A thing to note about AI use in writing: AI's will tend to suggest edits in ESWE (Edited Standard Written English). Need to teach students that this is happening to allow them agency to make an informed choice about using the suggested edits.
#thegradingconference
www.thegradingconference.com
At a talk: Joy Against the Machine: Integrating Self-Assessment to Create "AI Resistant" Writing
Strategy to address AI risk factors: Make the problem into the solution. Written self-assessments and other projects allow students to shape content and assess their own learning.
#thegradingconference
Action Items for me:
- need to work on a 1-2 week module purposefully deconstructing grading culture (I deeply loved this)
- need to work with my union, CTL, Deans, etc. to ideate how to dismantle grading culture significantly at an institutional level
- must continue to write
#TheGradingConference
But it was not a "make the choices you can live with" kind of talk. A figure out what you can do now and then make future plans talk. It was more of a "WHY AREN'T WE ALREADY AT AN UNGRADING EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM" kind of talk. Which I appreciate. And also...
#TheGradingConference
The main issue - the evangelical nature of the talk w/o reflection given to intersectional identities, oppression, or context. Admired the passionate, energy-filled vibe. We DO need more anti-racist, decolonial thinking in #HigherEd. (2/2) #TheGradingConference
Ok @thegradingconference.com - I need to process that keynote Jeff Anderson just gave.
Initial takes: loved the passion, political orientation - the emancipatory framing of it all
It was SO fast & the chat was lightening. It's going to take days to embody deep learning here. #TheGradingConference
I love this so much!
"Alternative Grading is about finding alternative ways to highlight the innate brilliance of our students."
--Dr. Jeff Anderson at #TheGradingConference
When you engage in deep learning, you actively reach for and
repeat skills that you want to build by paying extra special
attention to your performance during each repetition. 2/2
#thegradingconference
More from Jeff: Let’s define deep learning to be learning that involves anintense, distraction-free focus on growing your abilities by pushing beyond the limits of your current capacity. 1/2
#thegradingconference
"Changes [and therefore learning] doesn't happen on school schedules. Changes [learning] happens in students' schedules."
Dr. Jeff Anderson in our final keynote at #TheGradingConference
Jeff Anderson is setting out the motivations behind the narrative that we need letter grades: they are basically anti-union, anti-teacher, and invested in cultivating artificial scarcity #TheGradingConference
The talk I’m attending now at #TheGradingConference is by Jeff Anderson and it’s called “Letter Grades Cause Learning Cancer.” I love the boldness of the statement. He’s a math professor.
#ungrading
Several talk are giving results and research about specific implementations of alt grading in STEM classes. It's great to see people who came to the grading conference in previous years come back with the results of what they tried. Love this community!
#thegradingconference
A student of @ashleighfox.bsky.social talks about "Story of your Grade" assignment adapted from Zerwin, S. M. (2020). Point-less: An English teacher's guide to more meaningful grading. Heinemann, pp. 155-6
@thegradingconference.com #TheGradingConference
Another great day at #TheGradingConference! Currently at a panel of students, learning what alt-grading looks like from their end. #ungrading
Heard around the "watercooler" at the grading conference:
Alt Grading is a gateway drug to systemic change in education.
#thegradingconference
Talking about writing in Science
Q: Is there a problem?
A: Writing in lower-division science courses is underemphasized. Students are underprepared for upper-division courses to
write reports and correspondence
publish in peer-reviewed journals.
#TheGradingConference
How does alt grading become sustainable? Intentionally teaching the next generation of instructors about grading philosophies and pedagogy. Two different sessions on training GTAs at this year's conference!!
#TheGradingConference
www.thegradingconference.com
Lot's of conversation about grading writing this year, as well as critical pedagogy around both writing and STEM disciplines. It's amazing to see the cross-pollination of disciplines here!!
#TheGradingConference
www.thegradingconference.com
Sorry I can't make it to #TheGradingConference today as I am slammed with closing out my 6-week summer course, two weekend gigs to prep music for, and a rehearsal on Saturday for which I was given 20 songs to learn three days ago. Blah blah blah. Y'all enjoy.
What are your results?
In four years there have only been 2 students who I haven't been able to get across the finish line.
(Out of over 550 students, Gen Chem)
#TheGradingConference
www.thegradingconference.com
Dr. Tanner: Things I learned along the way...
If you just ask for corrections, it doesn't replicate - they have to sit a new exam.
If you put the exams online, it doesn't replicate.
#TheGradingConference
www.thegradingconference.com
Dr. Tanner: What do I think made it work?
Retakes were highly diagnostic - I could pinpoint almost immediately which concepts weren't there yet.
#TheGradingConference
www.thegradingconference.com
"Dr. Tanner has made me see that the term "scientist" encompasses so much more - it also describes every person who walks through the door of [our classroom]."
#TheGradingConference
www.thegradingconference.com
Student reactions: "I did not think that I would enjoy learning about Chemistry but this class proved me wrong."
#TheGradingConference
www.thegradingconference.com
Student reactions: "I felt I actually learning to understand instead of memorize".
#TheGradingConference
www.thegradingconference.com
"In a single semester, I had 772 retakes, which equates to 38,600 minutes of bonus chemistry problems!"
#TheGradingConference
www.thegradingconference.com
"What did I do? Unlimited retakes for the 4 in-class cumulative multiple choice exams"
#TheGradingConference
www.thegradingconference.com
