Assignment Grading: When Is Zero No Longer Zero?

[RobRich]

A number of school systems across the United States have recently implemented new grading policies declaring the lowest possible failing grade on the previous 0 to 100 scale is now a 50.

Their argument: Other letter grades — A, B, C and D — are broken down in increments of 10 from 60 to 100, but there is a 59-point spread between D and F, a gap that can often make it mathematically impossible for some failing students to ever catch up.

[....]

But opponents say the larger gap between D and F exists because passing requires a minimum competency of understanding at least 60% of the material. Handing out more credit than a student has earned is grade inflation, says Ed Fields, founder of HotChalk.com, a site for teachers and parents: "I certainly don't want to teach my children that no effort is going to get them half the way there."

Source: USA Today

[the mitch]

And you wonder why the USA is falling so far behind in terms of the STEM courses. Just make it easier for people to pass instead of actually teaching. But what do I care? Engineering graduates are being sucked up right now.

[M_Six]

Grade inflation is par for the course these days. I've heard professors talking about some students going ballistic because they (deservedly) got a B+ instead of an A. Students feel they are entitled to A's regardless of actual percentages. In a recent course I took, the professor said he usually gives out A's to 90% of his classes. Does anyone believe 90% of the students scored 90% or above on every test and assignment?

[Gomer]

If they want to go that route they ought the just break the scale into increments of 20:
0-19 F
20-39 D
40-59 C
60-79 B
80-100 A

With grade inflation, that is really an accurate representation of how they're grading anyway.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Gomer

If they want to go that route they ought the just break the scale into increments of 20:
0-19 F
20-39 D
40-59 C
60-79 B
80-100 A

With grade inflation, that is really an accurate representation of how they're grading anyway.

Spot on.

[The Real Bingo]

I guess it'd be tough to implement, but I've always thought grades should be on a quota system. Assign 10% As, 20% Bs, 40% Cs, 20% Ds, and 10% Fs based on quality relative to the other students. Though not suitable for everything, it can be used in some instances.

But I guess the argument is what is an F, so ignore my comment.

I think it's stupid, by the way - if you get nothing right on a test, it's not fair to get a 50.

[Gomer]

AKA, "The Curve"
Bell curve grading - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[The Real Bingo]

I'm fairly certain a curve was never implemented during my grade school career.

[shawshank62]

This cause won't get much sympathy from me; in my program of study anything below a C (< 73) is considered failing. While I don't see any problem with using a bell curve for grading, its silly to round up a grade to 50 to "spare" a student's feelings.

[surreal]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Grade inflation is par for the course these days. I've heard professors talking about some students going ballistic because they (deservedly) got a B+ instead of an A. Students feel they are entitled to A's regardless of actual percentages. In a recent course I took, the professor said he usually gives out A's to 90% of his classes. Does anyone believe 90% of the students scored 90% or above on every test and assignment?

It depends on what the course work is and whether the administration has ever questioned him before and on whether it's undergrad work or graduate work.
(for some reason I think my fellow graduate students will be smarter than this bunch of undergrad bozo's I'm with now )

Just make it easier for people to pass instead of actually teaching. But what do I care?

Right, why should anyone care about anything as long as they're comfy ?