A Conversation about Alternative Assessment with Rachel Weir (Allegheny College) and Kate Stevenson (CSU Northridge). Presented by the Teaching Strategies and Practices Math Advisory Group.

A Conversation about alternative grading with David Clark (Grand Valley State University). Interviewed by Suzanne Doree (Augsburg University). Presented by the Teaching Strategies and Practices Math Advisory Group.

A Conversation about alternative grading with Kyle Petersen (DePaul University) and Stan Yoshinobu (University of Toronto). Presented by the Teaching Strategies and Practices Math Advisory Group.

A Conversation about alternative assessment with Stan Yoshinobu (University of Toronto) and Matt Jones (CSU Dominguez Hills). Presented by the Teaching Strategies & Practices Math Advisory Group. https://www.routledge.com/Specifications-Grading-Restoring-Rigor-Motivating-Students-and-Saving/Nilson/p/book/9781620362426

We discuss alternative assessment in college math classes. 0:00:00 -Welcome 0:00:48 -A little about Foothill College 0:02:12 -Q1: What are your current grading policies? https://jeffandersonmath.wordpress.com/2023/03/10/a-conversation-about-alternative-assessment/ 0:04:00 - Jeff’s students choose their own grade 0:06:01 -Q2: What is the process Jeff uses to help students learn? 0:06:32 -Jeff wants letter grades to disappear 0:07:19 -Jeff’s students write their own textbook and has creative autonomy 0:09:42 -Jeff looks for many categories of thought in student work https://jeffandersonmath.wordpress.com/2023/03/10/how-to-learn-mathematics-at-the-deepest-and-highest-levels/ 0:11:45 -Check out Guershon Harel’s writing on concept images https://mathweb.ucsd.edu/~harel/The%20Linear%20Algebra%20Curriculum%20Study%20Group%20Recommendations%20-%20Moving%20Beyond%20Concept%20Definition.pdf 0:16:02 -Q3: How does Jeff give his students feedback and manage the load? https://jeffandersonmath.wordpress.com/2022/06/29/ungrading-in-action-lessons-from-spring-2022/ https://jeffandersonmath.wordpress.com/2023/04/18/how-do-i-structure-my-classes-for-individual-learning/ https://jeffandersonmath.wordpress.com/2023/05/02/how-do-i-structure-my-classes-for-group-learning/ https://jeffandersonmath.wordpress.com/2023/05/02/how-do-my-students-get-feedback-on-their-work/ 0:18:20 -The math of 40-to-1 student-to-teacher ratios: 6.25 min per student per week 0:19:35 -Jeff teams up with students to give students more face-to-face time 0:20:35 -Let’s look at an example portfolio conference schedule https://docs.google.com/document/d/149DFKU6F6I0x75KP2IrqVUc20JIRxLxmojAz-mxJH6s/edit https://jeff-anderson-wru2.squarespace.com/s/Example_Learning_Group_Meeting_Schedule.pdf https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14Z_EmEXfkDpDCmr3n8muv46jJ_jYwast1iveZXcL4is/edit#gid=446928846 0:21:37 -During learning conferences, Jeff works with students to get into sweet spot https://thelearningcode.school.blog/2021/03/07/a-model-for-deep-learning/ 0:23:10 –How can we start to think differently about feedback https://jeffandersonmath.wordpress.com/2023/03/18/the-diverse-roles-that-grades-play-to-effect-teaching-and-learning-in-college-stem-classrooms/ 0:25:42 -Grades degrade students’ ability to get into their sweet spot 0:28:20 -Q4: How did Jeff get to the place he is now? 0:28:56 -Phase 1: Healing and reflection 0:30:30 -Many college professors are expert mathematicians with little teacher training https://thelearningcode.school.blog/2022/01/17/the-no-teacher-training-for-college-professors-problem/ 0:31:48 -Phase 2: Research and development on learning science 0:33:57 -Phase 3: Testing phase along with mistakes and iterative improvements’ https://jeffandersonmath.wordpress.com/2021/03/26/my-problem-with-traditional-grading/ 0:35:05 -Jeff began with test corrections https://jeffandersonmath.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/jeff_andersons_exam_corrections_process_v20191205.docx https://jeff-anderson-wru2.squarespace.com/s/Avoid_Common_Exam_Mistakes.pdf 0:37:48 -Phase 4: Read more about assessment, ungrading, and antiracism https://jeffandersonmath.wordpress.com/2022/01/02/essential-ungrading-reading-lists/ https://jeffandersonmath.wordpress.com/2023/05/05/my-anti-racist-reading-list/ 0:39:42 -Jeff seeks students voices via mid-quarter quality control surveys 0:41:36 -Q5: How can we help communities make changes? 0:42:00 -First, identify that state and national policies hurt teachers and students https://jeffandersonmath.wordpress.com/2020/07/15/the-brain-to-hands-ratio/ 0:43:47 -Jeff believes that labor strikes and mass organization are important here https://janemcalevey.com/book/a-collective-bargain-unions-organizing-and-the-fight-for-democracy/ https://janemcalevey.com/no-shortcuts/ https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/03/books/review/beaten-down-worked-up-steven-greenhouse.html 0:44:52 -We might run book clubs to spend time together with faculty exploring these topics https://jeff-anderson-wru2.squarespace.com/s/2022_to_2023_Reading_Activities_for_UNgrading.pdf https://www.appliedlinearalgebra.com/s/2021_to_2022_Reading_Activities_for_Grading_for_equity.pdf https://jeffandersonmath.wordpress.com/2021/12/28/an-invitation-to-form-a-faculty-book-club-draft-1/ 0:45:55 -Renegotiate faculty contracts to allow for direct payments to faculty https://jeffandersonmath.wordpress.com/2021/12/28/re-imagine-professional-development-for-college-teachers/ 0:51:26 -Let’s create a habit of sharing our reading lists with our students and colleagues http://www.appliedlinearalgebra.com/blog/jeffs-reading-list https://sites.google.com/view/eli-moore/reading-list 0:53:45 -Let’s create community in both research mathematics and research education 0:55:06 -Twenty-first century challenge for the field of mathematics: How do we create effective research-based antiracist teaching policies for the next generation?