UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Registration is open now for the Schreyer Conference on Teaching and Learning on March 24 via Zoom.
Every other year, the Schreyer Honors College and the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence host a conference focused on timely teaching and learning topics of interest to Penn State faculty and students. The 2026 theme “Grading Differently” will allow attendees to explore emerging approaches to classroom assessment that emphasize student growth and development.
All members of the Penn State community are invited to attend for a day of lively discussions and pedagogical inspiration. Register by March 22.
“I am excited to continue the Schreyer Honors College's strong connection with the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence by participating in this year’s Schreyer Conference,” said Laura Rotunno, associate dean for academic affairs at the Schreyer Honors College. “This year's focus on alternative grading is particularly exciting as it will allow all — students and faculty — to discuss how different ways of responding to student work may positively enhance learning objectives and outcomes.”
Alternative grading strategies go by many different names — from specification (specs) to contract to standards-based (SBG) grading — but they all share a common focus on motivating students to learn. For example, Ellen Stroud, associate professor of history, implemented specifications grading several years ago and reported that “students are enjoying their course readings more than they have in traditionally graded classes, because they are reading for understanding, and for stories, and for ideas, rather than reading with a test in mind.”
The fully virtual conference will be anchored by a keynote address given by Robert Talbert, coauthor of the popular book "Grading for Growth." Talbert will be followed by faculty and student-led panel discussions that explore how and why grading differently is making an impact on Penn State students.
Panel discussion topics include:
- alternative grading in STEM
- grading for growth
- grading and AI
- approaches to alternative grading
Panels will consist of students and faculty members across the University who have experience in alternative grading. These include:
- Peter Aeschbacher, Department of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, College of Arts and Architecture
- Justin DeSenso, Department of English, Penn State Lehigh Valley
- Alicia Drais Parillo, Department of Psychology, Penn State University Park
- Chris Gamrat, Department of Human-Centered Computing and Social Informatics, College of Information Sciences and Technology
- Joe Houck, Department of Chemistry, Eberly College of Science
- Eric Hudson, Department of Physics, Eberly College of Science
- Tim Kelsey; Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education; College of Agricultural Sciences
- Gabe Kramer, Department of Mathematics, Penn State Behrend
- Louis LeBlond, Department of Physics, Eberly College of Science
- Matthew Levy; Department of Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts; Penn State Behrend
- Sonia Molloy, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Penn State York
- Kristen Osborne Carroll, Department of English, College of the Liberal Arts
- Tiffany Petricini, Department of Media and Communication, Penn State Behrend
- Ashley Russell, Departments of Biology and Biobehavioral Health, Penn State Behrend
- Priya Sharma, Department of Learning and Performance Systems, College of Education
- Ellen Stroud, Department of History, College of the Liberal Arts
- Karen Stylianides, Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State Hazleton
- Sara Zipf, Teaching and Learning with Technology