Today at Grading For Growth: I have an update on the changes I made to the grading approach in my discrete math classes that shifted most assessments to timed testing. I still have a lot of questions about this; but I didn't hate it.

https://gradingforgrowth.com/p/my-ai-driven-grading-changes-a-3x3x3

Today at Intentional Academia: Email is not your job! Here are some ground truths and practical strategies for managing email in academia so that it doesn't manage you.

https://intentionalacademia.substack.com/p/putting-email-in-its-place-and-its

Are you looking for fresh insights on teaching and learning? Book an Ask Me Anything session with me! Flexible, affordable, and focused on YOUR needs. Perfect for departments, faculty groups, or individuals wanting personalized guidance.

Learn more and book your session: https://rtalbert.org/ama

Today at Grading For Growth: How often is often enough, when it comes to assessing students - especially in an alternative grading system with reattempts? I break down the issues with both over- and under-assessment and give some guidelines for finding the right balance. https://gradingforgrowth.com/p/navigating-the-challenges-of-assessment

Today at Grading For Growth, we have a special video post! I interviewed Susan Blum about our experiences with a recent trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to work with faculty there on alternative grading.

https://gradingforgrowth.com/p/alternative-grading-in-saudi-arabia

Today at Intentional Academia: Being ghosted when you're messaging someone is no fun, and can be really unprofessional. How can we avoid doing this to others and have a more intentional approach to email? #productivity

https://open.substack.com/pub/intentionalacademia/p/how-not-to-ghost-people

Here is yet another update to the alternative grading resource page. This one includes a reorganization of my course materials, a 1-hour (!) video doing a deep dive on the design of one course, and an expanded list of research articles.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1is0DKmhYMAUrCWN73_1U_GLMj_BXjyAAFZiY17eUq4I/edit?usp=sharing

Today at Grading For Growth, guest author Greg Foster-Rice shares his implementation of alternative grading in a History of Photography course.

https://gradingforgrowth.com/p/tip-toeing-into-alternative-grading

Today at Intentional Academia: My third fundamental principle for intentional life and work in academia, dealing with the tension between individual action and the need for systemic change. Sure to make somebody out there mad.

https://intentionalacademia.substack.com/p/work-for-systemic-change-but-dont

Sitting here wondering what Seymour Papert would say about generative AI if here were around today.

Today at Grading For Growth: My honest take on how AI is changing up my alt-grading approach this semester. It's not ideal, but I don't consider it permanent either. Details inside.

https://gradingforgrowth.com/p/how-ai-is-changing-my-grading-approach

Looks like next month, I'll be giving a 2-hour workshop to department chairs re: email management. What would be most helpful thing to get/hear/see, if you were in that workshop? What would be the LEAST helpful thing?

Today at Grading For Growth, a guest post from Prof. Tina Shanahan about alternative grading in speech classes! Those of you who teach with any kind of presentation element, check it out.

https://gradingforgrowth.com/p/alternative-grading-in-speech-class

Today at Grading for Growth: A look back at 2024 and some changes - and a new call for guest authors - for 2025.

https://gradingforgrowth.com/p/grading-for-growth-a-look-back-and

Every educator needs to read "The Machine Stops" by E. M. Forster before the start of next semester.

At Grading For Growth today: 'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the blog, not a creature was stirring, not even a... well, anyway, here's a holiday break post.

https://gradingforgrowth.com/p/a-holiday-break

Today at Grading for Growth: A guest post from two Dutch faculty on how they're using alternative grading in probability and statistics.

https://gradingforgrowth.com/p/alternative-grading-in-probability

If you're planning activities for college faculty in 2025, check out my Ask Me Anything sessions. 30- or 60-minute online, unscripted Q&A with me on anything you want. Great for learning communities and reading groups, and easy on the budget. Booking now!

https://rtalbert.org/ama/

Higher ed friends in the USA: Put your grading down and take the rest of the day off, and tomorrow. And Friday and the weekend. It's Thanksgiving *breaK*. Don't @ me, I don't make the rules.

Here's a fresh update of the resource page I use when I give a talk on alternative grading. I added a bunch of links to materials from my current (Fall 2024) class. Free to use and share, so enjoy.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1is0DKmhYMAUrCWN73_1U_GLMj_BXjyAAFZiY17eUq4I/edit?tab=t.0