A New Model for Academic Faculty IV: One Can’t Fix What Isn’t Really Broken

TL;DR I conclude that the equity movement is well intentioned but is a waste of time until we reassert classroom autonomy that has literally been taken from us by administrators and outside parties (e.g. the testing industry), and autonomy that we have ceded without resistance. Once again this is mostly a brain dump of thoughts […]

A New Model for Academic Faculty III: Grading for Equity

TL;DR After attending a recent conference on Grading For Growth hosted by The Grading Conference I have read Grading for Equity by Joe Feldman. I am totally on board with this movement, and over the past few years have independently stumbled onto most of the basic findings described in the book. However, I think the […]

An Experiment That Didn’t Quite Work

I don’t always talk about it, but I like to conduct simple experiments in the classroom. This semester, I decided to conduct one in which students kept track of their own assessment progress. Teachers are often expected to do most all of the work in a class, including keeping detailed records of student performance. Keeping […]

Three Semesters With Standards Based Grading

I need to collect and share some thoughts on my experience so far with standards based grading in both introductory calculus-based physics and introductory astronomy. I don’t know that everything, or anything, here will make much sense but it will help me sort some things out. In doing so, I may see things I’ve not […]

Students: Putting My Transcripts Where My Mouth Is

College transcripts are not, and should not be, a judgement of you as a person. They are an arbitrary record of a certain body of work. The represent only the past, and never the present or the future.

Physics Standards, M&I Chapters 1-3

Here are my M&I class’s standards for chapters 1-3. Students had considerable input into the formulation of these standards. Standard: I can use consistent and correct vector notation. Proficiency Indicator(s): Correct vector notation is used consistently throughout a problem or explanation. Mastery Rubric: Vectors are indicated with arrows. Vector components are indicated with appropriate subscripts or […]

Astronomy Standards

Here are my astronomy class’s first standards. These standards come directly from the first seven inquiry activities done mostly in class. Collectively, these activities form a coherent unit on critical thinking framed so as to form the foundation for astronomy or any other science. The biggest problem I have, and have had for well over […]

Physics Standards

Here are my M&I class’s first standards. We begin the course with a unit on special relativity with readings from a textbook written by Arnold Arons. Each standard has one or more proficiency indicators and a mastery rubric. I want to emphasize that great thought went into formulating these standards, which included student input. There […]