This session will introduce specifications grading, an innovative grading system that provides clear learning objectives, requirements, and evaluation criteria to guide students toward proficiency. Attendees will gain insights into implementing this model through the use of customizable tools that function as a comprehensive "playbook" for both instructors and students.

With the rapid growth of online education across institutions, identifying effective pedagogical approaches that engage students and promote mastery in virtual learning environments is crucial. This session will introduce specifications grading, an innovative grading system that provides clear learning objectives, requirements, and evaluation criteria to guide students toward proficiency. Attendees will gain insights into implementing this model through the use of customizable tools within a learning management system (LMS) that function as a comprehensive "playbook" for both instructors and students. The relevance of this topic stems from the unique challenges online courses present. Lacking the face-to-face interactions of traditional classrooms, online learners can struggle with staying motivated, understanding expectations, and achieving mastery of complex concepts. Specifications grading directly addresses these hurdles by establishing transparent goals, breaking down assignments into logical components, and allowing multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate their skills. As an outcomes-based system, specs grading lays out specific criteria that students must meet to attain various levels of course mastery. These specs function almost like the rules of a game, giving students a transparent rulebook to follow. A unique token system is also used, that provides flexibility for students to resubmit assignments and learn from their mistakes on the path to mastery. When implemented thoughtfully, this method can increase student motivation, foster a growth mindset, reduce ambiguity around assignments, and ultimately boost achievement. The bulk of this session will focus on sharing concrete strategies for housing the specifications grading "playbook" within an online course's learning management system (LMS). The presenter will provide a walkthrough of how customized instructional tools like rubrics, multimedia tutorials, scenarios, and checklist resources can seamlessly deliver this grading model's expectations to students. Functioning as a virtual field guide, these components make paths to mastery clear and allow online learners to track their progress. Participants will have the chance to interact with sample course materials, exploring how these components work together to promote accountability, self-assessment, and a mastery-oriented mindset. Following an introduction and brief walkthrough from the presenter, attendees at this discovery session will have the opportunity to ponder some scenarios from the perspective of students and imagine how it might feel to have a higher degree of autonomy. Open Q&A time will create space for attendees to discuss concerns, share insights from their own teaching experiences, and crowdsource solutions to anticipated challenges.