Faculty Grading Research Articles

Comparing Scoring Consistency of Large Language Models with Faculty for Formative Assessments in Medical Education.

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education requires that medical students receive individualized feedback on their self-directed learning skills. Pre-clinical students are asked to complete multiple spaced critical appraisal assignments. However, the individual feedback requires significant faculty time. As large language models (LLMs) can score and generate feedback, we explored their use in grading formative assessments through validity and feasibility lenses. To explore the consistency and feasibility of using an LLM to assess and provide feedback for formative assessments in undergraduate medical education. This was a cross-sectional study of pre-clinical students' critical appraisal assignments at University of Illinois College of Medicine (UICOM) during the 2022-2023 academic year. An initial sample of ten assignments was used to develop a prompt. For each student entry, the de-identified assignment and prompt were provided to ChatGPT 3.5, and its scoring was compared to the existing faculty grade. Differences in scoring of individual items between ChatGPT and faculty were assessed. Scoring consistency using inter-rater reliability (IRR) was calculated as percent exact agreement. Chi-squared test was used to determine if there were significant differences in scores. Psychometric characteristics including internal-consistency reliability, area under precision-recall curve (AUCPR), and cost were studied. In this cross-sectional study, 111 pre-clinical students' faculty graded assignments were compared with that of ChatGPT and the scoring of individual items was comparable. The overall agreement between ChatGPT and faculty was 67% (OR = 2.53, P < 0.001); mean AUCPR was 0.69 (range 0.61-0.76). Internal-consistency reliability of ChatGPT was 0.64 and its use resulted in a fivefold reduction in faculty time, and potential savings of 150 faculty hours. This study of psychometric characteristics of ChatGPT demonstrates the potential role for LLMs to assist faculty in assessing and providing feedback for formative assignments.

Self-assessment skills of undergraduate students in operative dentistry: Preclinical performance and gender.

Self-assessment is key to improving the quality of work performed by dental professionals. The ability to accurately self-assess has been found to correlate with better clinical performance, making it an important skill for students to master during their dental education. Furthermore, studies conducted in dental schools across the world have shown that lower-performing students tend to overestimate their abilities compared to their peers. This study aimed to evaluate the self-assessment skills of dental students in pre-clinical operative dentistry and to investigate the impact of gender on these skills. Third-year undergraduate dental students (N = 335) took 2 pre-clinical practical exams: class II composite preparation and restoration. Students self-assessed each assignment using a standardized rubric, and 6 calibrated faculty members graded all procedures blindly and independently. The difference between students' self-assessment scores (S) and mean faculty grades (F) reflected the students' self-assessment skills and was referred to as the Student-Faculty (S-F) gap. A positive S-F gap indicates that students overestimate their work, while a negative S-F gap indicates that students underestimate their work. Data was stratified by gender and by faculty-determined student performance, and then statistically analyzed. The study demonstrated a statistically significant difference between faculty grades and students' self-assessment scores. Positive S-F gaps were observed across all procedures, indicating overestimation, with a mean S-F gap of 11.4 ±9.9%. A negative correlation was found between faculty grades and S-F gaps. Higher-performing students showed smaller S-F gaps (4.8 ±5.3%) compared to lower-performing students (21.2 ±9.68%). Furthermore, male students showed significantly higher S-F gaps (14.0 ±10.3%) compared to females (9.7 ±9.4%). Overestimation was more prevalent among lower-performing and male students compared to higher-performing and female students. Future investigations should consider exploring effective interventions and educational strategies aimed at improving students' self-awareness and their ability to accurately assess their performance.

Testicular cancer awareness among fifth and sixth-year medical students

Background and objectiveThe aim of this study is to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding testicular cancer and testicular self-examination (TSE) among medical faculty students in their last two semesters before beginning clinical practice. This study also investigates their beliefs about the importance and efficacy of these practices in early cancer detection.Materials and methodsThis descriptive study was conducted between October 1, 2018, and July 31, 2019, involving both male and female students in the 5th and 6th grades of a medical faculty. A total of 278 students participated, providing insights into their level of awareness and engagement with TSE practices.Results52.2% of the students were aware of self-testicular examination, yet only 15.5% of male students reported performing TSE regularly. 13.3% of students reported receiving formal training on this topic during their medical education, and a mere 2.9% observed these examinations demonstrated in clinical settings. Champion’s Health Belief Model Scale indicated average sensitivity scores of 11.01 ± 4.36, perceived severity of 20.58 ± 5.92, perceived benefits of 11.46 ± 2.99, perceived barriers at 10.14 ± 4.04, and self-efficacy scores at 18.64 ± 5.26.Conclusion and recommendationsThe findings suggest that while medical students recognize the seriousness and benefits of TSE, there is a notable gap in regular practice and educational exposure. Increased educational efforts are recommended to enhance sensitivity and self-efficacy related to testicular cancer screening among future healthcare providers.

Comparison of peer, self, and faculty objective structured clinical examination evaluations in a PharmD nonprescription therapeutics course

PurposeObjective structured clinical examinations (OSCE) are a valuable assessment within healthcare education, as they provide the opportunity for students to demonstrate clinical competency, but can be resource intensive to provide faculty graders. The purpose of this study was to determine how overall OSCE scores compared between faculty, peer, and self-evaluations within a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. MethodsThis study was conducted during the required nonprescription therapeutics course. Seventy-seven first-year PharmD students were included in the study, with 6 faculty members grading 10–15 students each. Students were evaluated by 3 graders: self, peer, and faculty. All evaluators utilized the same rubric. The primary endpoint of the study was to compare the overall scores between groups. Secondary endpoints included interrater reliability and quantification of feedback type based on the evaluator group. ResultsThe maximum possible score for the OSCE was 50 points; the mean scores for self, peer, and faculty evaluations were 43.3, 43.5, and 41.7 points, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found between the self and peer raters. However, statistical significance was found in the comparison of self versus faculty (p = 0.005) and in peer versus faculty (p < 0.001). When these scores were correlated to a letter grade (A, B, C or less), higher grades had greater similarity among raters compared to lower scores. Despite differences in scoring, the interrater reliability, or W score, on overall letter grade was 0.79, which is considered strong agreement. ConclusionsThis study successfully demonstrated how peer and self-evaluation of an OSCE provides a comparable alternative to traditional faculty grading, especially in higher performing students. However, due to differences in overall grades, this strategy should be reserved for low-stakes assessments and basic skill evaluations.

Embedding Assessment Literacy Can Enhance Graduate Attribute Development in a Biomedical Sciences Curriculum

This paper describes the successful implementation of an assessment literacy strategy within a Biomedical Sciences degree. Teaching was aligned with an assessment literacy framework and aimed to prepare undergraduates for a literature comprehension assessment. Students were introduced to the assessment purpose and an adapted Miller’s pyramid model illustrated how the assessment contributed to competency development during their degree. Students read primary research papers and answered questions relating to the publications. They were then introduced to the processes of assessment and collaboratively graded answers of different standards. Finally, student and faculty grades were compared, differences considered, and key characteristics of answers discussed. Most students reported that they understood more about assessment standards than prior to the intervention [139/159 (87.4%)] and felt it had helped prepare them for their exam [138/159 (86.8%)]. The majority also reported they had increased confidence in evaluating data [118/159 (74%)], communicating their reasoning [113/159 (71%)] and considering what a reader needs to know [127/159 (79.9%)]. Students were asked to state the most important thing they had learned from the assessment literacy teaching. Notably, no responses referred to domain-specific knowledge. 129 free text responses were mapped to the University of Edinburgh graduate attribute framework. 93 (72%) statements mapped to the graduate attribute category “Research and Enquiry,” 66 (51.16%) mapped to “Communication” and 21 (16.27%) mapped to “Personal and Intellectual Autonomy.” To explore any longer-term impact of the assessment literacy teaching, a focus group was held with students from the same cohort, 2 years after the original intervention. Themes from this part of the study included that teaching had provided insights into standards and expectations for the assessment and the benefits of domain specific knowledge. A variety of aspects related to graduate attributes were also identified. Here, assessment literacy as a vehicle for graduate attribute development was an unexpected outcome. We propose that by explicitly engaging students with purpose, process, standards, and expectations, assessment literacy strategies may be used to successfully raise awareness of developmental progression, and enhance skills, aptitudes, and dispositions beneficial to Biomedical Sciences academic achievement and life after university.

Evaluating dental student self-assessment across preclinical anatomy waxing and operative exercises.

A career in healthcare is built on the foundations of continuous self-reflection and self-assessment. Previous studies have solely compared student self-assessment to faculty grades in a single discipline. The objective of this study was to investigate whether associations of a student's self-assessment skills exist across multiple disciplines in the predoctoral setting. Sixty-five students from two class years at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine completed preclinical competency exams in dental anatomy waxing and operative dentistry. The difference between the student's self-assessment score and average faculty grade for each exercise was calculated as the student‒faculty (S-F) gap, which served as a proxy to determine how students evaluate their work. Regression analysis was performed to assess associations between wax-up and preclinical operative S-F gaps. Mean S-F gaps for waxing and preclinical operative procedures were positive (5.7±6.1 and 7.6±6.7, respectively). Additionally, students in the lower quartile tended to overestimate performance to a greater degree than their peers in the upper quartile. Furthermore, the waxing S-F gaps were positively associated with S-F gaps of each operative procedure, particularly with the combined operative exercise S-F gaps, where a statistically significant association was seen (coefficient=0.28; p=0.04). Previously, we identified a negative correlation between students' self-assessment skills (S-F gaps) and their preclinical performance. In this study, we further demonstrated an association of S-F gaps in two fundamental exercises: wax-up and operative dentistry. This underscores the roles of S-F gaps as possible indicators of students' preclinical and clinical performance, and it holds potential to become a widely standardized and applicable calculation that may help evaluate the effectiveness of the dental curricula and optimize student learning.

Association between gender and self-assessment skills amongst Japanese dental students

Background/purposeSelf-assessment in dental education is considered a fundamental skill for proficient oral healthcare providers. While previous studies looked at self-assessment in education, few have done so at Japanese institutions. This study aimed to assess potential associations between gender and self-assessment skills in Japanese dental students. Materials and methodsDental students from Niigata University (n = 301) completed preclinical prosthodontic exercises and self-assessed their practical exam performance. Three calibrated faculty evaluated students’ work using the same rubric. The difference between student self-assessment score and mean faculty grade was defined as the student-faculty (S-F) gap, indicating how accurately students evaluated their work. The gap scores were stratified by quartiles by faculty grade and by gender. Regression analysis was used to investigate potential associations. ResultsStudents mean S-F gap was 2.9 ± 10.5 % with a significant negative association to faculty grades (coefficient, −0.32; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between male and female students for faculty grades, self-assessment scores, and S-F gaps. When stratified by quartile, mean S-F gaps of bottom quartile students (5.7 ± 11.9 %) were significantly higher than the rest of the class (1.9 ± 9.8 %; P = 0.01), while the mean S-F gaps of students in the top quartile (−0.8 ± 10.2 %) were significantly lower than the rest of the class (4.2 ± 10.3 %; P < 0.001). ConclusionNiigata University students generally overestimated their performance. Students with higher faculty grades self-assessed themselves more accurately than students with lower faculty grades. Gender did not influence S-F gaps, despite dentistry in Japan shifting toward a female-dominated field.

Evaluation of Student Peer- and Self-Grading in an Integrated Pharmacotherapy Course

ObjectiveTo determine if student peer- and self-grades correlate with faculty grades on case vignettes. MethodsThis study involved first professional-year students enrolled in an Integrated Pharmacotherapy course. The course included three modified team-based learning (TBL) activities (each consisting of individual and team readiness assurance tests, followed by three open-note case vignettes completed in teams). Each student uploaded completed case vignettes to the learning management system and was assigned to complete a self- and a random, anonymous peer-grade using a provided key. Peer- and self-grades were compared to faculty grades using a null multilevel model to determine the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Faculty time spent grading was captured, and students were surveyed to determine the perceived value of peer- and self-grading. ResultsFaculty- and peer-grades had a slightly higher correlation than faculty- and self-grades (ICC = 0.75 vs 0.73, respectively). The ICC between all three grader groups was 0.74. Faculty spent an average of 2.5 h grading the cases after each TBL session. Students reported spending a median of 36 min on the peer- and self-grades for each TBL session. Overall, students agreed that both the self- and peer-grading activities helped identify gaps in knowledge (90% and 56%, respectively). A total of 78% of students agreed that self-grading was beneficial for their learning. ConclusionThere was a moderate-to-good correlation between peer-, self-, and faculty- grades for case vignettes. Faculty time may be saved through student self- or peer-grading.

Perceptions of Teacher Candidates Toward Syrian Refugees: A Metaphor Study

The aim of the study is to identify the perceptions of teacher candidates, who are studying at different department and different grades of education faculty, towards Syrian refugees through metaphors. Phenomenology approach, one of the qualitative research methods, was used since it is the most appropriate method for studies studying individual’s perceptions through metaphors. The study group of the research consists of 264 university students who are studying teacher education at a university in Turkey. The sentence “Syrian is like ……. because ……….” were given to teacher candidates and they were asked to complete the sentence during data collection process. The process of analyzing and interpreting the metaphors is done in five stages. These are as follows; “naming stage", " Sorting (clarification and elimination) stage", " Sample metaphor compilation and categorization stage", " Establishing the inter-rater reliability rate" and “Analyzing the data quantitatively”. According to the result of this study, teacher candidates have mostly (117) negative thoughts about Syrian refugees and immigrants. Following the negative thoughts teacher candidates have, they mostly have opinions about Turkey and Turkey’s condition with refugees. In fact, these teacher candidates (63 of them) are worried about the Turkey’s and local people’s future. Another result of the study is that some of the teacher candidates (38 of them) have pity thoughts about refugees.

The Communication Coefficient Method: A New Faculty Grading Tool Designed to Help Engineering Students Improve Their Technical Communication

The Communication Coefficient Method: A New Faculty Grading Tool Designed to Help Engineering Students Improve Their Technical Communication

Differential Grading of Reflective Writing Between Clinical Instructors and Faculty Type

It is important for instructors to give equivalent grades for comparable student performances on an assignment. Students complain of differential grading, especially when multiple instructors grade a course assignment. This descriptive comparative study examined clinical instructor-assigned grades for reflective thinking and writing components. Grades for 480 critical reflective papers by 80 undergraduate nursing students were assessed for differences between clinical group instructors and part-time versus full-time instructors. Despite evidence of comparable student performance on the assignment across both groups, grades differed among the 10 instructors on both components. Grades differed between part-time and full-time faculty on reflective thinking but not writing, with part-time faculty grading reflective thinking higher than full-time faculty. Differential grading was identified between clinical instructors and type of faculty. The merit of multiple instructors grading a single course assignment warrants reconsideration. Enhanced grading training is recommended for part-time instructors who are expected to grade written assignments. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(2):101-104.].

Faculty Grading Practices and Competency-Based Education: Challenges and a New Opportunity

This paper examines how assessment and grading practices have evolved post COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, more programs have begun implementing Competency-Based Education (CBE) in their practice. This article offers suggestions for higher education institutions and faculty considering implementation of CBE in their assessment practices.

Evaluation of SOAP note performance in a pharmacotherapeutics course after implementation of a peer-review process

IntroductionSubjective, objective, assessment, and plan (SOAP) notes are widely utilized within pharmacy curricula. Implementation of a peer-review process for these assignments may improve student competence. Evidence is lacking regarding correlation between student-to-student peer-review and faculty grades for SOAP notes and correlation of SOAP note peer-evaluation to individual performance. MethodsThird year pharmacy students completed two SOAP notes in Pharmacotherapeutics IV. A peer-review process was implemented in spring 2020. After each SOAP note, students were assigned a peer's assignment to evaluate utilizing the same 50-point rubric as the faculty. SOAP note grades were compared between the 2019 and 2020 cohorts. ResultsAnalysis included 98 students in spring 2019 and 92 students in 2020. SOAP note faculty grades were different between 2019 and 2020 for the first SOAP note (37.6 vs. 41.1, P < .001) but not for the second (42.3 vs. 42.7, P = .49). Peer-review grades were higher for both SOAP notes compared to faculty grades. Peer-review grades did not differ between the first and second SOAP notes (45.5 vs. 45.6) while faculty grades did (41.2 vs. 42.7). The difference in scores from peer-review compared to faculty grades was −4.4 points for the first SOAP note and − 2.9 points for the second SOAP note (P = .08). ConclusionsThe peer-review process did not appear to improve SOAP note performance. Students tended to score better on the second note and appeared to gain proficiency in the peer evaluation process, suggesting a possible benefit of including additional SOAP notes.

Assessment of Disaster Preparedness Level of Medical Students of a University, Turkey

Introduction: In disaster-prone countries, preparedness is a very important factor in reducing the damages of disaster. The aim of this study is to determine the disaster preparedness knowledge level of a university’s medical students and to evaluate the relationships between possible related factors and disaster preparedness knowledge. Material and Method: This study is a cross-sectional study. The subject of research is measuring the level of disaster preparedness knowledge. The working period in which the online survey is applied is December 1-December 31, 2020. It was aimed to participate that attend the first and second grades of the medical faculty studying in the main campus of a University in Turkey. In order to compare the knowledge level of disaster preparedness among medical students, it was planned to include other faculty students as a control group. In the study, 75 medical students and 20 students from other faculties participated. A high score indicates good disaster preparedness. Chi-square, Mann Whitney U, and Kruskal Wallis were used in the statistical analyses. Results: The median value for disaster preparedness level score for all participants was 51.0 (min: 23.0; max: 63.0). Disaster preparedness knowledge level median score (54.0 [29.0-63.0]) was higher in women than men (48.5 [23.0-62.0]) (p<0.05). The median score of disaster preparedness knowledge level (53.0 [23.0-63.0]) of the second and upper grade was higher than the median score (49.0 [29.0-62.0]) of the first-year students (p<0.05). The median score of disaster preparedness knowledge level (55.0 [34.0-62.0]) was higher than the others (49.0 [23.0-63.0]) in those living in the city where their family resides (p<0.05). Conclusion: It can be said that the level of disaster preparedness for all participants is good. It is recommended to conduct a similar study in a larger study group.

Evaluation of Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors and Related Factors in Medical Students

Objective: A healthy lifestyle can be defined as the adoption and implementation of behaviors that will reduce the risk of a serious illness or premature death, as well as protect and improve health levels. The aim of this study was to determine healthy lifestyle behaviors of students in a medical faculty and to investigate the relationships between healthy lifestyle behaviors and various factors. Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Bursa Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine between October 2019 and March 2020. A total of 357 students attending the first and sixth grade of medical faculty were included in the study. The data were collected by a questionnaire included questions about the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale II (HLBS-II). Results: Of the respondents, 54.3% (n=194) were women and 52.7% (n=188) were sixth-year graduates. Most of them were living apart from family (in a private house or dormitory) (n=258, 72.3%) and stated their health status as very good/good (n=286, 80.1%). Students, who were living with their families (p=0.039), who had very good/good level of health status perception (p<0.001), whose fathers’ educational level was high school or above (p=0.004), who were non-smokers (p=0.003), and who were not drinking alcohol (p=0.001) had significantly higher HLBS-II total scores. Furthermore, HLBS-II total score (p=0.003), physical activity (p<0.001), spiritual growth (p<0.001), and interpersonal relationships (p=0.039) subscale scores of first-year students were significantly higher than sixth-year students. Conclusions: It was observed that the healthy lifestyle behaviors of medical students did not develop in a positive way despite the education they received. Examining of students' health habits at regular intervals and developing multisectoral on-campus health programs should be considered as an opportunity to improve the health of both students and the community.

Dental Education for Prevention of Oral Cancer in Turkey: Needs for Changing the Curriculum.

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of dental students on oral cancer in Istanbul, Turkey. A self-administered questionnaire adapted from Tanriover et al. consisting of 48 questions was distributed to 311 students enrolled in the fourth and fifth grades of a dental faculty in Istanbul, Turkey. Questions were grouped under 5 main headings: socio-demographic features, knowledge on risk factors and diagnostic procedures, history taking regarding to alcohol and smoking status, opinions and behaviors of oral cancer, and distribution of dental students according to diagnostic practice of oral cancer. The frequencies and percentages were calculated with descriptive analysis. The differences in distributions were analyzed using the chi-squared test. The p value was set at 0.05 for statistical significance. The overall response rate was 98% (305/311). The majority of the students identified tobacco and alcohol as risk factors (82% and 75.1%, respectively), while older age and inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables were less likely to be known (60.2% and 52.8%, respectively). Almost one-fifth of the students stated that they have never performed oral cancer examinations during their first or subsequent dental examinations of their patients. Female students thought that dentists were authorized to make oral cancer examinations with a higher frequency compared to males (65.8% and 34.2%, respectively; p = 0.006). On the other hand, female students reported that they did not receive adequate education regarding cessation of smoking with a higher frequency compared with males (69.2% female and 30.8% male respectively; p = 0.0001). As this present study revealed that future dentists had insufficient knowledge in some of the main concepts on oral cancer risk factors, and they lacked the confidence in performing oral examinations in their patients, it is concluded that there is a need for a more structured teaching program with greater emphasis on the early signs and risk factors of OC. Reorganization of the dental curriculum, and courses which further draw attention on the responsibility of the dental practitioner in the detection of oral cancers will be beneficial for the creation of awareness on this significant topic among future dental workforce. Understanding the knowledge and perception of dental students on oral cancers is not only limited to a specific country but it is a worldwide critical issue in which information should be exchanged.

Medical Spanish Musculoskeletal and Dermatologic Educational Module.

IntroductionWhile many medical schools provide opportunities in medical Spanish for medical students, schools often struggle with identifying a structured curriculum. The purpose of this module was to provide a flexible, organ system-based approach to teaching and learning musculoskeletal and dermatologic Spanish terminology, patient-centered communication skills, and sociocultural health contexts.MethodsAn 8-hour educational module for medical students was created to teach musculoskeletal and dermatologic medical communication skills in Spanish within the Hispanic/Latinx cultural context. Participants included 47 fourth-year medical students at an urban medical school with a starting minimum Spanish proficiency at the intermediate level. Faculty provided individualized feedback on speaking, listening, and writing performance of medical Spanish skills, and learners completed a written pre- and postassessment testing skills pertaining to communication domains of vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension as well as self-reported confidence levels.ResultsStudents demonstrated improvement in vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and self-confidence of musculoskeletal and dermatologic medical Spanish topics. While students with overall lower starting proficiency levels (intermediate) scored lower on the premodule assessment compared to higher proficiency students (advanced/native), the postmodule assessment did not show significant differences in skills performance among these groups.DiscussionAn intermediate Spanish level prerequisite for this musculoskeletal and dermatologic module can result in skills improvement for all learners despite starting proficiency variability. Future study should evaluate learner clinical performance and integration of this module into other educational settings such as graduate medical education (e.g., orthopedic, rehabilitation, and dermatology residency programs) and other health professions (e.g., physical therapy and nursing).

Modified specifications grading in computer science

Specifications grading has been proposed as a method to improve student outcomes and reduce faculty grading time. There are many ways to implement specifications grading that differ in their detail...

Comparison between students' self-assessment, and visual and digital assessment techniques in dental anatomy wax-up grading.

Digital technology has the potential to provide a bias-free evaluation instrument for practical examination grading. E4D Compare software was designed for teaching institutions to allow comparison between scanned models prepared by students and master models prepared by instructors. The aim of this study was to determine the tolerance value for the E4D compare software (E4D Technologies LLC, Richardson, TX, USA) that provides scores comparable with faculty grades for wax-ups #23 and #19. Additionally, this study sought to assess the correlation between students' self-assessments, visual and digital grades and the reliability of the software. Student wax-ups (n=112) were uploaded into the software and then compared with faculty-generated master wax-ups. Digital grading was performed at tolerances 200-800μm in 50μm increments and was repeated twice. A tolerance of 350μm was the closest to faculty grades for #23 and 500μm was the closest for #19. Visual and digital grades showed moderate to high correlation for both wax-ups. Correlations between students' self-assessments and visual and digital grades improved with #19 versus #23. A near-perfect correlation was found between grades at the first and second digital grading sessions. The tolerance that closely matches faculty grades differs according to the tooth type. The software provided consistent grades and correlated well with faculty grades. Students' self-assessment skills improved as they proceeded throughout the course. Further studies are necessary to ascertain the role of the software in improving students' self-assessment skills.

Determining if There is a Relationship Between How Much Time a Faculty Member Spends Assessing Student Assignments and Final Grades at a Rural University: A One Year Analysis

[This research paper was an extension of a previous study that evaluated if there were statistically significant relationships between the amount of time students spent on course assignments and final course grades. The focus of this exploratory investigation was to ascertain if there were statistically significant associations between the amount of time a faculty member spent reading, assessing and grading student assignments and the final grade given. In this investigation the researcher utilized data recorded from the University’s Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) regarding his total activity time spent evaluating student assignments for the same 11 courses (5 face-to-face, 6 online) taught by this researcher during the 2018 academic year. The total student population consisted of 308 students enrolled in a small, liberal arts, rural public university located in the Pacific Northwest. Four main discoveries were derived from this exploratory research investigation; a) data derived from this study supports the premise that when a faculty member allocates more time to carefully review student assignments, greater grade variations occur with a Chi-Square of 289.5 significant at the .005 level; b) statistically significant differences were found between the instructor’s total activity time spent in the Learning Management System and grades assigned to undergraduate male and female students enrolled in Principles of Management courses taught by the faculty member, with a Chi-Square of 56.7 significant at the .05 level; c) no statistically significant difference was found between the instructor’s total activity time spent in the Learning Management System and course grades of Masters degree students enrolled in face to face and online courses and d) a statistical significant relationship was found between the instructor’s total activity time spent in the Learning Management System and course grades of students enrolled in face to face courses taught by the faculty member, with a Chi-Square of 26.89 significant at the .05 level. Two suggestions for future research on this topic are suggested; more research needs to be conducted on how much time faculty spend evaluating student assignments and expanding the number of subjects in the research population (faculty and students) that can enlarge the amount and diversity of courses and disciplines observed to create a baseline from which further research can be conducted and perhaps drive improvements regarding student study and faculty grading methodologies.