Great question, and something I have had to struggle with myself.

So for me, the compromise, and one I feel good about, is streamlining as much as I can — online quizzes that are auto-graded, small paper…

Great question, and something I have had to struggle with myself. For me, I think it is valuable to both the instructor *and* the student for us to let go of the idea that hard grueling work is inherently virtuous. I see far too many academics think that they need to make their assignments really lengthy and numerous, and that all their grading processes must also be intensive and draining. It’s important to give meaningful feedback, of course, but we can’t kill ourselves over it. We’re already stretched really thin.

So for me, the compromise, and one I feel good about, is streamlining as much as I can — online quizzes that are auto-graded, small paper assignments that are easy and quick to grade with only one or two lengthier writing assignments, presentation assignments that spare me time from course-prep time and give students a meaningful challenge. Rubrics that make grading easy to do and easy to communicate. The more you automate and streamline your processes, the easier it is to adapt to schedule changes, late submissions, extensions ,and the like. For me, with the way I have things set up, it does not require a lot more effort for me to have a late re-take of a quiz scheduled, because it’s all online either way. Not everyone has that ability, but it benefits me and my students.