Access to Learn: Alternative Grading Strategies for Student Success
Workshop Description
This virtual assessment workshop, with an emphasis on writing assessment, will focus on access and student success. Dr. Lockett will lead UMB faculty participants through a norming session that explores #ungrading techniques, or low to no penalty methods of evaluation. Alternative grading strategies are designed to increase student’s access to learning and reduce barriers that negatively affect student learning. Instructors across disciplines will evaluate relevant redacted student work. Dr. Lockett will facilitate a discussion about how instructors establish criteria for determining the appropriate quality of student work. The session will also focus on developing student learning outcomes and innovation—for both individual assignments and for academic programs. This work requires participants to do a survey, complete a couple of short readings, and review a few student essays prior to the meeting. During our meeting, instructors will articulate fundamental principles of learning and create grading strategies that improve their course management, overall teaching, and student performance. Issues of academic integrity, AI, multiculturalism, and equity will also be addressed.
Registration
Use this Google form to register for the virtual writing assessment workshop on Zoom with Dr. Lockett by Friday, March 14, 2025. Registration is limited to 10 faculty, to ensure that we will have a productive conversation for all participants. The registration form includes questions about your writing assessment practice and experiences. NOTE: You will need to sign in with a Google account to access the registration form. If that causes any issues, please get in touch with Isabell May at imay@umaryland.edu to explore alternatives.
Please note that as part of the registration form, you will be asked to share two short pieces of student work that you've graded within the past few years. One essay will have received high marks, the other essay will have received low marks.
Clear guidelines for how to quickly and confidentially submit this work will be included in the form.
Workshop Facilitator
Dr. Alexandria Lockett is a Director of Lateral Recruiting at eXacta Global—a woman-owned recruiting firm that specializes in legal and business crossover roles for attorneys. Prior to joining eXacta, Dr. Lockett served as a writing and rhetoric instructor at multiple institutions for almost 20 years. Dr. Lockett has worked in a variety of leadership roles in a range of educational spaces such as writing centers, career services, and hybrid + remote classrooms. Throughout her career, she has led numerous pedagogy workshops for thousands of instructors—of various ranks—teaching across the disciplines. Dr. Lockett’s background includes publishing award-winning research about race, technology, literacy, and access. She co-authored Race, Rhetoric, and Research Methods and co-edited Learning from the Lived Experiences of Graduate Student Writers. She composed several articles and book chapters in publications such as MIT Press, Routledge, Composition Studies, Praxis, and Enculturation. Dr. Lockett continues to work as an independent scholar. She recently served as a Wikipedia Scholar-in-Residence for AfroCROWD—a community organization based in NYC (2023-4). She is also an advisory board member for Wiki Education’s Mellon Social Justice Initiative (2024-26).
Credentials
The Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. (2013). Major: English—Rhetoric and Composition
University of Oklahoma, M.A. (2009). Major: English—Composition, Rhetoric, and Literacy
Truman State University, B.A. (2006). Majors: English and French
Social Media Handles
@mzjanenova on X and Instagram, Alexandria Lockett on LinkedIn
This workshop is made possible via a faculty development mini-grant from Transform Mid-Atlantic, formerly known as Campus Compact Mid-Atlantic.