Josh Eyler
@josheyler.bsky.social
Senior Director of the University of Mississippi's CETL & Assistant Professor of Teacher Education | Author: Failing Our Future (https://bit.ly/3UUdctd) and How Humans Learn (2018) | Speaker: http://bit.ly/jeyler | he/him
The Harvard report discussed in CHE's Teaching newsletter today was titled "Re-Centering Academics at Harvard College: Update on Grading and Workload" but it could easily be re-titled "Grades are getting higher and we have a hunch about that so let's create a narrative that supports our vibes."
November 6, 2025 at 7:18 PM
The Harvard report discussed in CHE's Teaching newsletter today was titled "Re-Centering Academics at Harvard College: Update on Grading and Workload" but it could easily be re-titled "Grades are getting higher and we have a hunch about that so let's create a narrative that supports our vibes."
Reposted by Josh Eyler
I was thinking about Zohran’s transition team and today’s anti-feminist piece in the New York Times, and my mother’s book on the first generation of women to work in the city government in New York City.
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
November 6, 2025 at 4:20 PM
I was thinking about Zohran’s transition team and today’s anti-feminist piece in the New York Times, and my mother’s book on the first generation of women to work in the city government in New York City.
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
"Hope is a good thing, Red. Maybe the best of things."
--The Shawshank Redemption
www.mississippifreepress.org/mississippi-...
--The Shawshank Redemption
www.mississippifreepress.org/mississippi-...
Mississippi Democrats Break Republican Senate Supermajority, Flipping 3 Legislative Seats
After 13 years, Mississippi Democrats broke the Republican Party's supermajority in the Mississippi Senate, flipping 3 legislative seats.
www.mississippifreepress.org
November 5, 2025 at 2:46 PM
"Hope is a good thing, Red. Maybe the best of things."
--The Shawshank Redemption
www.mississippifreepress.org/mississippi-...
--The Shawshank Redemption
www.mississippifreepress.org/mississippi-...
I'm working on a genealogy of alternative grading practices for the book @empittsdonahoe.bsky.social and I are writing for Princeton UP. We're calling the book *How to Grade: Alternative Models for the College Classroom*. 1/x
November 3, 2025 at 3:30 PM
I'm working on a genealogy of alternative grading practices for the book @empittsdonahoe.bsky.social and I are writing for Princeton UP. We're calling the book *How to Grade: Alternative Models for the College Classroom*. 1/x
Reposted by Josh Eyler
Also like every 10 years there is a *national* news story about grade inflation at Harvard and people make fun of the students and don't ask themselves about the impact on young folks in a deeply unhealthy, highly competitive environment where mental health services keep getting cut
October 30, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Also like every 10 years there is a *national* news story about grade inflation at Harvard and people make fun of the students and don't ask themselves about the impact on young folks in a deeply unhealthy, highly competitive environment where mental health services keep getting cut
Reposted by Josh Eyler
People spend way time worrying about whether students are getting too many A's and not enough time considering the possibility that people who busted ass so hard that they got into a place like that might be the kind to be high achieving
Too many FACULTY think grading is about breaking people, too
Too many FACULTY think grading is about breaking people, too
October 30, 2025 at 10:17 PM
People spend way time worrying about whether students are getting too many A's and not enough time considering the possibility that people who busted ass so hard that they got into a place like that might be the kind to be high achieving
Too many FACULTY think grading is about breaking people, too
Too many FACULTY think grading is about breaking people, too
Reposted by Josh Eyler
Best metaphor I've heard is that using AI is like bringing a forklift to lift the weights at the gym. The point is to build YOUR muscles, not to make the weights go up and down.
I love to see stuff like this because it helps explain to people trapped in tech-sponsored information bubbles the actually obvious fact that universities teach people to know & think things, and AI is a way to produce the effect of knowing & thinking things w/o actually knowing & thinking them.
Opinion | Why Even Basic A.I. Use Is So Bad for Students
www.nytimes.com
October 31, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Best metaphor I've heard is that using AI is like bringing a forklift to lift the weights at the gym. The point is to build YOUR muscles, not to make the weights go up and down.
Reposted by Josh Eyler
You'd think that folks who think the answer to allegedly artificially high grades is artificially lowering grades would make the connection that grades are just artificial, yet here we are.
October 31, 2025 at 2:55 PM
You'd think that folks who think the answer to allegedly artificially high grades is artificially lowering grades would make the connection that grades are just artificial, yet here we are.
From UM colleague Marshall Ramsey.
October 31, 2025 at 2:53 PM
From UM colleague Marshall Ramsey.
I worked in a Trio program at UConn as a grad student--as a tutor, instructor, and course director. These programs are life-changing for historically marginalized students, & their closure is more evidence that the current admin. prioritizes the privileged. www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-t...
21 States, D.C. Ask Court to Reverse TRIO Grant Rejections
Democratic attorneys general from 21 states and Washington, D.C., filed briefs this week asking a court to reverse the Trump administration’s rejection of grants supporting TRIO programs, which help d...
www.insidehighered.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:49 PM
I worked in a Trio program at UConn as a grad student--as a tutor, instructor, and course director. These programs are life-changing for historically marginalized students, & their closure is more evidence that the current admin. prioritizes the privileged. www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-t...
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the answer to this question is "No." www.chronicle.com/article/we-a...
Can a Conservative Provost ‘Depoliticize’ UT Austin — and Save Academic Freedom, Too?
William Inboden on Trump’s compact, higher ed’s broken social contract, and red-state reform.
www.chronicle.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:45 PM
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the answer to this question is "No." www.chronicle.com/article/we-a...
This is a good piece: www.chronicle.com/article/how-...
How to Restore Joy to the Classroom
It isn’t always warm and fuzzy. Sometimes, it requires repairing what’s broken.
www.chronicle.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:44 PM
This is a good piece: www.chronicle.com/article/how-...
Reposted by Josh Eyler
Anyway, I don't know who needs to hear this right now but faculty, grades are NOT there to take students down a peg, put them in their place, or determine a student's value
They should reflect student learning, if they must be given at all
They should reflect student learning, if they must be given at all
People spend way time worrying about whether students are getting too many A's and not enough time considering the possibility that people who busted ass so hard that they got into a place like that might be the kind to be high achieving
Too many FACULTY think grading is about breaking people, too
Too many FACULTY think grading is about breaking people, too
October 30, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Anyway, I don't know who needs to hear this right now but faculty, grades are NOT there to take students down a peg, put them in their place, or determine a student's value
They should reflect student learning, if they must be given at all
They should reflect student learning, if they must be given at all
Reposted by Josh Eyler
If you're interested in looking at grading's history, uses, challenges, and perils, seek out the writings of @josheyler.bsky.social. His book "Failing Our Future" is good and he's got plenty of articles out there.
Here's one: www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-v...
Here's one: www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-v...
Grades Are at the Center of the Student Mental Health Crisis
A guest post from Joshua Eyler on an urgent conversation we should be having about how grades impact student well-being.
www.insidehighered.com
October 31, 2025 at 1:27 PM
If you're interested in looking at grading's history, uses, challenges, and perils, seek out the writings of @josheyler.bsky.social. His book "Failing Our Future" is good and he's got plenty of articles out there.
Here's one: www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-v...
Here's one: www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-v...
Reposted by Josh Eyler
This — a million times this whole thread.
Anyway, I don't know who needs to hear this right now but faculty, grades are NOT there to take students down a peg, put them in their place, or determine a student's value
They should reflect student learning, if they must be given at all
They should reflect student learning, if they must be given at all
People spend way time worrying about whether students are getting too many A's and not enough time considering the possibility that people who busted ass so hard that they got into a place like that might be the kind to be high achieving
Too many FACULTY think grading is about breaking people, too
Too many FACULTY think grading is about breaking people, too
October 31, 2025 at 1:27 PM
This — a million times this whole thread.
Reposted by Josh Eyler
NEW: As Vice President JD Vance arrives on campus at the University of Mississippi with Turning Point USA, a coalition of progressive student groups is counter-programming his visit with a town hall featuring Gloria Johnson, Ro Khanna, Heidi Heitkamp & more.
@gracemarion.bsky.social reports:
@gracemarion.bsky.social reports:
University of Mississippi Students Plan Event to Counter Vance
A coalition of progressive student groups at the University of Mississippi plans to hold a town hall to counter Vice President JD Vance’s visit.
www.mississippifreepress.org
October 29, 2025 at 5:21 PM
NEW: As Vice President JD Vance arrives on campus at the University of Mississippi with Turning Point USA, a coalition of progressive student groups is counter-programming his visit with a town hall featuring Gloria Johnson, Ro Khanna, Heidi Heitkamp & more.
@gracemarion.bsky.social reports:
@gracemarion.bsky.social reports:
Well, would you look at that: yet another essay about grade inflation in the Chronicle. 1/x www.chronicle.com/article/the-...
Opinion | The Great Campus Charade
Students are learning less, studying less, and skipping class more — yet their grades go up and up.
www.chronicle.com
October 29, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Well, would you look at that: yet another essay about grade inflation in the Chronicle. 1/x www.chronicle.com/article/the-...
Reposted by Josh Eyler
Kudos to @josheyler.bsky.social for providing ideas about how high-structure classroom design can be implemented in humanities courses. Sometimes, high-structure classroom design materials seem to assume "problem-solving" is the main in-class activity. For humanities courses, often there are others.
October 9, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Kudos to @josheyler.bsky.social for providing ideas about how high-structure classroom design can be implemented in humanities courses. Sometimes, high-structure classroom design materials seem to assume "problem-solving" is the main in-class activity. For humanities courses, often there are others.
I left this session thinking about courage. I’m always telling my colleagues that much that we wish would happen at this moment depends on individual, privileged people having courage. And while that has sometimes happened in history, it is not something you can ever *count* on.
Attended a great session at the Leadership in Higher Ed conferece today facilitated by @nimishabarton.bsky.social on the past, present, and future of DEI work in higher ed. She did a great job getting us to share our experiences so that we could find community.
October 3, 2025 at 10:52 PM
I left this session thinking about courage. I’m always telling my colleagues that much that we wish would happen at this moment depends on individual, privileged people having courage. And while that has sometimes happened in history, it is not something you can ever *count* on.
Attended a great session at the Leadership in Higher Ed conferece today facilitated by @nimishabarton.bsky.social on the past, present, and future of DEI work in higher ed. She did a great job getting us to share our experiences so that we could find community.
October 3, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Attended a great session at the Leadership in Higher Ed conferece today facilitated by @nimishabarton.bsky.social on the past, present, and future of DEI work in higher ed. She did a great job getting us to share our experiences so that we could find community.
I enjoyed the opportunity to have this conversation with Emily and Marc, facilitated by John and Rebecca. I'm guessing my perspective won't be a surprise to anyone who has seen my posts about the ethical and pedagogical reasons to resist the use of AI in education.
In today's Tea for Teaching podcast, @josheyler.bsky.social, @empittsdonahoe.bsky.social , and @marcwatkins.bsky.social join us for a lively discussion of issues related to the use of AI in higher education. @cyberthread.bsky.social teaforteaching.podbean.com/e/faculty-pe...
Faculty Perspectives on AI | Tea for Teaching
Faculty adoption and use of AI in higher education varies widely. In this episode, three colleagues from the University of Mississippi: Josh Eyler, Emily Pitts Donahoe, and Marc Watkins, provide their...
teaforteaching.podbean.com
October 1, 2025 at 7:12 PM
I enjoyed the opportunity to have this conversation with Emily and Marc, facilitated by John and Rebecca. I'm guessing my perspective won't be a surprise to anyone who has seen my posts about the ethical and pedagogical reasons to resist the use of AI in education.
Reposted by Josh Eyler
A talking point to add — Alternative grading approaches de-incentivize students’ use/dependence on AI slop way better than horrible, unreliable surveillance software which only create a culture of suspicion. When we reform traditional grading, we open ourselves to human trust & learning potential.
October 1, 2025 at 6:49 PM
A talking point to add — Alternative grading approaches de-incentivize students’ use/dependence on AI slop way better than horrible, unreliable surveillance software which only create a culture of suspicion. When we reform traditional grading, we open ourselves to human trust & learning potential.
Just landed in Philadelphia for the Leadership in Higher Ed conference, where I’ve been invited to give a pre-conference workshop and a regular session on alternative grading & grading reform. Attendees are mostly provosts and deans. Let’s spread the good word and make some change happen!
October 1, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Just landed in Philadelphia for the Leadership in Higher Ed conference, where I’ve been invited to give a pre-conference workshop and a regular session on alternative grading & grading reform. Attendees are mostly provosts and deans. Let’s spread the good word and make some change happen!
Reposted by Josh Eyler
In today's Tea for Teaching podcast, @josheyler.bsky.social, @empittsdonahoe.bsky.social , and @marcwatkins.bsky.social join us for a lively discussion of issues related to the use of AI in higher education. @cyberthread.bsky.social teaforteaching.podbean.com/e/faculty-pe...
Faculty Perspectives on AI | Tea for Teaching
Faculty adoption and use of AI in higher education varies widely. In this episode, three colleagues from the University of Mississippi: Josh Eyler, Emily Pitts Donahoe, and Marc Watkins, provide their...
teaforteaching.podbean.com
October 1, 2025 at 3:50 PM
In today's Tea for Teaching podcast, @josheyler.bsky.social, @empittsdonahoe.bsky.social , and @marcwatkins.bsky.social join us for a lively discussion of issues related to the use of AI in higher education. @cyberthread.bsky.social teaforteaching.podbean.com/e/faculty-pe...