Community of Practice, Alternative Grading
A page within Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning (CATL)
CATL is hosting a community of practice for Academic Year 2023-2024. This community of practice will focus on connecting with fellow instructors and discussing teaching topics selected by participants surrounding current challenges and ideas for innovation specific to alternative grading techniques. You will be asked to think critically about your teaching, and through collaborative sessions with your peers, consider approaches and techniques to improve student learning. To participate in the experience over the academic year will take about 15 to 20 hours of your time.
COP Info
Target Population
This COP is intended to bring together instructors who are interested and curious about concepts such as ungrading, alternative grading or feedback rich assessment.
What are the benefits of participation?
Participating in a COP provides instructors with…
- an opportunity to be more intentional, specific and clear about quality teaching and learning and the various ways they may go about achieving it.
- independence and flexibility to enhance their teaching quality by helping them identify the areas they want to focus on.
- opportunities to develop and improve their collegiality within a team that has the potential to provide support and encouragement
- a chance to explore teaching and learning from a different perspective/discipline
- insight and/or materials useful to promotion and tenure
Who can participate?
Any instructor who is interested in the concept of alternative grading.
What is the time commitment?
To participate in the experience over the academic year will take as much time as you are willing to commit. Typically, participation in a COP would take 15 to 20 hours of time over the academic year with time devoted to attending meetings, doing readings, considering research opportunities.
Attending meetings will be valuable to build community and discuss teaching/learning topics with colleagues.
Meeting Times
Fall 2023 – The meeting day/time will be determined based on those interested.
Meetings are intended to help us build community and cultivate discussions regarding both research-based best practices and your own original ideas you may be interested in implementing. Readings, resources, thought questions, etc. will be shared before meetings. Additional investigation, exploration, and is encouraged on your own between meetings.
Facilitators
Megan Lister - CATL Fellow & Associate Professor, Biology
Ashley Edwards - CATL Inclusive Teaching Specialist & Associate Professor, Communication Studies
Learn more about COP.
Want to participate in a future Community of Practice? Have a theme idea for a COP? Contact CATL@uwlax.edu to discuss your ideas and interest.