Date of Degree
2025
Degree Name
Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)
Department
Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations (LEPF)
Director
Summers, Kelly
Committee Members
Creed, Benjamin; Bronke, Christopher
Keywords
ungrading; assessment; feedback; portfolios; student motivation; equity; qualitative research
Abstract
This qualitative study examined the perceptions of ungraded learning environments and their implications for student motivation, equity, and assessment practice. A qualitative interview methodology was utilized. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen K–12 educators from the Chicagoland and North Shore regions. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify convergent and divergent patterns in practice and belief.
Findings indicate that ungraded environments reposition accountability around evidence of learning, feedback cycles, and student reflection. At the classroom level, feedback routines, portfolio curation, and teacher moderation served as the backbone of rigor and coherence. Participants described increased persistence and metacognition when grades were replaced with actionable feedback and revision opportunities. Equity benefits emerged when grading shifted away from compliance-based penalties toward demonstrations of mastery, though these gains relied on shared rubrics, time for calibration, and supportive policies. System-level conditions, including class size, collaboration time, assessment literacy, and transcript requirements, shaped feasibility and credibility.
The results align with constructivist learning theory, self-determination theory, and social learning theory, illustrating how ungraded practices foster agency, belonging, and authentic engagement. From a leadership perspective, the study affirms that non-traditional assessment can provide more meaningful and enduring learning experiences while acknowledging the systemic barriers that must be addressed. Implications include the need for aligned policies, structured collaboration, professional development, and intentional family communication.
Even within its contextual limits, the study suggests that ungraded environments, supported by coherent systems, can advance more humanizing, equitable, and learning-centered assessment practices.
Publisher
Northern Illinois University
Rights Statement
In Copyright
Rights Statement 2
NIU theses and dissertations are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors, unless otherwise indicated.
Recommended Citation
Kamara-Ibrahim, Aliaa, "Grading Ecosystems and the Work of Teaching: Educator Perspectives on Implementing and Sustaining Ungraded Learning Practices" (2025). Dissertations of Practice. 100.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-disspractice/100
Included in
Educational Leadership Commons, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons
