Is student success a matter of when, not if? On the next Fiat Lux Redux Tuesday, January 20 at 9AM, UC Berkeley Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, Dan Garcia, discusses his journey toward creating a more inclusive classroom, where every student can thrive without compromising academic rigor.
Inspired by the book Grading for Growth*, Garcia shifted away from traditional grading curves toward more equitable, student-centered strategies—such as absolute grading, flexible deadlines, and exam retakes—designed to support neurodivergent and disabled learners. He discusses how the university experience is transformed into one where failure is never final and learning is continuous.
*Grading for Growth: A Guide to Alternative Grading Practices That Promote Authentic Learning and Student Engagement in Higher Education by David Clark and Robert Talbert, published July 3, 2023, by Routledge.
This Finding Space podcast (Episode 4 “Student Success Without Lower Standards”) was developed by Research, Teaching, and Learning (RTL) within the Division of Undergraduate Education at UC Berkeley, hosted by Executive Producer Tracie Allen, who serves as the Access and Innovation Strategist at Berkeley’s Center for Teaching and Learning. Her goal for the project is to amplify stories from the disability community and reimagine access and equity in higher education.
Fiat Lux Redux presents previously aired lectures, conversations, and podcasts originating on the campus of UC Berkeley every other Tuesday from 9am to 9:30am. These often-lengthy original programs have been edited to a 30-minute format by experienced KALX producers. The show’s name, Latin for “Let there be light”, is a reference to the University of California’s motto, which is also Fiat Lux. The show’s goal is to provide listeners with a window into the intellectual and cultural life of UC Berkeley and to showcase the wide range of subjects and diversity of thought and ideas that are present at UC Berkeley.
This program was edited by Erin Foster. If you have questions or comments about Fiat Lux Redux, contact lisa.katovich@gmail.com.
