Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning

Tag: Alternative Grading

Conversation Hours: Advanced Alternative Grading

Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar

Already using some form of alternative grading in your courses? Join colleagues who are actively implementing alternative grading practices — not to learn the basics, but to share what’s working, troubleshoot challenges, and think through new ideas together. We will meet via Zoom every 3rd Monday at 2pm (dates below).

Even if you cannot attend all of the meetings, feel free to register for each occurrence as it fits your schedule; you must register for each separate event. This group is focused on discussion and sharing, and participants will have the opportunity to bring examples from your own courses to share and get feedback on. We will not have a set list of readings, but will focus on a different question or theme for each meeting, in addition to whatever topics participants would like to address.

Contact Breana Bayraktar ([email protected]) with any questions!

Meeting Dates & Tentative Themes
May 17: Year in review — What worked, what didn’t, and what are you still trying to figure out?

* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.

Conversation Hours: Advanced Alternative Grading

Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar

Already using some form of alternative grading in your courses? Join colleagues who are actively implementing alternative grading practices — not to learn the basics, but to share what’s working, troubleshoot challenges, and think through new ideas together. We will meet via Zoom every 3rd Monday at 2pm (dates below).

Even if you cannot attend all of the meetings, feel free to register for each occurrence as it fits your schedule; you must register for each separate event. This group is focused on discussion and sharing, and participants will have the opportunity to bring examples from your own courses to share and get feedback on. We will not have a set list of readings, but will focus on a different question or theme for each meeting, in addition to whatever topics participants would like to address.

Contact Breana Bayraktar ([email protected]) with any questions!

Meeting Dates & Tentative Themes
Apr 26: End-of-course practices — What does closure look like in an alt-graded course?
May 17: Year in review — What worked, what didn’t, and what are you still trying to figure out?

* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.

Conversation Hours: Advanced Alternative Grading

Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar

Already using some form of alternative grading in your courses? Join colleagues who are actively implementing alternative grading practices — not to learn the basics, but to share what’s working, troubleshoot challenges, and think through new ideas together. We will meet via Zoom every 3rd Monday at 2pm (dates below).

Even if you cannot attend all of the meetings, feel free to register for each occurrence as it fits your schedule; you must register for each separate event. This group is focused on discussion and sharing, and participants will have the opportunity to bring examples from your own courses to share and get feedback on. We will not have a set list of readings, but will focus on a different question or theme for each meeting, in addition to whatever topics participants would like to address.

Contact Breana Bayraktar ([email protected]) with any questions!

Meeting Dates & Tentative Themes
Apr 5: The hard conversations — How do you talk to students about where they stand before the final stretch?
Apr 26: End-of-course practices — What does closure look like in an alt-graded course?
May 17: Year in review — What worked, what didn’t, and what are you still trying to figure out?

* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.

Conversation Hours: Advanced Alternative Grading

Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar

Already using some form of alternative grading in your courses? Join colleagues who are actively implementing alternative grading practices — not to learn the basics, but to share what’s working, troubleshoot challenges, and think through new ideas together. We will meet via Zoom every 3rd Monday at 2pm (dates below).

Even if you cannot attend all of the meetings, feel free to register for each occurrence as it fits your schedule; you must register for each separate event. This group is focused on discussion and sharing, and participants will have the opportunity to bring examples from your own courses to share and get feedback on. We will not have a set list of readings, but will focus on a different question or theme for each meeting, in addition to whatever topics participants would like to address.

Contact Breana Bayraktar ([email protected]) with any questions!

Meeting Dates & Tentative Themes
Mar 15: Mid-spring check-in — What are you noticing right now about student learning, motivation, and stress?
Apr 5: The hard conversations — How do you talk to students about where they stand before the final stretch?
Apr 26: End-of-course practices — What does closure look like in an alt-graded course?
May 17: Year in review — What worked, what didn’t, and what are you still trying to figure out?

* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.

Conversation Hours: Advanced Alternative Grading

Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar

Already using some form of alternative grading in your courses? Join colleagues who are actively implementing alternative grading practices — not to learn the basics, but to share what’s working, troubleshoot challenges, and think through new ideas together. We will meet via Zoom every 3rd Monday at 2pm (dates below).

Even if you cannot attend all of the meetings, feel free to register for each occurrence as it fits your schedule; you must register for each separate event. This group is focused on discussion and sharing, and participants will have the opportunity to bring examples from your own courses to share and get feedback on. We will not have a set list of readings, but will focus on a different question or theme for each meeting, in addition to whatever topics participants would like to address.

Contact Breana Bayraktar ([email protected]) with any questions!

Meeting Dates & Tentative Themes
Feb 22: Equity and access — Where do you see alt grading advancing equity — and where does it fall short?
Mar 15: Mid-spring check-in — What are you noticing right now about student learning, motivation, and stress?
Apr 5: The hard conversations — How do you talk to students about where they stand before the final stretch?
Apr 26: End-of-course practices — What does closure look like in an alt-graded course?
May 17: Year in review — What worked, what didn’t, and what are you still trying to figure out?

* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.

Conversation Hours: Advanced Alternative Grading

Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar

Already using some form of alternative grading in your courses? Join colleagues who are actively implementing alternative grading practices — not to learn the basics, but to share what’s working, troubleshoot challenges, and think through new ideas together. We will meet via Zoom every 3rd Monday at 2pm (dates below).

Even if you cannot attend all of the meetings, feel free to register for each occurrence as it fits your schedule; you must register for each separate event. This group is focused on discussion and sharing, and participants will have the opportunity to bring examples from your own courses to share and get feedback on. We will not have a set list of readings, but will focus on a different question or theme for each meeting, in addition to whatever topics participants would like to address.

Contact Breana Bayraktar ([email protected]) with any questions!

Meeting Dates & Tentative Themes
Feb 1: Revision and reassessment policies — What rules govern redos in your course, and how are they holding up?
Feb 22: Equity and access — Where do you see alt grading advancing equity — and where does it fall short?
Mar 15: Mid-spring check-in — What are you noticing right now about student learning, motivation, and stress?
Apr 5: The hard conversations — How do you talk to students about where they stand before the final stretch?
Apr 26: End-of-course practices — What does closure look like in an alt-graded course?
May 17: Year in review — What worked, what didn’t, and what are you still trying to figure out?

* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.

Deadline: Register for an Alternative Grading Learning Community

Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar

Interested in exploring alternative grading in a supportive and collaborative space? Join an Alternative Grading Learning Community! These learning communities aim to help instructors rethink how grading shapes learning by engaging with research-informed alternatives to “traditional” grading.

THEME 1: Exploring Grading Learning Community. This community is designed for instructors completely new to alternative grading – no prior knowledge or experience required! Through collective reading, discussion, and reflection, we will examine how grading structures shape student motivation and equity, and will identify concrete ways to redesign assessments, reassessment policies, and grade calculations to better reflect student learning.

• “Exploring” FLC – Wednesdays @ 3:00-4:15pm Eastern Time on Feb 10, Feb 24, March 17, March 31, April 14, April 28

THEME 2: “Ungrading” Learning Community. This community is designed for instructors specifically interested in ungrading as an alternative grading method/philosophy. We will read selections from Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead) edited by Susan D. Blum and other sources. The Ungrading learning community invites instructors to critically examine the role of grades themselves and explore pedagogical approaches that minimize, delay, or resist traditional grading practices. Through shared readings and dialogue, participants will reflect on power, trust, and student agency in assessment, and consider how feedback, self-evaluation, and reflective practices can support learning in contexts where grades are reduced, reimagined, or decentered.

• “Ungrading” FLC – Tuesdays @ 12:00-1:15pm Eastern Time on Feb 9, Feb 23, March 16, March 30, April 13, April 27

Questions? Email Breana Bayraktar ([email protected]).

Conversation Hours: Advanced Alternative Grading

Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar

Already using some form of alternative grading in your courses? Join colleagues who are actively implementing alternative grading practices — not to learn the basics, but to share what’s working, troubleshoot challenges, and think through new ideas together. We will meet via Zoom every 3rd Monday at 2pm (dates below).

Even if you cannot attend all of the meetings, feel free to register for each occurrence as it fits your schedule; you must register for each separate event. This group is focused on discussion and sharing, and participants will have the opportunity to bring examples from your own courses to share and get feedback on. We will not have a set list of readings, but will focus on a different question or theme for each meeting, in addition to whatever topics participants would like to address.

Contact Breana Bayraktar ([email protected]) with any questions!

Meeting Dates & Tentative Themes
Sept 14: Starting lines — How did you introduce your grading system to students this semester?
Oct 5: First feedback cycles — What’s working in your early rounds of feedback or reassessment, and what?
Oct 26: Resistance and confusion — How do you handle students who push back or misunderstand your approach?
Nov 16: Keeping momentum — How do you sustain student engagement with alt grading as end-of-semester pressure kicks in?
Dec 7: Institutional realities — How do you navigate final grades, incompletes, and systems that weren’t built for what we do?
Jan 11: One thing I’m changing — Based on last semester, what are you iterating on and why?
Feb 1: Revision and reassessment policies — What rules govern redos in your course, and how are they holding up?
Feb 22: Equity and access — Where do you see alt grading advancing equity — and where does it fall short?
Mar 15: Mid-spring check-in — What are you noticing right now about student learning, motivation, and stress?
Apr 5: The hard conversations — How do you talk to students about where they stand before the final stretch?
Apr 26: End-of-course practices — What does closure look like in an alt-graded course?
May 17: Year in review — What worked, what didn’t, and what are you still trying to figure out?

* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.

Conversation Hours: Advanced Alternative Grading

Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar

Already using some form of alternative grading in your courses? Join colleagues who are actively implementing alternative grading practices — not to learn the basics, but to share what’s working, troubleshoot challenges, and think through new ideas together. We will meet via Zoom every 3rd Monday at 2pm (dates below).

Even if you cannot attend all of the meetings, feel free to register for each occurrence as it fits your schedule; you must register for each separate event. This group is focused on discussion and sharing, and participants will have the opportunity to bring examples from your own courses to share and get feedback on. We will not have a set list of readings, but will focus on a different question or theme for each meeting, in addition to whatever topics participants would like to address.

Contact Breana Bayraktar ([email protected]) with any questions!

Meeting Dates & Tentative Themes
Sept 14: Starting lines — How did you introduce your grading system to students this semester?
Oct 5: First feedback cycles — What’s working in your early rounds of feedback or reassessment, and what?
Oct 26: Resistance and confusion — How do you handle students who push back or misunderstand your approach?
Nov 16: Keeping momentum — How do you sustain student engagement with alt grading as end-of-semester pressure kicks in?
Dec 7: Institutional realities — How do you navigate final grades, incompletes, and systems that weren’t built for what we do?
Jan 11: One thing I’m changing — Based on last semester, what are you iterating on and why?
Feb 1: Revision and reassessment policies — What rules govern redos in your course, and how are they holding up?
Feb 22: Equity and access — Where do you see alt grading advancing equity — and where does it fall short?
Mar 15: Mid-spring check-in — What are you noticing right now about student learning, motivation, and stress?
Apr 5: The hard conversations — How do you talk to students about where they stand before the final stretch?
Apr 26: End-of-course practices — What does closure look like in an alt-graded course?
May 17: Year in review — What worked, what didn’t, and what are you still trying to figure out?

* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.

Conversation Hours: Advanced Alternative Grading

Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar

Already using some form of alternative grading in your courses? Join colleagues who are actively implementing alternative grading practices — not to learn the basics, but to share what’s working, troubleshoot challenges, and think through new ideas together. We will meet via Zoom every 3rd Monday at 2pm (dates below).

Even if you cannot attend all of the meetings, feel free to register for each occurrence as it fits your schedule; you must register for each separate event. This group is focused on discussion and sharing, and participants will have the opportunity to bring examples from your own courses to share and get feedback on. We will not have a set list of readings, but will focus on a different question or theme for each meeting, in addition to whatever topics participants would like to address.

Contact Breana Bayraktar ([email protected]) with any questions!

Meeting Dates & Tentative Themes
Sept 14: Starting lines — How did you introduce your grading system to students this semester?
Oct 5: First feedback cycles — What’s working in your early rounds of feedback or reassessment, and what?
Oct 26: Resistance and confusion — How do you handle students who push back or misunderstand your approach?
Nov 16: Keeping momentum — How do you sustain student engagement with alt grading as end-of-semester pressure kicks in?
Dec 7: Institutional realities — How do you navigate final grades, incompletes, and systems that weren’t built for what we do?
Jan 11: One thing I’m changing — Based on last semester, what are you iterating on and why?
Feb 1: Revision and reassessment policies — What rules govern redos in your course, and how are they holding up?
Feb 22: Equity and access — Where do you see alt grading advancing equity — and where does it fall short?
Mar 15: Mid-spring check-in — What are you noticing right now about student learning, motivation, and stress?
Apr 5: The hard conversations — How do you talk to students about where they stand before the final stretch?
Apr 26: End-of-course practices — What does closure look like in an alt-graded course?
May 17: Year in review — What worked, what didn’t, and what are you still trying to figure out?

* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.