Episodes
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51 – Reflecting on Standards-Based Grading with Joe Zeccola and Ashleigh Fox
In this episode, Joe Zeccola and Dr. Ashleigh Fox join Sharona and Bosley as we look at a critique of standards-based grading written from someone in the trenches, already working in alternative grading. We discuss many of the main points of the article as a way of self-reflecting on our practices as we explore this…
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50 – How we quadrupled our pass rate: Lessons learned from Redesigning Precalculus, An Interview with Dr. Latrice Bowman
In this episode, Sharona and Bosley speak with Dr. Latrice Bowman, a mathematics faculty member from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Latrice took the MAA OPEN intensive training on redesigning a course to use alternative grading and is back to talk about her first two times running the redesigned course. She shares lessons learned and…
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49 – Teaching and Assessing Writing – Ungrading, AI and a LOT of Rethinking: an Interview with Emily Pitts Donahoe
In this episode, Sharona and Bosley talk with Dr. Emily Pitts Donahoe about teaching writing in a world where ungrading is the system and AI exists. Emily is the Associate Director of Instruction Support at the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning as well as a lecturer in writing and rhetoric at the University…
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48 – Implementation Challenges and Opportunities: A Conversation with Becky Peppler and Don Smith on Working with K-12 School Districts to implement Alternative Grading
In this episode we talk with Becky Peppler and Don Smith from First Educational Resources, an organization dedicated to providing K-12 school districts in North America with affordable options for professional learning to support social emotional learning, instructional coaching, professional learning communities, and grading reform efforts. We discuss their experiences with supporting grading reform efforts…
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47 – Taking Alternative Grading With You: An Interview with Dr. Rachel Weir
In this episode we talk with Dr. Rachel Weir. Dr. Weir is a Professor of Mathematics at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA. She has been the Director of Faculty Development at Allegheny College for the past few years and is currently (as of when this episode was recorded) the new interim Associate Provost at Allegheny…
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46 – Extinguishing the Fires within Assessment and Grading Reform: Welcoming Back Dr. Matt Townsley
On this episode we welcome back the “sportscaster” of Alternative Grading, Dr. Matt Townsley, to talk about his new book Extinguishing the Fires within Assessment and Grading Reform. As Alternative Grading practices grow and take shape throughout the United States, efforts to resist these reforms are also growing. This incredible new book offers practical guidance…
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45 – Exploring the schedule for the 2024 Grading Conference
Join us as we explore some of the sessions at the upcoming Grading Conference! Sharona and Bosley share some details of the newly released schedule for the Grading Conference, as well as discuss which ones they would really like to attend. Links Please note – any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking…
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44 – Artificial Intelligence And Alt Grading: Challenges and Opportunities
If you base your grades on “authentic assessment of student work”, then what do you do when technology catches up to the point where AI can do BETTER work than your students? And what about AI that can help the instructor do better work? Better feedback, easier workloads? In this episode, Sharona and Bosley share…
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43 – Alt Grading as a Team: Course Coordination, PLCs, course teams – how to do this together!
In this episode, Sharona and Bosley discuss some of the details of how to manage doing alternatively grading as a team. Given the extremely personal nature of grading, what are some of the steps needed to allow for personalization in an environment that is designed to have all the course sections be closely aligned. Links…
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42 – Metacognition, Power Structures in the Classroom, what is reasonable to expect of students? An Interview with Dr. Theresa Gaines.
In this episode, Sharona and Boz sit down with Dr. Theresa Gaines (Gath) to talk about how they think about metacognition and power structures in the classroom. Having introduced ungrading in their previous institution, Gath shares how they are using ungrading and the principles of ungrading to address power structures in the classroom in their…