Interested in learning about and discussing alternative forms of grading with UMN colleagues? Willing to share alternative approaches to grading that you’ve used in your courses? The Alternative Grading Community of Practice (AGCoP) provides a come-when-you-can forum to share and discuss grading approaches that elevate clear standards, actionable feedback, indicators of progress, and opportunities for revision. The AGCoP will meet the 2nd Friday of the month from 1-2 pm starting September 2025.
The purpose of The Alternative Grading Community of Practice (AGCoP) is to grow and support a community of University of Minnesota instructors interested in collaborating across disciplines and campuses to deepen their professional knowledge of alternative grading practices. Alternative grading is an umbrella term for approaches to grading that center 1) clearly defined standards for acceptable work, 2) actionable feedback, 3) indicators of progress, and 4) opportunities for students to revise, resubmit, and reattempt work without penalty (Talbert, 2021). A community of practice is a regular meeting of people interested in exploring a common topic. Facilitated by Professor Kelsey Metzger, Center for Learning Innovation, UM-Rochester and Jessica Dockter Tierney, PhD, Center for Educational Innovation.
Outcomes
While the specific goals, activities, and topics of the AGCoP will evolve through the conversations of its community members, by participating in the AGCoP, instructors will be better equipped to:
- Analyze and compare various alternative grading models (e.g., specifications grading, contract grading, ungrading).
- Design strategies for providing actionable feedback that fosters student growth.
- Develop effective methods for managing student revision and resubmission processes.
- Apply alternative grading principles to design or revise course components with support from peers.
Format
Activities will range from informal conversations around participants' questions to formal presentations from UMN faculty engaged in alternative grading practices, as well as the discussion of relevant articles and book chapters. Facilitators will also share resources, reading lists, and professional development opportunities.
The AGCoP aims to remain informal and invites a range of experience and thinking around alternative grading. Regular monthly attendance is not required; instead, participants should attend as the community meets the needs of their schedule and professional development goals. The AGCoP will continue monthly as long as there is interest.
Who Should Attend
Faculty, graduate students/postdocs, and instructional staff with a range of experience with alternative grading approaches are all welcome to attend.
Questions?
Contact Dr. Jessica Dockter Tierney, [email protected].