Next up in my Instructor-as-Student Chronicles: I’ve spent the last few days studying for a physics exam, and in the process I’ve learned a lot about what learning feels like jaymedyer.substack.com/p/to-learn-i...

Bonkers experience today: I'm taking a course & while the instructor was handing back exams, I was idly reading a paper about the harms of grading on a curve. Instructor goes on to explain that she *would have* graded the exam on a curve (to increase all grades) but the average score was too high 😱

Letter from the SSE/SSB/ASN councils on the scientific understanding of sex and gender, pls RT

Interesting post by @youtoobio.bsky.social Should homework count in a student's grade? Is using Multiple Grading Schemes more equitable? open.substack.com/pub/jaymedye...

Kindred spirit right here. My husband, who works from the same home office with me, has learned to ignore my "Wow's!" as I read and write about biology. He knows I'll interrupt him when it's so cool I have to share

I'm learning a lot by being a student again. For example, THINKING TAKES TIME open.substack.com/pub/jaymedye...

I'm reading about persistence of students in a STEM major in "Talking About Leaving Revisited" (2019). The authors identify: "An important, common strategy [of persisters in STEM majors] was working with informal peer study groups." It makes me wonder...

Today's teacher euphoria: Student from last year texts to say that a study group that formed in my class (because I intentionally structured the course to build community) is still going strong and providing support for their new classes. 🥰🥰🥰

Yesterday, I sat in a class as a student for the first time in 15 years. I'm hoping that being a student again will teach me how to be a better teacher. PS I'm learning physics for the first time! I assume there will be many spherical cows. 🐄⚽ open.substack.com/pub/jaymedye...

How about this grate joke #ungrading #ungradingchat #AcademicSky #edusky #TeachingSky

Every show where someone uses a micropipette without a tip loses all credibility and instantly gets rated -2 stars

Science Question! How do mushrooms do gas/nutrient exchange? 🍄 I'm talking specifically about fruiting bodies. Some are big! Diffusion shouldn't be sufficient, but they don't have vasculature (right?). How does it work? 🤔 Mycologists, pls help! #biology #mycology #fungi #mushrooms

Deep-sea hermit crabs without shells? 🦀 Meet Parapagurus! Instead of traditional snail shells, many species use deep-sea anemones for protection. It's a mutualistic partnership—crabs get shelter, anemones get mobility and scraps of food. #marinelife oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/expl...

Hey #Academic bsky - have you tried the AI-assisted research search engine Undermind? I just tried it and I am duly impressed. undermind.ai (I have no affiliation with it! I just tried it and thought WOW)

Hey #bio peeps, what subdisciplines rely heavily on the use of model organisms? I'm thinking cell bio, genetics, some evolution, but not really ecology, etc 🤔

"As the saying goes, when in doubt, turn to the International Association of Amateur Heptathlon Competitors."

Hi, #AcademiaSky! I'm a #newPI gearing up to teach a mid-level #CellBio course in spring 25. I'm implementing a final project where students work in small groups to make a poster on an emerging model organism in cell bio. Please suggest potential taxa! Bonus points if you include a paper! (1/N)

A5: The most impactful resource for me has been the Biology Grading for Growth #BioG4G group. We meet monthly on Zoom for #community & an informal chat about our successes & challenges with alternative grading in our Bio courses. Want to join us? sites.google.com/view/biograd... #Ungradingchat

I always enjoy Jayme's blog posts about trying to teach biology better. They have a compelling mix of storytelling, humility, and wisdom. This latest post is no exception. Even when I don't want to adopt her approach (e.g., her multiple grading schemes) she provides food for thought.

In which I use a strange text thread with friends, and Disney's Ursula, to explain what implicit bias feels like in the classroom. Plus! Concrete ways to reduce the impact of implicit bias in the classroom. open.substack.com/pub/jaymedye...

A4: Since grading is a ranking system, I find it problematic for students to choose their grade bc they don't see the range of other Ss' performance. However, I'm a big believer in self reflections in which Ss consider their strengths & areas for growth *relative to their own goals* #Ungradingchat

My favorite part of Bluesky right now is the increasingly specific starter packs being formed. Sign me up for "Queer Chemists who Play Violin, Write Poetry, and Predict Weather Changes With Their Knees"

Thanks for this unvarnished look at #ungrading and the potential for implicit bias in the arrival of a grade! 🙏🏽 I'm guilty of wanting to see only the benefits of #unfgrading for my teaching and students' learning, but it's so useful to step back and view #ungrading through a critical lens.

#Ungradingchat A3: The challenges— 1. Deprogramming and re-focusing students' deficiency-based mindset and correcting the myth that deep learning must be hard (the myth of rigor) and full of anxiety. 2. Building trust once the anchor of grades has been removed. Ss find comfort & safety in grades. 1/

Teaching has gotten to this point in the semester in my second year courses. ⚒️🧪🦀🦑 #evosky

Hello new followers! Let me introduce myself: 🌱 I teach Gen Bio at a community college in NC 📕 I am writing an innovative new Gen Bio textbook ✅ I experiment with and write about alternative grading systems 📹 I am a #SciComm YouTuber More deets below! 👇

A3: When I used #ungrading, on average white cis-men overestimated their performance, while women and POC underestimated their performance. It's why I won't use collaborative grading again. I wrote more about it here: gradingforgrowth.com/p/ungrading-... #Ungradingchat

If you like something, then hit the like button. But if you REALLY like something and think other people should see it, then you should hit the repost button. Bluesky works differently than platforms you're already used to. Liked posts don't get boosted to new eyes. The key is reposting.

A2: I use Multiple Grading Schemes (jaymedyer.substack.com/p/reflecting...) and I've used #collaborativegrading, though I won't do it again because I think it has serious equity issues. I've also incorporated lots of built-in revisions, flexible late work policies, & the EMRN rubric #Ungradingchat

A1: Grades are a sorting system. I'd rather use pass/fail + Letters of Rec to point out individual students' strengths and weaknesses. But! Grades exist, we have to use them. Thus, my grading philosophy: earning grades is a game. Make the game explicit, accessible, & equitable. #Ungradingchat

📣 Exciting announcement! 📣 I'm writing a biology textbook! Details below 👇👇👇

November 18 is the International Day of LGBQTIA+ People in STEM! Today more than ever we want to stress the importance of communities, building connections, and raising each other up. Let's keep leaving our mark for the betterment of us all! 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 #QueerinSTEM prideinstem.org/lgbtstemday/

Starter Pack for #CommunityCollege and Allies! I'm delighted to find myself on the list! Community colleges educate almost half the students in US #highered.

Based on a wonderful suggestion from @jaustinedu.bsky.social, I've created a rough Starter Pack for those involved with #ungrading & alternative #assessment. If I forgot someone (I'm sure I have!), please forgive me & let me know if you want to be added to the list. Thanks! go.bsky.app/G6hA6Ru

Post a picture you took (no description, but do use alt text) to bring some zen to the timeline

More impactful, I think, would be putting pressure on political bodies to make the green energy transition happen sooner and more robustly across industries.

Me: Writing about antibiotic resistance for Gen Bio students. Also me: Diagnosed with walking pneumonia and taking antibiotics, hoping that everything I'm writing about doesn't apply this time. 🤞🤞🤞

Hey all, I've been absent from social media for a while because I'm working on an exciting project. Update coming soon!

Important post from @youtoobio.bsky.social on @dccmath.bsky.social & @roberttalbert.bsky.social's substack. A question, though: if instructors work to address these issues & to confront biases that occur, can we turn that final conference into a driver of equity? gradingforgrowth.com/p/ungrading-...

Today on Grading for Growth: An important analysis of ungrading and equity, by @youtoobio.bsky.social

College students like stickers, go figure. (More details here: jaymedyer.substack.com/p/using-stic... )

Who here teaches a microscopy course pitched at undergrads/very early grads, who might also be at cellbio2023, and would like to chat about their approach? I'm looking to see what others have tried. 🔬

A year ago I started blogging on my personal website about my teaching successes and failures. I just moved my blog to Substack! Now you can subscribe to get email notifications each time I post. Check it out! jaymedyer.substack.com

The ASCB Maximizing Access for PEERS and Education Committees are looking for judges for the Poster Competition that will be held on Saturday, December 2, 2023, from 1:45-4:15pm at the #cellbio2023 meeting. www.ascb.org/cellbio2023/...

Should I feel guilty that I'm enjoying multiple parts of my life right now (family, marriage, work, play), when the rest of the world is apparently burning to the ground? Wrong answers only.

I just submitted a paper proposal to a journal - my first research paper submission in over a decade! As an adjunct instructor at a community college, I didn't think I would be publishing research, in any genre (this is biology education). I'm excited!

The acute downside of Twitter falling apart is a loss of professional community. On the upside, I spend less time on social media now! 🫠

Happy free covid tests day! Get some here 👇 www.covid.gov/tests