> From: "Richard Pisacreta" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Re: curving grades, etc.
>
> I have never, nor will I ever, grade on a curve. The only exception would
> be if the students could demonstrate to me that the lectures were
> inadequate, and/or the tests were not valid. We have tutors available for
> them. I am available nine office hours a week to explain any difficult
> material to them.
I always thought a curve was a bad idea. It makes you lazy in that if you
screw up lecturing and/or give exams that are too hard (or too easy) you can
just say "Hey, the curve will take care of it." When I was an undergrad I had
friends in physics and chem classes talking about "Hey, I got a 60%, that's
a high 'B' ." That just didn't make any sense.
Another problem is that a curve assumes all classes are equal. I tell my
students that I do not pre-assign how many of them (e.g., "30 percent of the
class will get an A") will earn a specific grade. That's not fair to a particularly
exceptional class, and it unduly rewards a less talented group.
Another problem with a set percentage of A's, B's, etc. is that when students
start to drop the class, the ones that drop are usually the poorest students.
Therefore, if you have 60 students in the class, 21 were going to get an "A."
Now, some of those students will lose that "A" simply because others can't
hack it. Does that seem like a logical way for me to look at this issue?
************************************************************************
Jim Guinee, Ph.D.
Director of Training & Adjunct Professor
President, Arkansas College Counselor Association
University of Central Arkansas Counseling Center
313 Bernard Hall Conway, AR 72035 USA
(501) 450-3138 (office) (501) 450-3248 (fax)
"Why is it when we talk to God we're praying,
but when he talks to us we're schizophrenic?"
-Lily Tomlin
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