Courage in the time of Alt(ernative) Grading: successes and failures in specs grading, flexibility, and other strange stories
Please join us on Wednesday, February 21 for a talk by Jennifer Peter (Western University) on Courage in the time of Alt(ernative) Grading: successes and failures in specs grading, flexibility, and other strange stories hosted by the Faculty of Science Committee on Teaching and Learning (CoTL). All FSc. instructors, post-docs, and graduate students welcome!
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Robin Marushia (scicotl@yorku.ca)
When: Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Where: 12pm-1pm on ZOOM
Assessment and evaluation in post-secondary may serve as an opportunity to document and evaluate the achievements of learners, measure the effectiveness of our teaching choices, and provide feedback to motivate further student learning. Is it also a necessary “evil” by which we rank and file students on pursuit to future endeavors? Enter ‘Alt(ernative) grading’, a phrase that is probably best thought of as methods for evaluation that don’t follow the traditional points-based approach. During the discussion, reflect on what you want grades to represent, think critically about whether current grading aligns with that goal, and share what worries you about implementing new grading approaches. Learn about the alt grading methods (including various incarnations of “Specs grading”, flexible grading, and mastery grading).
Speaker: Jennifer Peter
Jennifer Peter is a Lecturer at Western University (London ON) since 2008; she is currently cross-appointed in the Department of Biology, and Department of Statistical & Actuarial Sciences. She originally came from a background in Biology (BScH in Environmental Biology, Queen’s University; MSc in Plant Community Ecology, Queen’s University) but found a love in teaching early on (BEd, with qualifications in Intermediate/Senior Biology and Math, Queen’s University). While she has taught a variety of courses in the Ecology and Evolution stream, including first-year biology, ecology, evolutionary genetics, and community ecology, Jennifer’s current teaching role is focused on the large enrollment, multi-section course in introductory statistics for students in non-statistics programs. She has a wide range of expertise in undergraduate pedagogy, and also provides support to undergraduate students in the Department of Statistical & Actuarial Sciences as a departmental advisor. Jennifer has been actively involved in the organizational team of the biennial Western Conference on Science Education (www.thewesternconference.ca) since its inception, transitioning to co-organizer (alongside colleague Dr. Nicole Campbell, Western University) of the conference in 2019. Jennifer has also been an active member of the Open Consortium of Undergraduate Biology Educators (www.ocube.ca) from early on, routinely holding Executive Board positions for the community of practice.
