Explore every episode of the podcast The Grading Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63 - Alternative Grading in a Math for Elementary Teachers Course: An Interview with Dr. Mary Reeves | 24 Sep 2024 | 01:01:17 | |
In this episode, Sharona and Bosley interview one of their former students. Dr. Mary Reeves took the MAA OPEN Math intensive training on "Redesigning Your Course for Mastery Grading" in the summer of 2023. Subsequently, she redesigned two of the math content courses for future Elementary and Middle School Math teachers. Join us to hear about Mary's experiences working with, and impacting, future teachers. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
[00:00:00] Mary Reeves: I was like, in 35 years I've never seen a student knock it completely out of the park on the very first try the way Isabella just did. And I'm not saying the rest of you didn't do a good job, you did, but this is amazing. And I want you to appreciate how incredible I think this is after doing this for years and years. Afterwards I told her, I'm like, this is going to be an assignment. I'm going to go ahead and put Mastery in your guidebook. You do not have to do it. Because you did it so beautifully the first time. Focus on something else. You've already accomplished everything that I wanted you to accomplish. After class she stayed for a few minutes and told me that was the first time she'd ever been singled out in a math class for something positive. And I'm not going to say that we both cried, but that's entirely possible. [00:00:57] Boz: Welcome to the Grading Podcast, where we'll take a critical lens to the methods of assessing students learning, from traditional grading to alternative methods of grading. We'll look at how grades impact our classrooms and our students success. I'm Robert Bosley, a high school math teacher, instructional coach, intervention specialist, and instructional designer in the Los Angeles Unified School District and with Cal State LA. [00:01:23] Sharona: And I'm Sharona Krinsky, a math instructor at Cal State Los Angeles, faculty coach and instructional designer. Whether you work in Higher ed or K 12, whatever your discipline is, whether you are a teacher, a coach or an administrator, this podcast is for you. Each week you will get the practical detailed information you need to be able to actually implement effective grading practices in your class and at your institution. [00:01:51] Boz: Hello and welcome back to the podcast. I'm Robert Bosley, one of your two co hosts and with me as always Sharona Krinsky. How are you doing today, Sharona? [00:02:00] Sharona: I am doing well. I have a theme for this semester for myself. This is the theme of Exam generation semester, because with the new job I have, I'm writing a lot of exams and it's really making me aware of how much I've enjoyed my alternative grading over the last number of years. Because I haven't had to write exams in probably six years. And now that I have to do it as part of my new job, it's proving to be a little challenging. [00:02:32] Boz: Well, but give a little bit more detail about that. Cause you're not just writing exams to give. What's going on with your new role that you're having to do that? [00:02:43] Sharona: So in my new role, I have nine different courses that I coordinate of those nine, seven of them are in a traditional grading format, which means that five of the seven are not standards aligned. So they have learning outcomes, but the work to align the teaching with those learning outcomes hasn't happened. And in those I also have numerous, numerous sections. So I'm having to create exams that have a lot of problems on them. They're all mathematics So they're all having formatting issues. I need many many versions. So it's challenging, because you're working with me on this and you're asking me, so why am I asking this problem? And I'm looking at you going, I have no idea other than it's a section in the book. [00:03:35] Boz: Well, but you're and the kind of the point I was hoping you would go to is these are all coordinated courses. So you're not writing test for a class. You're writing test for like common assessments. So that is kind of the first step that you've taken with all of these new courses that you're coordinating is you're at least getting common assessments in there as you know, you, and rightfully so, probably couldn't have jumped straight to alternative grading with all of these different math courses that you're now coordinating with six days in advance before the semester started getting the job right. [00:04:13] Sharona: Exactly. Although I will say that yes, I'd say that the entry points that I have had with this sudden adjustment back into more traditional grading, I'm still me. I can't let things go unchallenged. So I'm very, very pleased to report that a couple of the fundamental features of alternative grading are creeping in right away. So I'd say the first thing is the idea of retakes. Almost all of my classes are offering some form of retake, even if it's not to the degree I would like. And the instructors very much want that, especially because they don't have to generate the exams for the retakes. So that's helpful. And everyone is cooperating to allow these common assessments. So those have both been really helpful very positive steps. We're also using some form of proficiency scaling because we're trying to do common grading. And so we're starting down the baby step paths to all that. [00:05:09] Boz: So, and that's a key component, and one that I'm actually kind of surprised you're pulling off as well as you are, is anytime you have common assessments, the point of common assessments, you know, is to have kind of a equal measurement through the different instructors. That doesn't happen if you're not also calibrating your grading, which, like I said with as little time as you had and as big as teams as you have and as many that you have, the fact that you're pulling that off is also an incredible feat. [00:05:43] Sharona: Well, and I have to give a big shout out to my instructors because they're the ones that are open and allowing this. And we have some people more skeptical and some people less skeptical, but everyone's at least willing to listen. And think about what we're asking. So that's been really good. But I am spending a lot of time head down in LaTex code and the things that make mathematics formatting happen. [00:06:08] Boz: And we're not alone today, are we? So you want to introduce our guest today? [00:06:14] Sharona: We are very happy to have with us in the virtual studio today, dr. Mary Reeves. Mary is a professor in the Department of Mathematics at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. She specializes, her little niche, is elementary and middle school math for teachers, so working with a lot of future teachers on the fundamentals of teaching math at those levels. She has her PhD in education from Louisiana State University. Welcome Mary to the pod. [00:06:47] Mary Reeves: Thank you so much. It's great to be here. [00:06:49] Boz: One of the things, Mary, that we always like to ask our new guests when they first come on is just how did you get involved in this crazy world of alternative grading? [00:07:01] Mary Reeves: Well, it was 100 percent a coincidence. I was flipping through my email and I saw a message from MAA about the courses that they were offering for the following summer. This would have been fairly early in the spring. of 2023 so about February, and I just, I don't have anything to do right now, I thought, and I'm just going to take a look and see what the titles are. So I was expecting, and found, a lot of things that were clearly aimed at mathematicians who do different work than I do. Some very content focused workshops that were going on, but the very last one was enticing and intriguing and I don't remember exactly what the description said, but it really spoke to me about some things that I'd been dissatisfied with about my course. [00:08:00] I taught elementary methods for decades, then I switched into mathematics, still teaching the same population, but at a different point in their studies. But I had been experiencing dissatisfaction with the amount of time I spent talking with students about their grade versus the amount of time I spent talking with them about what they had or had not learned in the course. So they would take exams, they would do not as well as they would have liked and then they would come to me and they were concerned about how they could score more points and get a better grade because they're required to attain at least a C or better. So they have to pass the course or they have to retake it. So I had those conversations that I think anyone who teaches mathematics has had. What do I do? How do I improve my grade? How do I accumulate more points? In a system where once they'd taken the test and we'd moved on, that was sort of finalized and their period for learning was over. [00:09:04] So in reading, the description of the summer workshop. I just felt like this was something that I'd been kind of searching for.... | |||
| 62 - Listener Questions: Learning Outcomes, Interim Grades, Effort, and Why we do this? | 17 Sep 2024 | 00:54:40 | |
In this episode we explore several questions sent in by listener's of the pod. From Interim Grades, creating learning objectives for high school science courses and how to track effort to why we even put this podcast and our work in alt grading out into the world, join us as we delve into the things that YOU are most interested in learning more about. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 53 - Reflections on One Year of The Grading Podcast: Lessons Learned and Goals for the Upcoming Year | 16 Jul 2024 | 00:49:55 | |
In this episode Sharona and Bosley reflect on one year of The Grading Podcast. From memorable moments and guests to Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Grading Podcast Episodes mentioned in this episode (in the order they are mentioned):
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 52 - Progress Tracking: Communicating with Students to Encourage Learning and Promote Buy-In | 09 Jul 2024 | 00:54:49 | |
A common pushback that practitioners of alternative grading get is that students "don't know how they are doing". In this episode, Sharona and Bosley take a hard look at progress tracking and communicating progress to students. We include a variety of examples of progress trackers provided by several different alternative graders and talk about the ways in which progress tracking is important, regardless of the grading system in use. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Progress Trackers
Other Resources Mentioned in the Episode
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 51 - Reflecting on Standards-Based Grading with Joe Zeccola and Ashleigh Fox | 02 Jul 2024 | 01:01:12 | |
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 world of alternative grading. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Previous Episodes for Joe Zeccola:
Previous Episodes for Ashleigh Fox Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 50 - How we quadrupled our pass rate: Lessons learned from Redesigning Precalculus, An Interview with Dr. Latrice Bowman | 25 Jun 2024 | 01:01:09 | |
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 changes made. We talk about reducing the number of learning outcomes, progress tracking, students conferences and so much more. Oh - and the result? A quadrupling of the pass rate from pre-calculus through first semester calculus.This is another great example of the process of course redesign. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 49 - Teaching and Assessing Writing - Ungrading, AI and a LOT of Rethinking: an Interview with Emily Pitts Donahoe | 18 Jun 2024 | 01:00:30 | |
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 of Mississippi. She is also one of the organizers of the 2024 Grading Conference. This conversation explores some of the research on grades and motivation, and then continues our exploration into the new thinking that many of us in the alt grading world are doing as we consider the impact of generative AI models on our courses. What is the purpose of teaching writing if an AI can do most of the things we need writing for? (Or can it?) From helping our students find purpose in our classes to rethinking the types of writing and assignments we give, join us as we continue the conversation about authentic assessments, grades, and the impact of AI. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 48 - Implementation Challenges and Opportunities: A Conversation with Becky Peppler and Don Smith on Working with K-12 School Districts to implement Alternative Grading | 11 Jun 2024 | 01:02:22 | |
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 in thousands of districts across North America, the challenges, the opportunities, and where we go from here. We also talk about the STAGR center and conference. STAGR stands for "Standards, Targets, Assessment, Grading, and Reporting". The STAGR conference, a 1-day virtual event held twice a year, provides a platform for K-12 educators to come together to understand the landscape of grading reform, identify strategies that reduce complexity and enhance understanding of reform efforts, and work to implement effective changes to grading systems. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 47 - Taking Alternative Grading With You: An Interview with Dr. Rachel Weir | 04 Jun 2024 | 00:51:24 | |
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 College. We talk with Rachel about her journey into alternative grading, how that has impacted her work as the Director of Faculty Development and how she is thinking about the impact of alternative grading from the perspective of her new job as Interim Associate Provost. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 46 - Extinguishing the Fires within Assessment and Grading Reform: Welcoming Back Dr. Matt Townsley | 28 May 2024 | 00:57:53 | |
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 to navigating the complexities of transitioning to alternative grading architectures and how to address the seemingly inevitable pushback that many of us are now experiencing. Based on the lived experiences of the authors, this book is a MUST READ for anyone concerned about advocating for grading reform. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 45 - Exploring the schedule for the 2024 Grading Conference | 21 May 2024 | 00:50:33 | |
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 on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 44 - Artificial Intelligence And Alt Grading: Challenges and Opportunities | 14 May 2024 | 00:59:38 | |
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 some initial thoughts and resources on how AI is going to impact the Alt Grading world. Come help start the conversation about authentic assessment and look at the potential benefits of AI as well. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 61 - (Replay) Interim Grades with Joe Zeccola | 10 Sep 2024 | 01:04:41 | |
Due to technical difficulties we were unable to record a new episode this week. Therefore, please enjoy this timely replay. Many institutions require instructors to provide "interim" or "midterm" grades. How does this work with an alternatively graded class? In this episode, co-hosts Sharona and Bosley are once again joined by nationally board certified English teacher Joe Zeccola to discuss the practice of providing middle-of-the-term grades to students and other stakeholders. In addition to interim grades, we also discuss how redesigning your grading practices can have a profound impact on teaching practices throughout a classroom. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Specific links here. Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 43 - Alt Grading as a Team: Course Coordination, PLCs, course teams - how to do this together! | 07 May 2024 | 00:54:24 | |
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 Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 42 - Metacognition, Power Structures in the Classroom, what is reasonable to expect of students? An Interview with Dr. Theresa Gaines. | 30 Apr 2024 | 00:55:44 | |
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 new institution. We also talk about metacognition, the level of work it is for students, and ways in which we, as instructors, might help students learn to effectively think about their own thinking. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 41 - Second Chance Grading: How Small, Gentle Approach to Changing Grading Led to Research Into Alt Grading | 23 Apr 2024 | 00:59:51 | |
In this episode, Sharona and Bosley sit down with Dr. Brie Tripp and Dr. Rob Furrow, both from the University of California, Davis. Brie and Rob share their fascinating foray into introducing "second-chance grading" into their classes. They also share how this introduction led them into a research project with very interesting connections to Self-Determination Theory as a theoretical framework for evaluating the impact of Alternative Grading Practices. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 40 - Data-Driven Instruction: Using Learning Outcome Data to Talk with Students, Instructors, and Administrators | 16 Apr 2024 | 00:53:25 | |
In this episode, Sharona and Bosley go into more depth about how tracking student progress on learning outcomes can provide a wealth of data to use in supporting students, improving course designs, and communicating with administrators. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 39 - Systemic Change - A Look at how Los Angeles Unified School District developed their new grading policy, based on Equitable Grading practices. With Joe Zeccola | 09 Apr 2024 | 01:01:31 | |
In February 2024, with very little fanfare, Los Angeles Unified School District introduced a new grading policy, the first update since 2005. Based in Equitable Grading and Instruction principles, this new policy recommends that teachers to use equitable grading practices and states that grades should reflect student proficiency in learning outcomes. In this episode, Joe Zeccola joins Sharona and Bosley for a look into the process that went into crafting this new policy. This conversation provides some opportunities for reflection for school administrators thinking about doing this at a systemic level, as well as teachers who want to be change agents for their districts. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 38 - Twenty+ Small Steps to Get Started with Alt Grading (Inspired by the recent blog post at Grading for Growth) | 02 Apr 2024 | 00:52:12 | |
A recent post on the Grading for Growth blog sparked this interesting conversation about different entry points to starting down the alt grading path. Sharona and Bosley share their favorite choices out of the twenty shared on the blog post as well as discussing some other options of their own. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 37 - Introducing The Keynote Speakers for the 2024 Grading Conference plus What We're Reading! | 26 Mar 2024 | 00:44:51 | |
In this episode, Sharona and Bosley introduce the three keynote speakers for the 2024 Grading Conference. They then share some of the new(er) and upcoming publications in the realm of grading reform. If you are looking for something new to read and a conference to attend, this is the episode! Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 36 - Teaching More by Grading Less (or Differently) - an Interview with Jeff Schinske, 10 years later | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:55:45 | |
In this episode, Sharona and Bosley sit down with Jeffrey Schinske, author of the article Teaching More by Grading Less (or Differently). Jeff is a professor of biology at Foothill College, a California Community College. In 2014, Jeff co-authored the article mentioned above, which has since become a foundational article for many people who are beginning their alternative grading journey. In our conversation, we touch on why Jeff and his co-author, Dr. Kimberly Tanner, chose to write this article, how the concepts in it have played out in his own teaching over the subsequent 10 years, and where Jeff sees alternative grading going today. Jeff is also going to be one of the keynote speakers at the upcoming Grading Conference, to be held June 13 - 15, 2024. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 35 - An Interview with Dr. Joshua Bowman: Alternative Grading for over a decade, the Importance of Blog Posts | 12 Mar 2024 | 00:51:37 | |
In this week's episode, Sharona and Bosley sit down with Dr. Joshua Bowman, mathematics professor at Pepperdine in California. Join us as we explore how the seeds sown through a blog over ten years old has had lasting impact on faculty and students, as well as our entire grading reform community. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Other interesting links that have inspired thinking about our courses:
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 34 - Standards-Based Grading and Specifications Grading: Their Similarities and Differences | 05 Mar 2024 | 00:50:43 | |
In this episode Sharona and Bosley go deeper into the comparison between standards-based grading and specifications-based grading. Looking at the four grading architecture decisions, what looks the same and what looks different between these two systems? Join us for another great conversation about grading. AND! Registration for the Grading Conference is open. Please join us virtually in June for the 5th annual conference! Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 60 - The Role of Depth of Knowledge (DOK) in Aligning Assessments to Learning Outcomes: An Interview with Erik Francis | 03 Sep 2024 | 01:16:15 | |
Today on the podcast Sharona and Bosley sit down with Erik Francis. An international author, educator, presenter and professional development provider, Erik has over 30 years of experience in education. He has written a number of books and blogs on Depth of Knowledge, Inquirying Questions, and other topics. In this conversation, we take a deeper look at Depth of Knowledge and how it might be used to allow us to better align our assessments with our Learning Outcomes. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 33 - An Interview with Dr. Thomas Guskey: A Journey through the History of Grading Reform Efforts | 27 Feb 2024 | 01:06:42 | |
We are so very excited to be joined this week by Dr. Thomas Guskey, one of the pioneers in the area of grading reform and a huge inspiration to so many of us in this community. Join us for this extremely fun episode where we talk with Dr. Guskey about studying with Dr. Benjamin Bloom (of Bloom's Taxonomy fame) and his early work with Mastery Learning in the Chicago Public Schools. We also explore the last five decades of research into grading reform efforts, and what it takes to get people to change their grading systems. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 32 - Active Learning and Alternative Grading: When Intentional Pedagogy and Intentional Assessment Truly Align | 20 Feb 2024 | 01:03:08 | |
On this week's episode, Sharona and Bosley speak with Dr. Theron Hitchman (TJ) about his experience with "accidentally" changing his grading while intentionally changing his classroom pedagogy to bring in Inquiry-Based Learning. Dr. Hitchman is a mathematics professor at the University of Northern Iowa. He teaches a variety of courses from upper-level Mathematics courses for majors to courses for future teachers, biologists, and physicists. His story of intentionally and transparently changing his pedagogical practices by getting colleague and administrative buy in while simultaneously changing his assessment practices "under the radar" provides an interesting look at how pedagogy and assessment intertwine to allow each to become more effective. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Mentioned in the Episode:
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 31 -The Role of "Effort" or "Work" in an Alternative Grading Architecture and the Relationship with Due Dates | 13 Feb 2024 | 00:56:57 | |
Two of the most frequent questions that come up when introducing instructors to alternative grading are "What about homework/effort?" and "What about due dates?" In this episode, Sharona and Bosley look carefully into both of these questions. From rethinking all the "work" in your class and grading it not on time, place and manner but rather on intent to marrying that intent to your due date structures and late policies, this is another episode where we take the time to talk and think deeply about some of the unexamined components of our classrooms. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 30 - Listener Request - A Deep Dive into the Weeds of our Grading Architecture | 06 Feb 2024 | 01:04:41 | |
By your request! A listener from New York City wrote in asking us to talk in more detail about our grading systems, what we have done right, what we have messed up - so we did! Sharona and Bosley talk in detail about some of the things they each tried and what worked and what has not. Keep those requests coming! Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 29 - The Current State and Future Wishes for SoTL in Alt Grading - with Dr. Drew Lewis | 30 Jan 2024 | 00:53:26 | |
Let's discuss SoTL research! What is it, what are some of the things that have been done to apply SoTL research to Alt Grading, and where do we want to see it go? Dr. Drew Lewis returns to the pod to share his experiences with SoTL research in his classrooms. Sharona and Bosley also share some of their experiences and perspectives. If you are curious about SoTL research, we go deeper into some of the choices that we can make to do useful, effective research in support of alternative grading practices. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Registration for 2024 now open! Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 28 - Developing and Using Technology Tools to Author Assessments - with Steven Clontz | 24 Jan 2024 | 01:07:22 | |
In this week's episode, Dr. Steven Clontz returns to talk in more detail about creating and using open source tools to support aspects of alt grading such as authoring assessment banks to support the reattempts needed in many alt grading systems. Join us as we look at how CheckIt, Dr. Clontz's open authoring tool for assessments, developed and what path forward he sees to developing the sociotechnical infrastructure needed to better support instructors and students in the work of implementing alternatively graded classes. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 27 - Developing Your Course Calendar | 16 Jan 2024 | 00:51:44 | |
In this episode, Sharona and Bosley take a detailed look at what goes into developing a course calendar for an alternatively graded course. How do we schedule all those "reattempts" into a term? And what impact does that have on our organization and communication with our students? Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! We recommend checking out the various discipline based repositories for more detailed information on what other folks have done:
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 26 - Active Learning and Alternative Grading: An Introduction to Team-Based Inquiry Learning with Dr. Drew Lewis and Dr. Steven Clontz | 09 Jan 2024 | 00:45:46 | |
Welcome to 2024! In our first new episode of the year, Sharona sits down with Drew Lewis and Steven Clontz to discuss their Team-Based Inquiry Learning project as well as other parts of the growing open resource community. We look at the integration of Alternative Grading with active and inquiry-based learning, learn about TBIL, and also delve a little bit into some of the other NSF projects coming along to support instructors in the areas of assessment, instructional design, and enhanced classroom activities. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 25 - Happy New Year 2024! Replay - Getting Buy-in | 02 Jan 2024 | 01:01:14 | |
It's the last of our replay episodes as we finish out our holiday break. As we start to think about next semester, we felt it was a good time to think about how we will begin building buy-in from the very beginning. Enjoy as we discuss options for getting buy-in with students and others. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 24 - Holiday 2023: Revisiting Gathering Evidence of Learning and Developing Proficiency Scales (from Episode 7) | 26 Dec 2023 | 00:54:19 | |
As we continue to enjoy the holiday season, Sharona and Bosley revisit their own grading architecture decisions and discuss some things they are thinking about for the next semester. From rethinking how we collect the evidence of learning and considering how our proficiency scales impact the design of our grading architecture, semester breaks are often spent tinkering. Enjoy revisiting Episode 7 with us as we take a break from the usual day-to-day work of educators. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 59 - Leaning Into ROI and Communication in Leading Grading Reform: An Interview with Dr. Chad Lang | 27 Aug 2024 | 00:59:17 | |
In this episode, Sharona and Bosley interview Dr. Chad Lang, the Assistant Superintendent of School Improvement at Glenwood Community School District in Iowa. Through our conversation we explore the various ways in which communication plays an important role in the impact grading reform can have on a community, a school, and a student population as well as how intentionally aligning hiring practices to your institutional values can support these efforts. We then explore the ROI of Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 23 - Holidays 2023: Replay - Developing Your Grading Architecture | 19 Dec 2023 | 00:44:14 | |
We're heading into the holiday break, so over the next few weeks we'll be replaying some previous episodes while adding some thoughts as we conclude the Fall semester of 2023. So enjoy your holiday break! In this episode, we describe the four decisions that make up the "Grading Architecture" of an alternatively graded course.
After introducing the four decisions, we explore some examples of common options used for each of the decisions. This includes:
Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 22 - Equity, Inclusion and Alt Grading in Biology: An Interview with Katie Mattaini | 12 Dec 2023 | 01:05:25 | |
Dr. Katie Mattaini is an lecturer in Biology at Tufts University. In this episode, we talk with Katie about how to think about equity and inclusion when designing a course using alt grading. Katie uses a range of alt grading practices from standards-based grading in into biology to collaborative grading (or ungrading) in an upper level Cancer Bio course. This wide ranging conversation touches on the fundamentals of course design, the need for deep thinking about the use of due dates with different student populations, and concludes with some advice for alt grading practitioners to think about when considering inclusion and equity in their courses. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 21 - Alt Grading in Large Chemistry Classes: An Interview with Dr. Eden Tanner | 05 Dec 2023 | 01:05:47 | |
On the podcast this week we speak with Dr. Eden Tanner, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The University of Mississippi. Listen to hear about using alternative grading in the context of a 170 person general chemistry course. Eden has a fascinating take on approaching alternative grading from a research mindset, and how that led her to adopt the principles of alternative grading. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 20 - The Human Impact of our Assessments on Students, What story do your assessments tell about a student? An Interview with Sean Nank | 28 Nov 2023 | 00:57:38 | |
Coming to you from the California Mathematics Council - South annual conference, Sharona and Bosley sit down for a wonderful conversation with Dr. Sean Nank. Sean is an adjunct professor at California State University San Marcos, a full professor at the American College of Education, as well as a high school math teacher in the Oceanside Unified School District. Sean is also a recipient of the Persidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. In this incredible conversation, we talk with Sean about the human impact of assessments on our students and the important conversations that can be had once we really start to examine the impact of our grading systems. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 19 - Thanksgiving 2023: Listener Feedback - Entering our Own Feedback Loop, Our First Replay | 21 Nov 2023 | 00:58:14 | |
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This is the first holiday we have taken since launching the podcast, so on this episode we're doing things a little differently! Our first segment is a response segment to some thoughtful, effective feedback that we were given from a listener. We really appreciated the time they took to write to us and we learned a lot thinking about the feedback! Also, to give us all time to take a breath and do some catch up, we are re-running our episode about the problems with traditional grading. This is a good time to re-listen to this episode and evaluate in preparation for next semester, are we avoiding/repairing as many of the problems with traditional grading as we can, given our own time, resources, and institutional contexts! So - have a wonderful holiday, we'll be back with new episodes next week! ------------------- From Episode 2 - The Problems with Traditional Grading: Before we can explore how to change our grading to be more effective, more humane, more inclusive and to better support student learning, we need to begin by examining more closely what is wrong with what we currently do. In this episode, Sharona and Bosley take a deep dive into the problems with the traditional points-and-percentages grading system. During the episode we explore:
Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 18 - The Sportscaster of Alternative Grading: An Interview with Matt Townsley | 14 Nov 2023 | 01:02:11 | |
Dr. Matt Townsley is an assistant professor of educational leadership at the University of Northern Iowa and a former district adminstrator and high school math teacher. In addition to being an accomplished faculty coach and author of many books about Alternative Grading, Matt also has the distinction of having presented the highest energy presentation ever done at The Grading Conference, earning him the distinctive moniker of "The Sportscaster of Alternative Grading". Join Matt, Sharona and Bosley on this energetic, wonderfully inspirational voyage through Matt's writings, research, and experience working with educators, students and parents across the spectrum on rethinking grading. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Upcoming Conference in Iowa: Standards Based Grading Conference: A Collaborative Assessment Conference for Iowa Schools Comprehensive List of Resources: All Things Standards Based Grading Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 17 - An Entire School Doing Alternative Grading? Meet the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering | 07 Nov 2023 | 00:49:42 | |
Today we welcome to the pod the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering. A public residential magnet high school in Alabama, this school was built from the ground up around the principles of alternative grading. In this episode, Sharona speaks with the President of ASCTE, Matt Massey, and the lead English Language Arts teacher Jessy Bryan. Join us as we discuss many of the experiences they had in launching this school, how they do alternative grading, and what recommendations they have for schools and/or districts wanting to work towards adopting alternative grading methods themselves. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 16 - Critiquing the Critiques: Two Recent Articles About Alternative Grading | 31 Oct 2023 | 01:04:54 | |
Alternative grading is getting more and more press coverage. Some of it good, some of it not so good. In this episode, Sharona and Bosley look carefully at a couple of recent articles about alternative grading and discuss whether the critiques contained in them are valid or questionable. Links to the articles discussed, and some others:
Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Specific links here. Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 15 - SoTL: Alternative Grading as a Classroom Practice and a Dissertation Research Topic - an Interview with Ashleigh Fox | 24 Oct 2023 | 00:52:31 | |
On this episode we welcome Ashleigh Fox. Ashleigh is a writing professor at Community College of Allegheny County in Pennsylvania, and is doing her dissertation on best practices in Alternative Grading in Higher Education. In this conversation, we discuss successes and "not yet" successes in her courses, her dissertation research into Alternative Grading, as well as her experience attending the (mostly STEM focused) Grading Conference in June 2023. Links Ashleigh Fox on Linked In and at Community College of Allegheny County Asao Inoue, Arizona State University
Ungrading, edited by Susan D. Blum (Amazon Associates link) Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education and K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!) :
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 14 - Undoing the Grade: An Interview with Jesse Stommel | 17 Oct 2023 | 01:05:35 | |
On this episode, Bosley and Sharona speak with Dr. Jesse Stommel about his new book Undoing the Grade and about all the conversations about grades that we should be having. We touch on everything from 1000 point grading systems and the impact of Learning Management Systems to ChatGPT and seeing students as human beings. We question the very foundations of the system we call grades. Links Books mentioned in the episode:
Contact Jesse Stommel
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education and K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading:
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 58 - Authentic Assessment in the Age of AI: Diving into the Literature on Authentic Assessment | 20 Aug 2024 | 00:58:05 | |
The introduction of easily accessible large language models has reverberated through academic at all levels. For practitioners of alternative grading this has impacted in two major areas:
In this episode, Sharona and Bosley explore some of the research about how to make assessments that engage learners in both developing and demonstrating learning of key skills as well as providing instructors with valid evidence of learning. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Research Literature
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 13 - Interim Grades: What do we do when we have to report "grades" in the middle of a term? With Joe Zeccola | 10 Oct 2023 | 01:04:08 | |
Many institutions require instructors to provide "interim" or "midterm" grades. How does this work with an alternatively graded class? In this episode, co-hosts Sharona and Bosley are once again joined by nationally board certified English teacher Joe Zeccola to discuss the practice of providing middle-of-the-term grades to students and other stakeholders. In addition to interim grades, we also discuss how redesigning your grading practices can have a profound impact on teaching practices throughout a classroom. Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education and K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 12 - Getting Started Part 7: Building Buy-In | 03 Oct 2023 | 01:02:44 | |
In this episode, Bosley and Sharona discuss "Buy-In" - what it is, what exactly we are trying to get people to buy into, who we need to get buy-in from, some ideas about how and when to get buy-in, etc. Continuing the exploration into our unexamined grading practices and the similarities and differences between the K-12 and higher education worlds, we invite you to join the conversation! Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education and K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 11 - Getting Started Part 6: Feedback - Giving It and Getting Students to Use It | 26 Sep 2023 | 01:03:40 | |
Feedback is one of the four core pillars of Alternative Grading. In this episode, co-hosts Robert Bosley and Sharona Krinsky discuss what elements are included in effective feedback, evaluate what it takes to teach students to use it, and share specific tips and barriers such as where feedback appears in LMS systems and different types of feedback including self-reflection, peer review, and instructor-to-student feedback. Links
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education and K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading (Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||
| 10 - Artificial Scarcity and Doing Alt Grading "Right" or "Wrong": An Interview With David Clark | 19 Sep 2023 | 00:57:55 | |
In this episode, co-hosts Sharona Krinsky and Robert Bosley talk with Dr. David Clark, an associate professor of Mathematics at Grand Valley State University and co-author of both the new book Grading for Growth and the Grading for Growth blog. Join us as we explore Dave's journey through alternative grading, what his impetus for writing the book was, and his thoughts about the concept of "Artificial Scarcity" as it relates to grading. We also have a fascinating conversation towards the end about some of the ways the media is trying to describe doing alternative grading the "right" way as well as some of the ways you can do it "wrong". Links
Resources The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education and K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: Recommended Books on Alternative Grading Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support!):
The Grading Podcast publishes every week on Tuesday at 4 AM Pacific time, so be sure to subscribe and get notified of each new episode. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation Country Rock by Lite Saturation is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |||