The Grading Podcast

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

The Grading Podcast is a education podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 163 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Grading Podcast, a education show with 163 episodes published.

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  Episode #161

  161 - MathFest 2026 Rountable: Challenges, Questions, and New Directions

  Aug 11, 20261h 9m

  Recorded live at MathFest 2026 in Boston, this special episode brings together mathematics faculty from institutions across the country for a wide-ranging conversation about alternative grading. With the practice becoming increasingly visible in mathematics education, Sharona invites the group to reflect on what they are hearing, questioning, and thinking about as they move through the conference. The discussion opens space to consider emerging practices, persistent challenges, and the kinds of questions that arise when educators gather in person to compare experiences and rethink how grading can better support 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 Impact of the Challenge Grading System on Success Rates and Persistence in Calculus II and III , by Sandi Xhumari and Helen Burn 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 .

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  Episode #159

  159 - The Birth of Specs Grading: A Conversation with Linda Nilson

  Jul 28, 202655 min

  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 .

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  Episode #158

  158 - Reflection is the Real Revision: Six Years of Standards-Based Grading

  Jul 21, 202646 min

  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 .

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  Episode #157

  157 - The Next Chapter of Specifications Grading with Joe Packowski

  Jul 14, 202656 min

  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 .

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  Episode #155

  155 - Retakes at Scale: A Key Pillar of Alt Grading Meets Computer Based Testing Facilities with Craig Zilles

  Jun 30, 202658 min

  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 .

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