Assessment of Specifications Grading in an Undergraduate Dietetics Course

Assessing student learning is an integral component of teaching undergraduate dietetics students. Traditional grading can be cumbersome for instructors, encouraging extrinsic motivation for students and hindering clear understanding of whether students have met course learning outcomes. Specifications grading is a reimagined assessment paradigm that empowers both students and instructors to focus on achievement of learning objectives. This report examines the deployment of specifications grading in an undergraduate dietetics course, using qualitative methods to determine the impact on students' learning and experiences. Employing specifications grading may help dietetics educators foster self-regulation and mastery learning for students, as well as increase grading transparency.