Falling Down Rabbit Holes: Liberatory Assignment Design for Students and Those Who Teach Them

I will be discussing a suite of assignments that encourage iterative process over high-stakes performance moments while providing students with choice and flexibility.  Focus will be given to the journal assignment that has been adapted for several classes, and the “Rabbit Hole” option that accompanies it. This assessment structure has been liberating for students, reducing stress and anxiety, while providing individualized entry points to the course material.  It has been liberatory for me, too, as I have even found moments of joy in assessing student work that embodies authentic, intrinsic learning.