Tom Tobin, in his essay Student Agency in Uncertain Times suggested four principles for promoting student resilience: lowering time pressure, due-date pressure, grade anxiety, and communication anxiety. Specifications grading (Nilson, 2015) fits these principles and is a form of course design that attaches student grades to mastery of learning outcomes; students receive clear specifications for assignments which must be met in order to receive credit toward a grade. Students are given feedback and opportunities to redo work that does not meet specifications. I will report on my adoption of specifications grading during the pandemic to build a resilient course.

Nilson, L. B. (2015). Specifications grading: Restoring rigor, motivating students, and saving faculty time. Stylus Publishing.

Tobin, T. (2020, March 25). Student agency in uncertain times. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/university-venus/student-agency-uncertain-times