Grading is an extremely important and largely unexamined piece of the classroom puzzle. In this weekly podcast, Sharona Krinsky and Robert Bosley, two long time classroom instructors from the K-12 and Higher Ed worlds, explore the nuts and bolts of grading student work. From looking at traditional grading practices to other types of grading such as alternative grading, equitable grading, ungrading, and more, join us as we and our guests provide the research, practices, and details needed to create a more effective grading practice that supports student learning and success. For more information, check out our website, https://www.thegradingpod.com
What if the biggest challenge facing education isn't grading—but our assumptions about school itself? In this episode, Sharona and Boz welcome anthropologist and author Susan Blum for a wide-ranging conversation about how her research into plagiarism led her to question the fundamental purpose of grades, assessment, and formal education. Drawing on her books Ungrading and Schoolishness , Susan reflects on why students so often pursue achievement instead of learning, how traditional grading systems shape that behavior, and why the rapid rise of AI has intensified long-standing questions about motivation, authenticity, and the value of education. Rather than focusing on grading techniques alone, this episode steps back to examine the larger assumptions underlying our educational systems and asks what meaningful learning should look like in a rapidly changing world. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead) by Susan D. Blum Schoolishness: Alienated Education and the Quest for Authentic, Joyful Learning by Susan D. Blum Hacking Assessment: 10 Ways to Go Gradeless in a Traditional Grades School (Hack Learning Series) by Starr Sackstein Trevor Aleo's Substack Susan D. Blum on Substack and LinkedIn Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
Few people have had a greater influence on the alternative grading movement than Linda Nilson. In this episode, Sharona and Boz welcome the author of Specifications Grading and Specifications Grading 2.0 to reflect on the origins of one of the most widely adopted approaches to grading reform. Linda shares the experiences that led her to question traditional points-based grading, the ideas she combined to create specifications grading, and how an approach that began as a response to her own frustrations grew into an international movement embraced across disciplines. The conversation explores the philosophy behind specifications grading, the challenges of introducing a radically different grading system, and Linda's hopes for the future of grading reform as educators continue to rethink assessment in an era of rapid educational change. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Specifications Grading 2.0 , by Linda Nilson and Joe Packowski Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
Alternative grading systems are never really finished. They evolve as instructors learn more about their students, their courses, and their own teaching. In this reflective episode, Sharona and Boz use a recent six-year retrospective by mathematics instructor Hilary Freeman as a springboard for exploring what long-term iteration looks like in practice. Rather than focusing on how to implement an alternative grading system for the first time, the conversation examines the kinds of questions that emerge only after years of experience: Which parts of a grading system become simpler? Which become more sophisticated? And how do changing technologies, student needs, and classroom contexts continue to reshape even well-established courses? Through the lens of one instructor's journey, the hosts invite listeners to think of course design as an ongoing process of reflection, experimentation, and continuous improvement rather than a destination. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Standards-Based Grading Six Years Later , by Hilary Freeman on the Grading for Growth Blog Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
Specifications grading has become one of the most influential approaches in the alternative grading movement, but how has the model evolved since Linda Nilson first introduced it more than a decade ago? In this episode, Sharona and Boz sit down with Joe Packowski to discuss the newly released second edition of Specifications Grading and the journey that led him from a 25-year career in industry to becoming a leading voice in grading reform. The conversation explores the intersections between higher education and the workplace, the role of data and student feedback in refining grading systems, and how a growing community of practitioners is adapting specifications grading across disciplines and contexts. Along the way, the group reflects on mentorship, professional networks, and what it means for an educational innovation to move from a small pilot project to a global community of practice. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Specifications Grading 2.0 , by Linda Nilson and Joe Packowski The Personal Efficiency Program , by Kerry Gleeson The Four Disciplines of Execution , by Chris McChesney Specifications Grading on LinkedIn Joe Packowski on LinkedIn Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
The 2026 Grading Conference brought together hundreds of educators from across disciplines to share research, classroom innovations, and practical strategies for rethinking assessment. In this episode, Sharona and Boz are joined by conference organizers Katie Mattaini and Drew Lewis to reflect on the conversations, presentations, and emerging themes that stood out most this year. Rather than providing a comprehensive recap, they explore what made this year's conference unique: from increasing disciplinary diversity and growing institutional participation to new questions about student perspectives, accessibility, implementation at scale, as well as the future of grading reform. Whether you attended the conference or missed it, this conversation offers a window into the ideas currently shaping the alternative grading community and the directions the field is beginning to explore. Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
One of the biggest objections to alternative grading is also one of the most practical: How can this possibly work in large classes? In this episode, Sharona and Boz welcome computer science professor Craig Zilles to explore what happens when technology is designed not just to make grading easier, but to make better assessment practices possible. Craig shares how his own experiments with second-chance testing evolved into a campus-wide computer-based testing facility that now supports thousands of students and enables frequent assessment, rapid feedback, and multiple opportunities to demonstrate learning. Together, they discuss the logistical barriers that often prevent instructors from adopting alternative grading, the promise and challenges of technology-enhanced assessment, and how thoughtful infrastructure can help bring learning-centered grading practices to even the largest university courses. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! PrairieLearn Contact Craig Zilles at: zilles at illinois dot edu. Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this episode, Sharona and Boz sit down with renowned mathematics education researcher Peter Liljedahl to explore the often-overlooked connection between classroom pedagogy and grading practices. Best known for his influential work on Building Thinking Classrooms , Peter shares his own journey into alternative grading, from questioning traditional percentage-based systems to developing approaches that prioritize meaningful feedback, student growth, and competency development. The conversation examines why so many educators embrace active learning while leaving grading unchanged, the philosophical shift required to move from “point gathering” to “data gathering,” and why multiple opportunities to demonstrate learning are fundamentally different from traditional retesting. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Building Thinking Classrooms (Website with Resources) Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics (the book) , Peter Liljedahl 136 – Grading for Physicists, Not Point Collectors – with Chris Sarkonak Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this behind-the-scenes episode, Sharona and Boz take listeners inside the early stages of designing a brand-new (to Sharona) course: a general education quantitative reasoning class she affectionately describes as “Math for Humans.” Using the conversation itself as a form of reflective practice, Sharona and Boz unpack the challenges of building a grading architecture, selecting meaningful assessments, and creating authentic learning experiences for students who may never take another mathematics course. Along the way, they wrestle with broad learning outcomes, project-based assessment, collaborative grading, student agency, and the growing influence of AI on both learning and assessment. The discussion explores difficult questions about what students actually need to know, how educators can balance structure with autonomy, and whether traditional academic skills still make sense in a world where AI tools are readily available. More than a conversation about one course, this episode offers a candid look at the uncertainty, experimentation, and reflection that accompany thoughtful course design and demonstrates why redesigning a course is often less about finding answers than about asking better questions. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Students’ Academic Development The Course Design Cycle Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this episode, Sharona and Boz welcome back David Clark to unpack his recent end-of-semester “3x3x3” reflection blog post for Grading for Growth. Using a structure of three surprises, three lessons learned, and three lingering questions, the conversation explores everything from refining standards-based grading systems after more than a decade of iteration to the growing reality that students themselves are beginning to read and discuss alternative grading literature. Along the way, the trio dives into the importance of positive feedback, the role of classroom relationships and physical learning spaces, the challenges of designing meaningful assessments in the age of AI, and the tension between flexibility and structure in student learning. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Reflections on a Year of Alternative Grading Episode 100 - Getting the Band Back Together Exploring the effects of artificial intelligence on student and academic well-being in higher education: a mini-review The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Students’ Academic Development David Clark's Website Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this episode, Sharona and Boz welcome back Dan Guberman to discuss his new book, Designing Impactful College Courses: Applying Self-Determination Theory to Unleash the Potential of Autonomy-Supportive Learning Environments. The conversation explores how self-determination theory, which is a framework centered on autonomy, competence, and relatedness, provides a powerful lens for understanding both grading reform and course design more broadly. Dan shares his journey from music professor to alternative grading advocate, explains how traditional grading systems often function as tools for behavioral control, and argues that meaningful learning requires environments that foster internal motivation rather than compliance. Along the way, we dive into topics like backwards design, standards-based assessment, late work, intrinsic motivation, and why so many grading decisions are far more arbitrary than we realize. Blending theory with highly practical classroom examples, this episode ultimately challenges all of us to rethink not just how we grade, but how our entire course structure shapes students’ relationships with learning. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Use discount code ADC26 to get 30% off of Designing Impactful College Courses Designing Impactful College Courses: Applying Self-termination Theory to Unleash the Potential of Autonomy-Supportive Learning Environments , by Dan Guberman, et al (on Routledge) Teaching Intercultural Competence Through Heavy Metal Music , by Dan Guberman, et al An Urgency of Teachers: the Work of Critical Digital Pedagogy , by Jesse Stommel, et al Course Redesign Cycle (diagram) by Sharona Krinsky and Robert Bosley Center for Self-Determination Theory Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this episode, Sharona and Boz are joined by Dan Guberman and Kimberly Ellen Hall to reflect on a recent Grading for Growth post exploring how alternative grading can make teaching more joyful. The conversation moves beyond the usual student-centered arguments for grading reform and instead examines how abandoning points-based systems can fundamentally transform instructors’ relationships with their work, their students, and even themselves. Drawing on experiences from music conservatories, art schools, mathematics classrooms, and online humanities courses, the group discusses everything from attendance and student motivation to embodied learning, handwritten reflection, and the emotional exhaustion caused by traditional grading systems. Along the way, they explore how alternative grading shifts classroom conversations away from compliance and toward genuine engagement, why arts education offers important lessons for all disciplines, and how grading reform can open space for creativity, connection, and meaningful learning. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Grading that Feels Good , the Grading for Growth Blog An Introduction to the Theory of Embodied Cognition Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this episode, Sharona and Boz are joined by Teresa Focarile, Director of Educational Development at Boise State University, to discuss her first semester implementing an alternative grading system in an Introduction to Theater course. Teresa shares how moving away from weighted averages toward a blend of specifications and mastery-based grading transformed not only the clarity of her course, but also the way students engaged with learning itself. Through transparent grade pathways, co-created rubrics, opportunities for revision, and clearly articulated learning levels like “informed audience member” and “theater artist,” students reported feeling more empowered, less anxious, and more focused on genuine learning rather than point accumulation. The conversation explores everything from the challenges of tracking systems and feedback loops to the realities of implementing alternative grading as an adjunct faculty member, while also highlighting how arts education naturally raises important questions about what grades should actually communicate. Throughout the episode, a central theme emerges: when grading systems become more transparent and human-centered, students are more likely to see the classroom as a place designed to support learning rather than simply sort performance. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Intro to Theater Syllabus, by Teresa Focarile Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this episode, Sharona and Boz explore what assessment might look like in a world increasingly shaped by AI. Starting with a recent article from faculty at Middlebury College challenging institutions to recenter learning rather than ranking students, the conversation moves into a provocative discussion of oral exams, authentic assessment, and the growing limitations of traditional testing. The hosts unpack a history professor’s experiment with 71 oral final exams in 12 days, reflecting on the power of conversation-based assessment to deepen feedback, strengthen trust, and reveal genuine student understanding in ways that written exams often cannot. Along the way, they connect these ideas to their own classroom experiences, the challenges AI poses for validating student work, and the need for assessments that emphasize creativity, revision, human interaction, and meaningful thinking over rote production. Ultimately, the episode argues that the future of grading reform may depend not only on changing how we grade, but on fundamentally reimagining how we assess learning itself. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Recentering learning when we talk about grades What I learned from giving 71 oral exams in 12 days Finding Meaningful Moments in a Merger Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this episode, Sharona and Boz take a deep dive into a recent research study on specifications grading in a large-enrollment chemistry course, uncovering a story that is both encouraging and complicated. While the data shows clear gains—grades increased across all student groups, including those historically underserved—the hoped-for closure of opportunity gaps proved far more elusive. Using both the study’s findings and their own long-term course redesign experience, the hosts explore what this tension reveals: grading reform can raise outcomes broadly, but it is not a silver bullet for equity. The conversation highlights the importance of implementation details, support structures, and ongoing iteration, as well as the need to look beyond grades to fully understand student experiences. Ultimately, this episode underscores a central truth of grading reform work—real change is possible, but it requires sustained, nuanced effort and a willingness to engage with complexity rather than simple narratives. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Specifications Grading and Equity , by M. Stains, L. Morkowchuk and B. Yik on the Grading for Growth Blog Balancing Equity in General Chemistry Laboratory Courses: The Complex Impact of Specifications Grading on Student Success and Opportunity Gaps , by B. Yik, et al, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society Spring 2026 Community of Practice Fall 2026 MAA OPEN Math Faculty Learning Community Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this episode, Sharona and Boz preview the upcoming 2026 Grading Conference while also diving into one of the most urgent emerging issues in education: the role of AI in grading and feedback. After highlighting exciting conference sessions—from new research studies and faculty learning communities to sessions on large-scale implementation, student agency, and ungrading—the conversation pivots to the ethical, practical, and philosophical implications of AI-assisted assessment. Sharona and Boz explore whether AI can improve consistency, speed, and scalability in grading—especially in large classes—while wrestling with concerns about bias, depersonalization, and the erosion of student-instructor relationships. Rather than offering easy answers, the episode frames AI as a powerful but potentially dangerous tool that educators must approach intentionally, asking not just whether AI can grade, but whether its use strengthens or weakens the fundamentally human purpose of education. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Schedule for the 2026 Grading Conference Spring 2026 Faculty Learning Community on Alt Grading - Hosted by Drew Lewis and Melanie Lenahan MAA OPEN Math Fall Faculty Learning Community on Alt Grading - Registration and Information - Hosted by Sharona Krinsky and Robert Bosley How AI-Powered Essay Grading Is Transforming Modern Education Systems Is It Ethical to Use AI to Grade? Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this episode, Sharona and Boz are joined by electrical engineering professor Tim Monk to tackle a surprisingly thorny piece of grading design: how to combine multiple types of assessment into a final course grade. Starting from a listener email that initially raised skepticism, the conversation unpacks Tim’s approach to blending standards-based grading for learning targets with specifications grading for projects—using a carefully designed weighted system at the final “wrap-up” stage. Rather than relying on averages throughout the course, Tim uses them intentionally at the end as a communication tool, avoiding common pitfalls like masking learning gaps or penalizing early mistakes. The discussion surfaces key tensions around grading philosophy, clarity for students, and the trade-offs between precision and flexibility, ultimately reinforcing a central theme of the podcast: there is no single “right” system—only intentional design aligned to what grades are meant to communicate about student learning. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! The 2 Sigma Problem: The Search for Methods of Group Instruction as Effective as One-to-One Tutoring, by Benjamin Bloom Wikipedia Entry on Bloom's 2 Sigma Problem Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this episode, Sharona and Boz welcome back Matt Townsley to dig into a critical—and often overlooked—truth about grading reform: if leaders don’t understand and support it, it simply won’t scale. Drawing on both research and real-world experience, Matt explains why grading reform is a “second-order change” that requires deep philosophical commitment from administrators, not just technical adjustments from teachers. The conversation explores the upcoming Iowa based leadership-focused standards-based grading conference, the role of systems-level support, and emerging frameworks like multi-tiered support for teacher implementation. Along the way, the trio connects these ideas to broader challenges in both K–12 and higher education, from structural barriers to the growing urgency of reform in the age of AI. The takeaway is clear: isolated classroom innovation isn’t enough—lasting change requires aligned leadership, intentional systems, and a shared purpose for what grades are meant to communicate. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Standards-Based Grading Conference: The 3rd Annual Collaborative Assessment Conference for Leadership Teams All Things Standards-Based Grading , by Matt Townsley Grading Reform Isn't Options Anymore - Here's Why , with Matt Townsley Top 5 standards-based grading articles for 2025 , by Matt Townsley When standards-based grading feels dark…and reassessments become the flashlight everyone reaches for later , by Matt Townsley Walking the talk: Embedding standards-based grading in an educational leadership course The 4 Common Myths about Grading Reform, Debunked , by Matt Townsley and Sarah Morriss Previous Episodes Mentioned Episode 18 - Sportscaster of Alternative Grading Episode 46 – Extinguishing the Fires within Assessment and Grading Reform: Welcoming Back Dr. Matt Townsley Episode 48 - Implementation Challenges and Opportunities: A Conversation with Becky Peppler and Don Smith on Working with K-12 School Districts to implement Alternative Grading Episode 59 - Leaning Into ROI and Communication in Leading Grading Reform: An Interview with Dr. Chad Lang Episode 74 - Exploring Alt Grading in Physical Education (in more detail) with Josh Ogilvie Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this episode, Sharona and Boz are joined by Deb Carney to explore the complex role of course coordination in the adoption of alternative grading practices. What emerges is a nuanced tension: coordination can act as a barrier when individual instructors lack autonomy, but it also offers one of the most powerful levers for large-scale change when coordinators embrace reform. Deb shares her journey into outcomes-based grading and reflects on how collaboration, community, and shared structures made that shift possible. The conversation highlights the importance of communities of practice, either through formal coordination or PLC-like structures, as essential spaces for sustained instructional change. Ultimately, the episode argues that meaningful grading reform is not just about individual instructors making different choices, but about building systems, support, and collective momentum to make those choices viable and scalable. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Mastery-Based Testing in Linear Algebra: An Entry Point to Alternative Grading , by R. Swanson, A. Bingham, M. Sanders and C. Moulton Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education Conference Project EMBER: Eliminating Mathematics Barriers through Evidence-based Reforms Join EMBER on Zulip Course Coordinator Orientations Toward Their Work, by A. Martinez, J. Gehrtz, C. Rasmussen, T. Latona-Tequida and K. Vroom TPSE: Transforming Post-Secondary Education in Mathematics Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this follow-up to their earlier conversation about Harvard and “too many A’s,” Sharona and Boz welcome back Dr. Stephanie Valentine to unpack Harvard’s proposed new grading policy, which would cap the number of A grades in each class and layer course-based ranking on top of an already troubled system. Drawing on Stephanie’s powerful “Points Are Insidious” manifesto and her experience teaching high-achieving, perfectionistic students, the episode explores how policies built to force distinction can intensify anxiety, undermine risk-taking, discourage collaboration, and ultimately work against the very innovation and intellectual curiosity elite institutions claim to value. Together, the three of them critique the mathematical and ethical flaws of ranking students against one another, examine the gap between top-down policy and classroom reality, and wrestle with what it would mean for faculty to live with integrity under a policy like this—while also reaffirming that the real alternative is not inflated or meaningless grades, but grading systems genuinely grounded in learning, growth, and student wellbeing. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! Grade-inflation panel says updated plan focuses on reining in A’s, restoring integrity of system, freeing students to follow curiosity The “Points Are Insidious” Manifesto, Part 3: Perfectionism Is Not Excellence , by Dr. Stephanie Valentine Grade Caps Fail the Game Theory Exam , from The Crimson Tide (Harvard Newspapr) The “Points are Insidious” Manifesto (Part I) , by Dr. Stephanie Valentine The “Points Are Insidious” Manifesto, Part II: Assessing at the Boiling Point , by Dr. Stephanie Valentine Yes, Grade Inflation is Real. But Is It a Real Problem? , from NEA Today Advice To Our Students , from the University of Texas - Austin Episode 127 - An LMS Designed from the Ground Up for Alt Grading? Tell Me More! With Stephanie Valentine Episode 138 - Too Many A’s Or Too Much Confusion? Shameless Outside Plug for Sharona's Theater Production Company Chalomot Productions Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
In this episode, Sharona and Boz welcome back Chris Sarkonak to explore his powerful concept of the ungrading spectrum—a framework that maps the evolution of grading mindsets from traditional, compliance-driven systems to collaborative, student-centered approaches. Drawing on his classroom experience and professional journey, Chris unpacks how educators move from “this is how it’s always been done” toward systems that prioritize student agency, reflection, and ownership of learning. The conversation dives into the hidden inconsistencies of grading (including how the same student can receive vastly different results depending on grading structures), the role of student voice in creating more valid assessment systems, and the real-world constraints educators face when trying to shift practices. Along the way, the hosts wrestle with their own tensions around student input, rigor, and readiness, ultimately highlighting that while no system is perfect, rethinking grading through a lens of collaboration and purpose can dramatically expand who succeeds in our classrooms. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! The Ungrading Spectrum , by Chris Sarkonak Learning INSPIRed: Student Power Summit Episode 136 - Grading for Physicists, Not Point Collectors – with Chris Sarkonak Reliability of the Grading of High-School Work in English , by Daniel Starch and Edward C. Elliott (Published September 1912) Resources The Center for Grading Reform - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: The Grading for Growth Blog The Grading Conference The Intentional Academia Blog Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: Grading for Growth , by Robert Talbert and David Clark Specifications Grading , by Linda Nilsen Undoing the Grade , by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com . All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation , licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .
