Dan Melzer’s Newest Book Provides an Innovative and Empathetic Approach to Teaching

When professor Dan Melzer noticed students across academic institutions were stressed and disengaged, he wanted to understand why and how he could help. Dan Melzer is a professor at UC Davis who teaches writing and composition. His research focuses on writing across curriculums, writing program administration, and assessment practices. In his last book, Reconstructing Response to Student Writing, he examined a national study of peer and instructor responses to student writing. He found that students focus mainly on their grades rather than on instructor feedback. Then he learned that his own students were struggling because of their intense coursework. Many of them felt like their time had to go towards weed-out classes, which are demanding courses designed to filter out students who can not meet the program’s requirements. These experiences inspired Dan to write his newest book, The Harms of Grading in Higher Education, where he explains how grading impacts teaching practices and student learning. The book focuses on two colleges shaped by their grading systems: the University of the Bay, which is known for its harsh grading, and Forest College, which has a grade-free model. Through semi-structured interviews with students and a deep dive into these colleges' unique cultures, The Harms of Grading in Higher Education shares critical insights into higher education practices and ways to reform them. 

A Unique Lens on Grading Through Two Academic Institutions

Grading systems influence the environment of academic institutions; some can facilitate higher levels of learning while others place immense pressure on students. University of the Bay and Forest  College are important points of comparison because they are on opposite ends of the grading spectrum. While both institutions are equally rigorous, they challenge their students in different ways. University of the Bay has strict grading practices. Not all University of the Bay educators promote this, but Dan discovered multiple syllabi detailing how exams would continue after emergencies. Dan also found that it is not uncommon for University of the Bay students to pass out or sob uncontrollably during exams due to the pressure they are placed under. This creates an intense and competitive environment where most students have an adversarial relationship with their instructors. At Forest  College, students work in small classroom settings and do a significant amount of reading, research, group discussions, and critical thinking assignments in their courses. In place of grades, each student receives a detailed narrative assessment from their professors. The culture at Forest  College is more welcoming, and many students see their professors as reliable mentors. By gathering testimonies from students and faculty across these institutions,  Dan was able to compare current beliefs about grading to the benefit of innovative grading models

How the Grade Frame Helps Dismantle Commonly Held Beliefs

 The more research Dan did at the University of the Bay, the more he saw a pattern across other institutions where grades were a powerful force in students' lives and instructors' teaching practices. This inspired his innovative theoretical framework, the Grade Frame. Dan describes the Grade Frame as the unfortunate product of grading, where grades undermine teaching and learning by creating adversarial relationships between students and instructors. Dan argues that current grading systems cause students to cram or produce work they think an instructor wants rather than understand the material. This can create misperceptions where students view instructors as roadblocks to good grades rather than mentors. The Harms of Grading in Higher Education and the Grade Frame are so important because they confront these common assumptions. There is a misguided belief that the intense nature of grading and weed-out are signs of rigor that promotes higher levels of learning. However, Dan’s research into Forest  College proves the opposite. Forest  College may follow a grade-free model, but their course work is still challenging. Both colleges have incredibly hard-working students, but because of their grade-free model, Forest  College teaches higher levels of critical thinking and writing skills. That is why Dan also argues that there is a need to reform or alter current grading systems. 

What the Future Could Look Like

Dan believes that different grading systems, like the one at Forest  College, would reduce adversarial student-instructor relationships and encourage higher levels of critical thinking and learning. There are multiple alternatives to traditional grading systems, like contract grading or pass-fail grading. Contract grading is when students and instructors agree in advance on the specific tasks, standards, and levels of work required to earn particular course grades. Pass-fail grading is when students receive a complete or incomplete on tasks to pass the course. Systems such as these motivate students to succeed without as much additional pressure. Alternative grading systems could also improve instructor involvement and connections with students. After completing his book, Dan believes it has made him a more empathetic and flexible instructor. He hopes that the Harms of Grading in Higher Education will encourage other instructors to evaluate their approaches to grading and experiment with different grading practices. 

BIO

Shayna Schreiber is a third-year undergraduate, majoring in communication and minoring in professional writing. She is a Communications Specialist Intern for the Professional Writing Minor, helping students learn about writing-based internships through social media and articles she has written. In her free time, she enjoys playing the electric guitar and embroidery. To see her other work, visit or her LinkedIn profile.