Assessment, feedback, and grading practices and philosophies of introductory biology instructors

While pedagogical research often focuses on assessment, feedback, and grading (AFG) practices, we lack a clear understanding of how instructors both conceptualize and implement these elements of teaching in their courses. To explore on-the-ground interpretations of AFG in college courses, we conducted one-on-one Zoom interviews with 27 undergraduate introductory biology instructors at 2- and 4-year institutions in the United States. Participants were asked to describe the purpose of AFG and to share examples of their AFG practices. Using a dialogic, reflexive coding process, we found that instructors' goals for AFG were multidimensional and sometimes contradictory. For instance, some viewed grading as a motivational tool, while others saw it as discouraging motivation. Additionally, the boundaries between assessment, feedback, and grading were often blurred: grading was sometimes described as feedback, and vice versa. In some cases, instructors' AFG philosophies were not clearly translated into AFG practices. These findings underscore the need to better distinguish and articulate the roles of AFG in undergraduate biology instruction (and beyond). Clarifying these concepts can enhance communication between instructors, students, and pedagogical researchers, which could help lead to supporting more effective learning strategies.