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A synergistic approach to turning the tide of grade inflation

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Abstract

Higher education in the United States is facing increasing demands for colleges and universities to demonstrate what students learn and that they are providing a high-quality education experience during the undergraduate years (Pascarealla et al. in Chang Mag High Learn 42(1):16–22, 2010). Despite evidence of the elevation of grades in higher education dating back to the 1970s, attempts to rein in this phenomenon have been largely unsuccessful (Nikolakakos et al. in Coll Univ 87(3):2–14 2012). It is our contention that attempts to reform grading have not succeeded because their focus is too narrow. After providing background information on the extent and causes of grade inflation, we will propose a synergistic approach to dealing with the problem of grade inflation.

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Notes

  1. Numerous studies at individual schools have simply reported grade increases without controlling for variables in these specific venues that might provide justification for the higher grades (e.g., Bartlett and Wasley 2008; Kezim et al. 2005; Juola 1968, 1980; Kolevzon 1981; Sabot and Wakeman-Linn 1991). Also, there are frequent reports by academic administrators (e.g., registrars) of grade increases contained in college newspapers (e.g., Chapin 2006; May 2002; Petrilla 2004; Yaver 2005; Ziffra 1995).

  2. The grade increases noted at least one university were attributed in part to improved student qualifications (viz., higher ACT scores and high school percentile rank were correlated with the increase in grades; Mullen 1995).

  3. In a formal sense, curving grades involves assigning grades with reference to a predetermined distribution, often the normal distribution. This is a normative procedure in that the a priori distribution is used as the basis for awarding grades to all students, not just a subset of the class.

  4. These particularistic practices may be rationalized by some teachers as a way of producing mastery of the content and experience of a course (Raebeck 2002). Many faculty in Colleges of Education subscribe to the "mastery learning" model of teaching that provides each student with the opportunity to master the material of the class, regardless of whether their pace of learning is less than others (Lanning and Perkins 1995). Student persist until the material is mastered and they deserve and are awarded an "A" for the course.

  5. The second author experienced the same type of failure at his university. See Gordon et al. (2008) for a discussion of grades as communicative acts.

  6. In 2009, the percentage of ‘A’s awarded decreased below 40 %, compared with approximately 50 % in 2004 when the policy was adopted. The mean grade-point average was 3.39 for the class of 2009, compared with the class of 2003s 3.46 (Foderaro 2010).

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  1. College of Education and Human Services, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, USA

    Kim C. O’Halloran

  2. Rutgers Business School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA

    Michael E. Gordon

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O’Halloran, K.C., Gordon, M.E. A synergistic approach to turning the tide of grade inflation. High Educ 68, 1005–1023 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-014-9758-5

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