What if your students already have the answer… but skipped all the thinking that got them there?

That's the problem ten instructors sat down to solve. In this episode, they share how they get students to show their work, not just turn in something correct. You'll hear how they grade reasoning, build reflection into assignments, use peer review as a mirror, and yes, navigate all of this in the age of AI.

Because ChatGPT or Claude can produce the right answer in four seconds. What it can't do is show your students' thinking. That part's still on them. Because "42" might be the answer to life, the universe, and everything… but if your students can't tell you how they got there, are they really learning?

🎙️ Episode Breakdown + Timestamps

[0:00] The "Right Answer" Trap

[1:29] Tip 1: Drop the Receipts, Not Just the Result

[4:02] Tip 2: Grade for Process, Not Perfection

[5:42] Tip 3: Use Reflection to Surface Struggle

[8:15] Tip 4: Ask Why… and Why Not?

[10:06] Tip 5: Compare Notes, Not Just Scores

[12:29] Tip 6: Peer Review or It Didn't Happen

[14:35] Tip 7: Turn Group Work Into a Game Show

[17:25] Tip 8: Match the Format to the Thinking

[20:14] Tip 9: Thinking in the Margins

[23:42] Tip 10: Give the First Step, Not the Answer

🎓 Featured Educators

Dr. Daniel M. Look is the Charles A. Dana Professor of Mathematics at St. Lawrence University. He's spent over 25 years trying to convince students that math is not only useful, but occasionally fun. He authored Math Cats: Scratching the Surface of Mathematics, an illustrated exploration of mathematical ideas through the lens of cats.

Dr. Christin Monroe is an Educational Research Associate at the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She previously taught Chemistry at Landmark College with a focus on supporting neurodivergent learners through inclusive and innovative teaching practices.

Jennifer Duncan is an Associate Professor of English at Georgia State University's Perimeter College. She has been teaching English literature and composition for twenty-five years and specializing in online teaching for fifteen.

Dr. Sara Lahman is a Professor of Biology and STEM Outreach Coordinator at the University of Mount Olive.

Betsy Langness is the Psychology Department Head at Jefferson Community and Technical College, where she has worked for more than 20 years. She teaches general and developmental psychology courses in a virtual, asynchronous environment.

Mary Gourley is a psychology instructor at Gaston College with over 16 years of teaching experience. She also teaches gender, human sexuality, and social psychology courses at New Mexico State University's Global Campus.

Dr. Jennifer Ripley Stueckle has spent the past 17 years as a Teaching Professor and Non-Majors Biology Program Director at West Virginia University. She has taught introductory biology, immunology and human physiology. She also created biology courses offered through dual enrollment at West Virginia high schools.

Dr. Erika Martinez is a Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida, where she has taught economics for 14 years. She's passionate about making economics accessible and engaging for all students and also teaches at UNC-Kenan Flagler Business School's MBA@UNC online program and Santa Barbara City College.

Dr. Margaret Holloway is an Assistant Professor of English and the Composition Coordinator in the English & Modern Languages Department at Clark Atlanta University. Her research is rooted in the rhetoric and composition discipline.

Dr. Amy Goodman is a Senior Lecturer in the Mathematics Department at Baylor University, where she has taught since 1999. She is also a course designer, author, teaching mentor, and learning analytics researcher. Her pedagogy is founded on the belief that all students can be successful at math.

If this episode made you rethink how you grade, prompt, or even phrase "Show your work," we've done our job. Follow the show and leave us a review. It's the podcast version of showing your work. And if you've got a colleague who's stuck in the "right answer loop," go ahead and text this to them. We won't tell.

We're always interested in your ideas: TheWhatAndWhoofEDU@Macmillan.com.