The real problem, Don, is who is doing the viewing from whose
perspective. For example, you say your colleague is "more harshly" in his
grading. Yet, he might say, all of you are easier. The point is the
absence of an absolute and the presence of lots of relatives, and
theoretically rooted in a reflected and articulated philosophy of
education and principles of teaching. And, do we assume that the greater
the number of A's, that is, the easier the prof, which means an increased
"watering down?" So, Don, are you watering down your course merely
because your grades are higher than your colleague? And, finally, why
can't the increased number of A's mean more students are really learning.
I mean who was the yo-yo that said there had to be so many of this grade
and so many of that grade when life outside the classroom is not a bell
curve. Which brings up the point of just what do grades tell us.
Let's take a quick look at a transcript and see how useful it is.
I don't know just who is easier and who is harsher at what, more
reasonable or more unreasonable. I don't know the criteria used to arrive
at a grade even if the courses as the same. I don't know if the grade is
subject sensitive and/or attitude sensitive or effort sensitive. I don't
know how the grade was assigned, that is, if it was the result of curving,
class absences, dropping the highest or lowest class score, if there were
"do agains", etc. I don't know if the student learned the material or
learned how to get a good grade. I don't know in what manner the grade
was achieved, that is, by memory or guessing or by that often suggested,
"process of elimination," and taking short-answer questions, by research
paper writing, by analytical essay writing, by hands-on projects, by some
or all or none of the above. I don't know why the grade was assigned,
that is, the standards used, whether the student challenged the
professor's views, submitted to the professor's views, were there
subtextual personality issues, gender issues, racial issues, etc. I don't
know what the grade, then, tells me about the student's performance or
what the student had learned other than that he/she has gotten a grade,
that is, I don't know much about the student's subject "mastery",
flexibility, adaptability, creativity, imagination, vision, analytical
abilities, etc. I don't know if the student graduated with a Bachelor of
Grades or a Bachelor of Experiences. I don't know anything about the
moral, ethical fiber of that person, whether he will cheat, steal, lie.
And finally, how I can use the grade to predict how valuable student A's
services will be worth to me, that is, just how much the grade will
predict future ability, adaptability, flexibility, growth, change--his or
her potential.
Make it a good day.
--Louis--
Louis Schmier [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Department of History http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts/louis.html
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA 31698 /~\ /\ /\
912-333-5947 /^\ / \ / /~\ \ /~\__/\
/ \__/ \/ / /\ /~\/ \
/\/\-/ /^\_____\____________/__/_______/^\
-_~ / "If you want to climb mountains, \ /^\
_ _ / don't practice on mole hills" - \____
