The Grading Conference

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

This conference is evidence that learning how to implement alt grading is a long, slow process of unlearning & reframing how to see students & learning. It's also evidence that 100s of educators & students across disciplines who are deeply committed to learning have been let down by grades.

@thegradingconference.com #TheGradingConference (Hate it when I forget the hashtags)

Today's keynote by Jeff Anderson: Let’s define learning as a growth process that happens inside your body & leads to changes in your knowledge, beliefs, behaviors, or attitudes. These transformations occur based on your experiences & increase your potential for improved performance & future learning

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

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

@asaoInoue says "Grades must be absent" @ #TheGradingConference #ungrading

Did I write a thing in anticipation of #TheGradingConference and specifically for my fellow ungraders who are part of the SCIENCE Collaborative who are attending? Yes, yes I did. Y’all are gonna let me know your thoughts below, right? RIGHT?!? 😈🫶🏼 clarissasorensenunruh.com/2025/06/10/e...

Session "Special topics: Neurodiversity" at #TheGradingConference: @sarahesilverman.bsky.social making the point that #AltGrading *can* provide a "tolerance for error" that is often needed when neurodivergent students are trying to communicate with neurotypical instructors or vice versa.

#TheGradingConference is starting its 6th online incarnation and there are almost 1000 people registered! Their mission is ambitious : systemic change at all levels of education!

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

"Not all my students share my deep love of Chemistry (at the beginning!)" #TheGradingConference www.thegradingconference.com

Incredible keynote this morning by Dr. Eden Tanner from the University of Mississippi. Let's share some key quotes! #TheGradingConference www.thegradingconference.com

Lots of talk about "labor" vs "behavior". What do we believe about "labor" and how might that be incorporated (or not) into our grading? Is that the same or different than "behavior" (e.g. from Joe Feldman's Grading for Equity book)? #TheGradingConference www.thegradingconference.com

Enjoying seeing the different research being completed looking at all aspects of both traditional and alternative grading schemes. It is incredible to see the dedication & care of these instructors towards students and their learning! #TheGradingConference www.thegradingconference.com

Now we get to see some details! Specs grading in Math - looking at revising the course over time :) #TheGradingConference www.thegradingconference.com

What do you do if your learning management system REQUIRES the use of numbers (instead of words or emojis)? We're learning about it now!!! #TheGradingConference www.thegradingconference.com

Let's hear about working with Graduate Student Teaching Assistants in alternatively graded classes!!! #TheGradingConference www.thegradingconference.com

Now we're getting to hear from students directly in a session featuring case studies of classroom implementations! #TheGradingConference www.thegradingconference.com

How do we make alternative grading practices sustainable? Learning about toolkits, professional development, and communities of practice!!! #TheGradingConference

What is the experience of alternative grading for neurodivergent students? About to learn in our Special Topics session on Neurodiversity #TheGradingConference

Incredible kickoff to our conference - 400+ people heard Dr. Asao Inoue talk about liking students' writing as a necessary prerequisite to helping them learn to write. Incredible talk - thank you Dr. Inoue!!!! #TheGradingConference

Asao Inoue: Students raise standards and build rigor, not instructors. #TheGradingConference

From our keynote by Asao Inoue: "We need ways to like our students and their writing." #TheGradingConference

The 2025 Grading Conference starts tomorrow! Follow and use #TheGradingConference to see snippets from our incredible sessions and participate in the conversation!! Also, check out today's 100th episode of The Grading Podcast where we talk about the origins of the Conference! www.thegradingpod.com

The deadline for submitting an abstract to this year’s Grading Conference is rapidly approaching! Submissions are due Feb 28!! www.centerforgradingreform.org/grading-conf...

Registration for the 2025 Grading Conference is now open! June 11-13, 2025 - THE way to connect with others about alternative grading practices. Register, submit an abstract to become a presenter, and sign up to volunteer to help with the conference! www.centerforgradingreform.org/grading-conf...

Abstract submissions are now open! Please submit your abstract to present at the 2025 Grading Conference which will be held virtually June 11-13. Abstract submission information available at www.centerforgradingreform.org/grading-conf...

Hey all! Just a quick note that we changed our handle to our website. So @gradingforgrowth.bsky.social is now @thegradingconference.com Please update if needed! Thx.

We are about one month away from the 2024 Grading Conference! Please see our schedule and session descriptions on our main webpage - thegradingconference.com Registration is open! Register using this link: thegradingconference.com/registration...

Want a taste of the upcoming Grading Conference? Check out this podcast episode featuring one of our keynote speakers, Professor Jeff Schinske!