Alternative Grading
In this Community of Practice, we seek to empower educators to reimagine assessment in ways that promote deeper learning, intrinsic motivation, and student equity.
- A safe, exploratory space for faculty to discuss, implement, and refine nontraditional grading methods.
- A collaborative incubator for practical strategies, shared resources, pilot projects, and course redesigns.
- A change agent that fosters a campus culture of reflective, learning-centered assessment.
- Fostering collaboration
- Lead inclusive discussions that center on faculty members’ concerns and curiosity.
- Building literacy
- Help participants engage with foundational readings
- Organize sessions around key themes: feedback over grades, transparency, motivation, equity, etc.
- Supporting implementation
- Encourage members to try small-scale experiments in their own teaching.
- Create a low-pressure space to report back and share results.
- Documenting and sharing
- Collect and share case studies, sample syllabi, rubrics, and reflections from members.
- Potentially host a showcase event.
This CoP is open to all faculty members at UBC Okanagan. To join, please email barbara.komlos@ubc.ca
Please check back for meeting dates/times for 2026-2027!
In the meantime, mark your calendars to participate in Lessons in Trust: Alternative Grading in the Age of AI, a workshop and symposium being organized on the Vancouver campus from October 23-24, 2026. Keynote presentations by Robin DeRosa, Asao Inoue, and Jesse Stommel will be live-streamed!
- Mehran Shirazi, PhD, PEng, Lecturer, School of Engineering (mehran.shirazi@ubc.ca)
- Tamara Freeman, Associate Professor of Teaching, Department of Chemistry (tamara.freeman@ubc.ca)
- Barbara Komlos, Educational Consultant for Curriculum Development, CTL (barbara.komlos@ubc.ca)
This CoP has been active since the 2025-2026 academic year.