Spring 2025

Description

When imagining student work, what are the alternatives to testing, essays, problem sets, and reports? When we depart from these norms, how do we honor the integrity of our disciplines and give students challenges to help them grow as scholars, citizens, and holistic selves? In this Faculty Learning Community, we will collaboratively experiment and critically reflect on the alternative assignment forms of audio, video, and design / making. Via collaborative hands-on workshops and exploratory conversations over six sessions, we will consider the benefits and challenges of these alternatives, why we might want to consider them, and how we might harness our collective creativity to help each other imagine alternatives in our courses and disciplines. No prior experience necessary. 

Outcomes

As a participant in this community, you will be able to:

• Describe the affordances and constraints of each form (audio, video, design / making)
• Describe the pedagogical values of assigning alternatives
• Describe the technologies and technological knowledge scaffolding needed for your students to complete alternative assignments
• Estimate the time required for students to complete alternative assignments 
• Describe how to assess alternative assignments
• Choose which alternative(s) might work for your course content

Takeaways

By the end of this program, you will leave prepared with the knowledge and skills to imagine alternative assignments for your courses. You will leave the program with the following in your toolbox:

• A completed alternative assignment in each form from the student's point of view, which you will have done with guidance during the workshops

• Faculty testimonies from faculty who have used alternative assignments in their courses

• Resource guides to alternative assignments

• A map of spaces and technology resources available from LDT (and others at UVA) to help with alternative assignments

Meeting Details

There will be five in-person meetings during the Spring semester, on Wednesdays from 2:00-3:30 PM in various studios and spaces around Wilson Hall.  

Prior to each workshop, we will do short preparatory exercises and readings.

Meeting Schedule and Topics

Eligibility

Participants will be any UVA College of Arts & Sciences instructors interested in Alternative Assignments, including full-time and part-time faculty (tenured/tenure-track, AGFM), graduate students, and postdocs. Participation will be limited to 12 participants. No prior experience is required.

Expectations

Participants should expect to attend at least four of the five sessions and commit around 1 hour to completing readings and exercises before each session to be able to engage fully in discussion and hands-on work. 

Application

Priority sign up by December 20; additional applications will be accepted as space allows  Applicants will be contacted soon thereafter. 

Alternative Assignments Faculty Learning Community Application 

Please email Jason Bennett at jcb2h@virginia.edu with any questions.