Rethinking Assessment: Self-Determination Theory and Ungrading in an Online Social Psychology Course

In Spring 2025, I implemented a novel approach to teaching PSY 300 Social Psychology that prioritized student autonomy and intrinsic motivation. Drawing from self-determination theory (SDT), which emphasizes autonomy, competence, and relatedness as key drivers of motivation, the course was designed to give students unprecedented control over their learning journey.

Course Design

The course structure departed from traditional grading methods by adopting an "ungrading" approach, where students propose their own midterm and final grades based on their engagement and learning. Rather than imposing strict deadlines, the course used "Maximum Benefit Completion Dates" - suggested timelines that optimize learning without penalty for later completion.

Four core components structured the learning experience:

1.  Engagement with course materials through Perusall, a social annotation platform
2.  Collaborative group work on shared documents
3.  Regular reflection through learning journals
4.  Optional, repeatable quizzes for self-assessment and learning reinforcement

The quizzes were explicitly framed as learning tools rather than evaluation instruments. Students could take them as many times as they wished, with no impact on their grade unless they chose to include their quiz engagement in their grade justification.

Midterm Reflection Process

At midterm, students were asked to reflect deeply on their learning experience through several prompts:

• How they benefited from engaging with course texts on Perusall
• How they benefited from collaborative group work
• How they benefited from the learning journal process
• Their progress toward course learning outcomes
• How the course affected their life
• External factors influencing their engagement

Based on this comprehensive reflection, students proposed their own midterm grades, supporting their proposals with specific evidence of their engagement and learning. This process encouraged students to think metacognitively about their learning journey and take ownership of their academic progress.

Analysis of Midterm Reflections

Using Claude.ai to analyze the midterm reflection data revealed fascinating patterns in how students approached self-assessment. The grade distribution showed:

• A: 67 students (57.8%)
• B: 36 students (31%)
• C: 11 students (9.5%)
• D/F: 2 students (1.8%)

Key findings emerged from the analysis:

• Students who reported high engagement with course materials typically assigned themselves higher grades
• Those facing significant personal challenges often chose more moderate grades despite demonstrating meaningful learning
• Students consistently considered both their engagement level and learning outcomes when self-assigning grades
• Even students assigning themselves lower grades frequently reported significant learning benefits

Perhaps most notably, the flexible course structure appeared to encourage honest self-assessment. Students were remarkably candid about their participation levels and challenges, while still acknowledging their learning achievements.

Course Impact

The data revealed that removing traditional grading pressures had profound effects:

• Students with anxiety disorders reported being able to learn without crippling stress
• Those balancing work, family, and health challenges appreciated the flexibility to engage meaningfully despite life circumstances
• Many students noted deeper engagement with the material when freed from grade pressure
• The course structure fostered genuine peer learning and community building
• Students used the optional quizzes as true learning tools rather than stress-inducing evaluations

This experience suggests that combining SDT principles with ungrading can create a learning environment that supports both academic achievement and student wellbeing. The high level of self-reported learning, even among students assigning themselves moderate grades, indicates that removing traditional grading structures may enhance rather than diminish educational outcomes.

The midterm reflection process itself served as a powerful learning tool, helping students articulate their growth and identify areas for improvement in the second half of the course. Their detailed reflections demonstrated remarkable self-awareness and a genuine focus on learning rather than grade achievement.

AI Use Acknowledgment:

I acknowledge that I have used Generative AI tools in the preparation of this blog post, specifically Claude.ai. The AI tool was utilized in the following ways:

• Analyzing qualitative student reflection data to identify patterns and themes
• Calculating grade distribution statistics from the dataset
• Helping to structure and organize the findings into a coherent narrative
• Assisting in clear articulation of course design principles and outcomes

I have verified the accuracy of all statistical data through multiple reviews of the original dataset, and all interpretations of student experiences have been carefully checked against the original reflection texts. This analysis represents my own critical thinking and evaluation of the course outcomes, supported by AI-assisted data processing.

This research was conducted with attention to student privacy; all data was analyzed in aggregate form with no identifying information.