|
Volume CXXXIII, Number 16 |
 |
Grading analysis continues
BELINDA J. LOVETT
ORIENT STAFF
According to a recent survey, students feel that a change
to a plus/minus grading system would promote unhealthy competition and
exacerbate "grade-grubbing."
The survey was given to both the Faculty and students, and
while an overwhelming majority of faculty members indicated that they
were in favor of switching to a plus/minus system, a large majority of
students indicated that they were not.
In addition to student concern that a plus/minus system would increase competition and grade-grubbing, students also indicated that they were concerned it would not be possible for a professor to actually give grades as accurately as a plus/minus system would allow. Thus the grading system would be somewhat artificial.
Faculty members, on the other hand, indicated that they
did not feel that competition or grade-grubbing would be a problem under
a plus/minus system, and they were evenly split as to whether plus/minus
grades would imply greater accuracy than was actually possible.
However, both students and faculty members, indicated that
they thought a plus/minus system would provide students with better feedback
and assess student performance both more accurately and with greater flexibility.
Neither students nor faculty members indicated that they felt a plus/minus
system would exacerbate grade inflation or encourage students to work
harder.
They also did not cite the grading systems of other colleges
as being a reason to switch to a plus/minus system.
In addition, whereas faculty members indicated that they felt that a plus/minus system would allow graduate schools and employers to better assess a student's performance, students, in general, disagreed.
