The theoretical psychology bachelor’s course ‘Interpersoonlijke processen’ switched from traditional tiered grading to pass/fail grading to encourage students to focus on learning rather than performance. Using both quantitative and qualitative data, the study examined how this change influenced the quality of education and offered insights into how to implement pass/fail grading effectively.

Background information

The current educational system has a strong focus on grades and performance, negatively impacting student learning and well-being. Since grades mainly act as extrinsic motivators, shifting to pass/fail grading may enhance intrinsic motivation, facilitating more self-regulated and deeper learning. Moreover, pass/fail grading could offer more flexibility in teaching tasks. While the effect of pass/fail grading has been studied in skills-based education, its impact on educational quality in theoretical courses remains unclear.

Project description

The theoretical course ‘Interpersoonlijke processen’ replaced tiered grading with pass/fail grading. To evaluate the impact, students from the 2022/2023 (tiered graded) and 2023/2024 (pass/fail graded) cohorts were assessed with the same grading rubrics, but instead of a grade, students in the pass/fail cohort only received a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ for the course. The two cohorts were compared on several indicators: motivation, engagement, and transfer and retention of knowledge. The quantitative investigation was complemented with focus groups with students and with teachers, to explore their experiences with the grading systems.

Aims

This project aimed to answer the following research questions:

• To what extent does replacing tiered grading with pass/fail grading impact the quality of education as indicated by student motivation, engagement, and transfer and retention of knowledge?
• How is pass/fail grading experienced by students and teachers?

Results & Conclusions

Average student engagement and knowledge transfer and retention were unaffected by the transition. However, focus group discussions revealed that some students deprioritized the pass/fail course in favor of tiered-graded ones. Students reported having gained more applied but less theoretical knowledge. Both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation declined slightly in the pass-fail cohort, possibly because students prioritized other courses or were less used to determining whether their efforts were paying off in the pass-fail context. Teachers responded positively to pass-fail grading, noting they could focus more on the learning process rather than justifying grades.

Pass-fail grading also comes with challenges: it requires time to develop alternative rubrics and standardize evaluations across teachers, and students need to become familiar with how to assess their performance. Nevertheless, pass/fail grading reduced student performance pressure, eased teacher workload, and encouraged creativity and experience-focused learning. The study also highlighted that teaching and learning activities seem to have a stronger impact on student motivation and learning than the grading system itself. The importance of constructive alignment is emphasized when choosing assessment methods.

References

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• Cipriano, D. J., Franco, J., & Treat, R. (2024). Pass/fail grading in preclinical courses and differential attainment between racially/ethnically minoritized groups and non-minoritized groups. Medical Teacher, 1–6.
• Iyer, A. A., Hayes, C., Chang, B. S., Farrell, S. E., Fladger, A., Hauer, K. E., & Schwartzstein, R. M. (2024). Should Medical School Grading Be Tiered or Pass/Fail? A Scoping Review of Conceptual Arguments and Empirical Data. Academic Medicine, 100(8), 975-985.
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• Spring, L., Robillard, D., Gehlbach, L., & Moore Simas, T. A. (2011). Impact of pass/fail grading on medical students’ well‐being and academic outcomes. Medical Education, 45(9), 867–877.
• White, C. B., & Fantone, J. C. (2010). Pass–fail grading: Laying the foundation for self-regulated learning. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 15, 469–477.