in a Scottish Higher Education Institution. The motivation for this implementation was to ease stress and pressure on students entering higher education, which became particularly relevant following the COVID-19 pandemic. The study reports on the results of a survey that gathered feedback from Stage 1 and Stage 2 students who experienced the Pass/Fail implementation, and results shows that students generally appreciate the Pass/Fail model, although for many, the benefits only become apparent once they are exposed to alternative grading models. A number of recommendations are made for the implementation of similar marking schemes within computing in Higher Education curricula.

AB - This Innovative Practice Full Paper investigates the implications of implementing a Pass/Fail marking scheme within the undergraduate curriculum, specifically across first year computing modules in a Scottish Higher Education Institution. The motivation for this implementation was to ease stress and pressure on students entering higher education, which became particularly relevant following the COVID-19 pandemic. The study reports on the results of a survey that gathered feedback from Stage 1 and Stage 2 students who experienced the Pass/Fail implementation, and results shows that students generally appreciate the Pass/Fail model, although for many, the benefits only become apparent once they are exposed to alternative grading models. A number of recommendations are made for the implementation of similar marking schemes within computing in Higher Education curricula.

KW - Grading systems

KW - Pedagogy

KW - Assessment

KW - cs1

KW - Computing

KW - Pass/fail

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85183008291

U2 - 10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10343276

DO - 10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10343276

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 9798350336436

T3 - IEEE frontiers in education conference (FIE)

SP - 1

EP - 9

BT - 2023 IEEE frontiers in education conference (FIE)

PB - IEEE

CY - Piscataway, NJ

T2 - 2023 IEEE ASEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE 2023)

Y2 - 18 October 2023 through 21 October 2023

ER -

Evaluating a pass/fail grading model in first year undergraduate computing

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this