Jayme Dyer, PhD 🏳️‍🌈

Whyyyyyy does my brain insist on having a Late To Class dream at the start of every semester?

I've been teaching over 10 years, you'd think my brain would get over it, but the dreams are like clockwork.

If you are working on course design this week, and you teach a lot of students, let me recommend this guest post on my blog from three fantastic instructors who are pursuing innovative grading methods in their large lectures. It's a lot of work, but alternative grading can be done in big classes!

A Start, Stop, Continue Reflection for 2026 The changes I’m making – or not – in the classroom this year

To finish out 2025, I reflected on what's working -- and what's not -- in my courses, and what I plan to do about it. jaymedyer.substack.com/p/a-start-st...

What do you do when you miscalculate grades? A grading-related error revealed competing pedagogical values

At the end of last semester, I made a mistake in calculating my students' grades and had to reckon with what grades really mean as a result: jaymedyer.substack.com/p/what-do-yo...

Re-testing BEFORE testing: a practice-oriented assessment model Helping students learn from mistakes on exams while keeping my grading load manageable

I've recently started using a novel re-testing BEFORE testing model of assessments in my courses to save me time on grading and support equitable student learning. Here's how I do it.
jaymedyer.substack.com/p/re-testing...

Alternative Grading in Large Classes How to implement pedagogical values within logistical constraints

I co-authored a post with @katiemattaini.bsky.social and Eden Tanner on @empittsdonahoe.bsky.social blog about Alternative Grading in Large Classes: emilypittsdonahoe.substack.com/p/alternativ...

Hiiiiii Bluesky 👋 It's been a while. While I haven't been posting here, I have been writing about teaching and grading. Lots to say about grades! ✏ Here's a thread of recent blog posts...

Got it, thanks!

Can you say more about the connection between reduced magnesium and gut based disorders?

Also, if not tablets, what do you recommend?

Will you share the link for the version you buy?

To learn, it helps to know what learning feels like Being a student again is teaching me a lot about learning

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...

I just alerted my kids' elementary school science teacher about this program!

Grading on a Curve as a Systemic Issue of Equity in Chemistry Education Calls for diversity, inclusion, and equity in chemistry and science education have been ongoing. However, some faculty may find it difficult to challenge systemic inequities due to their pervasiveness...

Here's the paper btw

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Why was the average score too high? bc of jokers like me, a PhD scientist taking an intro physics class. I know nothing about physics but I know how to study (and convert cm to km!).

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

Why I use Multiple Grading Schemes It's about equity

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...

Everyone gets a test toy?

I'm sorry you went through that!

I can't imagine a marriage that couldn't withstand sharing cool stuff ☹️

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

Think-Pair-Share: A View from Both Sides I'm learning how to teach better by being a student again

I'm learning a lot by being a student again. For example, THINKING TAKES TIME

open.substack.com/pub/jaymedye...

Informal study groups always form in my courses bc students build relationships with each other in class.

I wonder: could relatively simple course structure interventions facilitate relationship-building --> facilitating informal study group formation --> increasing retention in STEM? 🤔

I structure my courses to facilitate relationship-building: Ss are assigned to groups & do team work all semester together, plus a small part of the grade is for "community learning contributions," so Ss are encouraged to support each other in class. As a result...

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. 🥰🥰🥰

"Clearly" and other words of caution for the classroom What my first day back as a student taught me about being a better teacher

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...

Vertical 3 panel meme: top picture shows a hand grating a piece of cheese on cheese grater with the word "Grating", middle picture shows a hand grating a piece of cheese on a car-shaped cheese grater with the words "Alternative Grating" and bottom picture shows two blocks of uncut cheese with the word "Ungrating"

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

Once you've read How Life Works, I'd be interested in your take! I didn't like it. Maybe I should have given it more due (I quit at page 100) or maybe it just wasn't revolutionary for me because of my background? 🤷 Anyway, curious to hear what you think!