Grading Practices Research Articles

Effects of Remote Teaching in a Crisis on Equity Gaps and the Constructivist Learning an Environment in an Introductory Biology Course Series.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, higher education institutions had to pivot rapidly to online remote learning. Many educators were concerned that the disparate impact of this crisis would exacerbate inequities in learning outcomes and student learning experiences, especially for students from minoritized backgrounds. We examined course grades and student perceptions of their learning experiences in fall (face-to-face) and spring (fully remote) quarters in an introductory biology course series at a public research university. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found that student course grades increased overall during remote learning, and equity gaps in course grades were mitigated for minoritized students. We hypothesize that instructors may have changed their grading practices to compensate for challenges in remote learning in crisis. However, spring students reported significant decreases in the amount of peer negotiation and social support, critical components of active learning. These findings suggest that remote teaching in crisis may have negatively affected student learning environments in ways that may not have been captured by grading practices.

“I thought I was supposed to get an A in PE!” Successes and challenges of teachers and administrators implementing standards-based grading in physical education

The purpose of this research was to understand the initial successes and challenges of physical educators’ implementation of standards-based grading (SBG) practices. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the researchers interviewed four physical educators and two school administrators from a rural K-12 school in the Midwest. Although participants expressed a “building the plane as we fly it” mindset towards the training and implementation so far, benefits included a better roadmap to improving instruction and assessment to enhance student motivation. The participants in this study did not report much formal SBG training, yet their efforts to implement these practices created a PE environment in which some students were motivated to participate and extend their learning at home.

Subtle discrimination: do stereotypes among teachers trigger bias in their expectations and widen ethnic achievement gaps?

Ethnic and racial disparities in educational outcomes, such as test scores, are a core issue of educational research. While the role of student and family factors in the formation of such disparities is well established, existing studies fail to draw a similarly clear picture of how teachers contribute to ethnic and racial achievement gaps. In contrast to previous studies, which focussed on the consequences of rather blatant forms of discrimination, such as in teachers’ grading practices, this study investigates rather subtle processes that might result in discrimination of ethnic and racial minority students. In particular, I address stereotypes among teachers and analyse if they induce bias in their achievement expectations for ethnic minority school beginners. Additionally, I analyse if such bias results in a self-fulfilling prophecy and contributes to ethnic achievement gaps at the end of first grade. Multilevel regressions applied to a sample of 1007 children and 64 teachers in German primary schools reveal that different teachers internalize distinct stereotypes regarding ethnic achievement gaps and the achievement-related attributes of ethnic minority students. I also find that teachers with more negative stereotypes expect lower mathematics and reading achievements for ethnic minority students at the beginning of first grade. However, although I replicate the finding that inaccurate teacher expectations result in a self-fulfilling prophecy, I find no statistically significant effects of teacher stereotypes on ethnic differences in the development of students’ reading and mathematical skills throughout first grade.

Academic Grade Inflation in Nursing Education: A Scoping Review of the Qualitative and Quantitative Literature.

The aim of the study was to answer the research question: What is known from the literature about academic grading practices and grade inflation in nursing education? Nursing students require authentic assessment that supports their professional formation. For teachers and students, integrity is fundamental to professional nursing excellence. Arskey and O'Malley's framework was used to integrate and reinterpret findings from qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies. Twelve studies were reviewed. Contributing factors are described as institutional constraints, external standards, team teaching, lack of faculty confidence, and student incivility. Strategies that may mitigate grade inflation include establishing grading expectations and increasing pedagogical rigor with precise rubrics, valid and reliable examinations, interrater reliability, and faculty development. Academic grading is a complex faculty responsibility grounded in ethical and relational competencies that can support or hinder students' professional formation. Evaluation of strategies to mitigate grade inflation in nursing education is urgently needed.

Hemşirelik eğitiminde temel strateji: simülasyon yöntemi ile diabetes mellitus yönetimi

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to test the design of the Diabetes Mellitus simulation method prepared in accordance with ST-IX prepared by The International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. Material and method: This study is planned as cross-sectional. The study was completed with 169 students at Internal Diseases Nursing course at Public University in Turkey. Their opinions and achievement scores were used to evaluate the research results. Results: As the Diabetes Mellitus simulation scores of the students increased, the application note and the end-of-semester grade rose. The students expressed their opinions about simulation training with 'I was worried before the internship', 'I learned to interpret the disease' expressions. Conclusion: The simulation, prepared and put into practice for the management of Diabetes Mellitus in accordance with the stages of EİUS:ST-IX, increased practice and end of term grades of students and according to students’ statements, it increased their self confidences, decreased their preclinical concerns and is effective on learning.

Gender gaps in different grading systems

ABSTRACT This paper analyzes the impact of grading practices on the gender gap in student achievement. We examine the gender difference in the difference between teacher grading and scores on national exams to test whether there are gender differences associated with different grading systems. We use data on 21 subjects across humanities and sciences for students taking exams between the 4th and 12th grades from 2007 to 2018 in Portugal. Our results indicate that a grading system based on exams favors boys, while one based on teacher assessment favors girls.

The demonstration method using kinesthetic learning style on oxy-acetylene welding practice

This study aims to determine the differences between students’ learning outcomes using kinesthetic learning demonstration learning methods on the oxy-acetylene welding practice subject for welding technique class grade X students at Sayegan 1 Vocational High School. The research method used was an experimental method with quasi-experimental design research as the research type. The results showed differences between the learning outcomes of welding technique class grade X students between before they were given the treatment and after, using the kinesthetic learning style demonstration method. It could be seen in the results of the assessment: the average post-test scores in the two classes are the highest on the aspect of the assessment criteria number 2 for the experimental and control groups with a value of 0.4. The lowest is in criterion number 8, with a value of 0.25 for the experimental group. For the control group, the lowest is on criterion number 4, with a value of 0.11. This was proved by the increase of the average score on assessment criteria before and after the treatment. Thus, the demonstration method’s effect using kinesthetic learning style on oxy-acetylene welding practices of welding technique class grade X students at Sayegan 1 Vocational High School.

Health system interventions for adults with type 2 diabetes in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Effective health system interventions may help address the disproportionate burden of diabetes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We assessed the impact of health system interventions to improve outcomes for adults with type 2 diabetes in LMICs. We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, African Index Medicus, LILACS, and Global Index Medicus from inception of each database through February 24, 2020. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of health system interventions targeting adults with type 2 diabetes in LMICs. Eligible studies reported at least 1 of the following outcomes: glycemic change, mortality, quality of life, or cost-effectiveness. We conducted a meta-analysis for the glycemic outcome of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). GRADE and Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care methods were used to assess risk of bias for the glycemic outcome and to prepare a summary of findings table. Of the 12,921 references identified in searches, we included 39 studies in the narrative review of which 19 were cluster RCTs and 20 were individual RCTs. The greatest number of studies were conducted in the East Asia and Pacific region (n = 20) followed by South Asia (n = 7). There were 21,080 total participants enrolled across included studies and 10,060 total participants in the meta-analysis of HbA1c when accounting for the design effect of cluster RCTs. Non-glycemic outcomes of mortality, health-related quality of life, and cost-effectiveness had sparse data availability that precluded quantitative pooling. In the meta-analysis of HbA1c from 35 of the included studies, the mean difference was -0.46% (95% CI -0.60% to -0.31%, I2 87.8%, p < 0.001) overall, -0.37% (95% CI -0.64% to -0.10%, I2 60.0%, n = 7, p = 0.020) in multicomponent clinic-based interventions, -0.87% (-1.20% to -0.53%, I2 91.0%, n = 13, p < 0.001) in pharmacist task-sharing studies, and -0.27% (-0.50% to -0.04%, I2 64.1%, n = 7, p = 0.010) in trials of diabetes education or support alone. Other types of interventions had few included studies. Eight studies were at low risk of bias for the summary assessment of glycemic control, 15 studies were at unclear risk, and 16 studies were at high risk. The certainty of evidence for glycemic control by subgroup was moderate for multicomponent clinic-based interventions but was low or very low for other intervention types. Limitations include the lack of consensus definitions for health system interventions, differences in the quality of underlying studies, and sparse data availability for non-glycemic outcomes. In this meta-analysis, we found that health system interventions for type 2 diabetes may be effective in improving glycemic control in LMICs, but few studies are available from rural areas or low- or lower-middle-income countries. Multicomponent clinic-based interventions had the strongest evidence for glycemic benefit among intervention types. Further research is needed to assess non-glycemic outcomes and to study implementation in rural and low-income settings.

Grades, grade component weighting, and demographic disparities in introductory physics

Current grading practices may not be reflecting what we, as instructors, value; it is important to investigate different policies and practices.

Culturally relevant pedagogy in two-way immersion classrooms

ABSTRACT This paper draws from a broader research project and reports on a qualitative case study that investigated instructional practices in grades 3–5 Two-Way Immersion (TWI) classrooms where the partner language is Spanish. Using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which CRP is utilized by TWI teachers. Semi-structured interviews, class observations, and documents such as lesson plans were used as primary sources and collected from nine teacher participants. Findings show that building a culture of academic success was prevalent across all classrooms. While there were some evidence of instructional strategies promoting cultural competence, culturally relevant literature and topics were limited. Across all classrooms, a focus on socio-political awareness was absent. After providing insight on how classroom instruction engaged components of CRP, this paper addresses implications for TWI programs and action steps to ensure all tenets of CRP are utilized.

Teachers’ grading decisions and practices across cultures: Exploring the value, consistency, and construction of grades across Canadian and Chinese secondary schools

Grades are the dominant currency that enables student migration patterns; in particular, the recent upsurge of Chinese students studying and settling in Canada. Given the use of grades for student promotion, mobilization, and admission into educational programs internationally, there is an urgent need to understand the validity of grades across learning contexts. This study explored 35 Canadian and Chinese secondary school teachers’ grading decisions and practices through nine focus groups. Following inductive analyses, findings indicated that teachers primarily valued fairness as an overarching driver of decision-making when generating and considering grades. Teachers’ considerations of fairness centred around four emergent themes: (a) context and classroom management, (b) learning values: grades as academic enablers, (c) policy and external pressures, and (d) consequences of grade use. The overarching thread common among both Canadian and Chinese teachers was their reported challenge in maintaining fair grading practices.

Critical reading perceptions and practices of English First Additional Language learners in Gauteng, Tshwane South district

Background: Apart from being a knowledge-gaining commodity, critical literacy is believed to be a practice that exists between people, groups and communities in a sociopolitical and cultural context. It is assumed that without strong literacy skills, post-secondary education and employment options are limited. It is thus against this background that this investigation focused on the critical reading perceptions and practices of Grade 8 English First Additional Language (FAL) learners from two high schools in Gauteng, Tshwane South district. Objective: The study investigated Grade 8 learners’ critical reading self-perceptions and practices in the English FAL classroom. Method: A quantitative research approach based on a non-experimental descriptive design was used. The purposively selected research sample consisted of 166 Grade 8 English FAL learners from two high schools in Gauteng, Tshwane South district. Data were collected through the use of a survey questionnaire, as well as a critical reading comprehension activity measurement and evaluation instrument. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 was used to analyse data solicited through the survey questionnaire and reading comprehension activity. Specifically, the Spearman’s correlation coefficient of variables was used to indicate if there was any relationship between the learners’ reading perceptions and their reading practices. Results: The results showed that although learners’ self-perceptions indicated that they could critically analyse texts, the critical reading comprehension activity measurement and evaluation instrument revealed that learners were unable to apply most of the critical reading strategies they claimed to be using. Thus, learners’ perception about their critical reading ability was not automatically an accurate indicator of their actual reading practice ability. Conclusion: The findings from this study re-emphasise the reading crisis that is prevalent within the South African reading literacy landscape. A devastating conclusion that was arrived at, was that because learners did not engage critically in classroom reading, the Grade 8 English FAL learners from the participating schools contributed to the existing reading crisis in South Africa.

Editorial

This JCBE issue, #3 of Volume 5, is the first under my guidance as the Acting Editor-in-Chief (EIC). Sally Johnston, the EIC since the journal's inception, is a hard act to follow. I want to thank Sally for her visionary leadership up to this time in the Journal's evolution. This issue has six articles that complement each other when clustered under two themes: (a) CBE implementation in diverse contexts and (b) assessment and grading for CBE. The articles related to CBE implementation come from diverse settings of context and program. Competency-based education in undergraduate clinical prosthodontics: A paradigm shift in training comes to JCBE from Dr. Mohamed Alkhodary and his colleagues at Qassim University in Saudi Arabia. They explore student outcomes from CBE and traditional approaches in a clinical setting. Concluding that the CBE approach resulted in better outcomes and facilitated increased communication and calibration among faculty, the article contributes insights into CBE in a medical field and raises the issue of faculty subjectivity in traditional approaches to clinical practice and evaluation of student competency. Dr. Julius Keller et al. at Purdue University explore the development of core competencies for an aviation flight program in their article, Justification and development of competencies to transform a collegiate aviation flight program. Their manuscript presents their process in developing competencies in this unique program setting that contributes insights into how a program is moving toward CBE implementation through direct assessment and standards alignment. Development of competency-based training system in Assiut-ITEC: A case study illuminates how CBE is being developed in an Egyptian technical/vocational school focused on training electrical technology to meet local workforce needs. De. Adel Ahmed and his colleague at Assiut University describe how CBE was implemented throughout the training process and provide insights into the intricacies of implementation with lessons learned. The assessment-focused manuscripts raise compelling questions for discussion and debate. Frank Harrison's article, A common grading table inspiring meaningful feedback, presents a grading rubric anchored in cognitive performance. One of the intriguing points for discussion is the issue of converting a rubric level to a grade, a much-debated issue in CBE where demonstrated competency is the end goal of assessment rather than a grade. Alternative grading practices: an entry point for faculty in competency-based education distinguishes mastery- versus standards- versus specification-based grading practices. Dr. Matt Townsley and his colleague at the University of Northern Iowa suggest that grading practices can be an entry point for individual faculty to progress toward CBE prior to full institutional commitment. Dr. Mary Tkatchov and her colleagues at Western Governors University address the issue of “double” assessment in CBE in their article, Reconciling assessment quality standards and double assessment in competency-based higher education. They contrast the distinction between the need for multiple assessments of student competency with the prohibition against double assessment of a competency once demonstrated. My hope is that these diverse, but complementary, articles contribute to the global conversation about CBE, the process of implementation, the outcomes achieved in diverse settings, and the nuances of assessments and grading practices when faculty shift the paradigm from traditional approaches to the opportunities within competency-based education.

Grade R teachers’ understanding of reflective practice

Background: Internationally and nationally, reflective practice is suggested as a tool to inform quality teaching and learning. In South Africa, the quality of education is in the spotlight as schoolgoing children continue to perform poorly. This article investigates reflective practice in Grade R teaching. It explores teachers’ understanding of reflective practice to inform their practice to support learners having a positive first year of formal schooling. Aim: The aim of this study was investigate the knowledge and understanding of Grade R teachers about reflective practice. Setting: Two Grade R teachers in one school in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town participated in the study. Methods: An interpretivist case study using semi-structured interviews and document analysis informed the findings. Thematic analysis revealed common themes to explore the knowledge and understanding of Grade R teachers regarding reflective practice. Results: The teachers interviewed demonstrated a tacit understanding of reflective practice. They described it as an innate aspect of their teaching. Their knowledge and understanding are theoretical and there is no evidence of reflective practice in the documents used to inform their teaching on a daily basis. Conclusion: The findings of this study show that the participants use reflective practice innately. Support by the school and the Department of Basic Education through professional development has the potential to encourage the use of reflective practice for quality teaching and learning.

Physics postgraduate teaching assistants’ grading approaches: conflicting goals and practices

Grading can shape students’ learning and encourage use of effective problem solving practices. Teaching assistants (TAs) are often responsible for grading student solutions and providing feedback, thus, their perceptions of grading may impact grading practices in the physics classroom. Understanding TAs’ perceptions of grading is instrumental for curriculum developers as well as professional development leaders interested in improving grading practices. In order to identify TAs’ perceptions of grading, we used a data collection tool designed to elicit TAs’ considerations when making grading decisions as well as elicit possible conflicts between their stated goals and actual grading practices. The tool was designed to explicate TAs’ attitudes towards research-based grading practices that promote effective problem solving approaches. TAs were first asked to state their goals for grading in general. Then, TAs graded student solutions in a simulated setting while explicating and discussing their underlying considerations. The data collection tool was administered at the beginning of TAs’ first postgraduate teaching appointment and again after one semester of teaching experience. We found that almost all of the TAs stated that the purpose of grading was formative, i.e. grading should encourage students to learn from their mistakes as well as inform the instructor of common student difficulties. However, when making grading decisions in a simulated setting, the majority of TAs’ grading considerations focused on correctness and they did not assign grades in a way that encourages use of effective problem solving approaches. TAs’ perceptions of grading did not change significantly during one semester of teaching experience.

English Teacher’s Code Switching in The Classroom (A Case Study in Grade IX of SMK 10 Padang)

This research aims to reveal the attitudes of the teacher in using code switching in the classroom from English (or shorten by L2) to the Indonesian language (or shorten by L1) or vice versa and also to find out the functions of teacher’s switching to the L1 in practice in Grade IX of SMK 10 Padang. The descriptive qualitative research method is used to analyze teachers’ code switching to Indonesian language through the observation and interview. The subject in this research is an English teacher who taught in grade IX of SMK 10 Padang. Based on the analysis of the data, it can be concluded that the code switching used by the teacher in the classroom plays a positive role in the process of teaching and learning. Moreover, the functions of code switching used by the teacher in the classroom are in order to explain vocabulary, give grammar instruction, emphasize some points, manage the class, index a stance of empathy or solidarity towards students.

Alternative grading practices: An entry point for faculty in competency‐based education

AbstractDue to a lack of buy‐in from multiple stakeholder groups, institutions of higher learning may struggle to reorient their entire course and program offerings to embrace the full breadth of competency‐based education. One such way of overcoming these systematic issues to make incremental progress toward competency‐based education is to consider practices such as grading that single professors can implement without the need of full institutional support. Few college instructors are likely to have received any formal grading training. As such, they may rely on institutional norms and their personal experiences as students. In response to historical grading challenges in higher education, some faculty members have adopted models working against the status quo such as mastery grading, specifications grading, and standards‐based grading, which all promote students demonstrating their learning on criterion‐referenced tests in a more flexible time frame. The purpose of this paper is to describe alternative forms of grading as an entry point for faculty incrementally progressing toward competency‐based education axioms in higher education. The authors recommend a multiple‐step course design framework and areas for future research.

Rural High School Principals and the Challenge of Standards-Based Grading

The purpose of this study was to better understand how principals in rural schools are thinking about assessment and grading practices and if they anticipate implementing policy changes in the near future that may require increased support. Principals of schools in rural areas often face challenges that are significantly different from those of their urban and suburban counterparts. The researchers used a mixed-method survey to better understand if progressive grading policies were a part of the vision for principals of rural high schools, if they possessed conceptual underpinnings of such practices, and if they believed they had the capacity within their districts to lead teachers toward more effective grading policies. A high frequency of high school principals in rural schools said standards-based grading (SBG) was a part of their 5-year vision. These principals also showed relatively high mean scores of standards-based assessment literacy, and moderately high percentages believed they have the resources and capacity to support SBG. The researchers thus conclude that there is a high likelihood that many rural high schools will be implementing some form of SBG within the next 5 years.

THE EDUCATIONAL TRAJECTORY OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO ENGINEERING PROGRAMS AT A COMPREHENSIVE CANADIAN UNIVERSITY

This paper reports an analysis of an integrated data set that longitudinally tracked over 14,000 students from Canada’s largest school board (the Toronto District School Board [TDSB]) into Canada’s largest university (the University of Toronto [UofT]). Our analysis showed that when controlling for high school academic records and other student demographics, immigrant students from TDSB were more likely to pursue engineering than other fields of study; math ability was a strong predictor for the TDSB-UofT Engineering pathway; and while engineering students had better academic outcomes than other students, they had lower CGPAs than would be predicted by their academic performance in high school. These findings reveal three characteristics of UofT Engineering: its selectivity and rigor, transnational character of its student population, and complex student diversity. The study also suggests UofT Engineering look into its grading practices.

Formação inicial de professores que ensinam matemática e o sistema de numeração decimal

Este artigo apresenta parte de uma pesquisa doutoral em andamento que usa o suporte teórico e metodológico da Teoria Antropológica do Didático para questionar e responder se o sistema de numeração decimal é um conhecimento naturalizado no seio das práticas de um grupo de professores em formação inicial para os anos iniciais do ensino fundamental. O interesse nessa questão decorre da naturalização dos números decimais, uma vez que há dificuldade no seu ensino e aprendizagem como objetos estruturados segundo o sistema de numeração posicional. A metodologia usada, em consonância com os recursos teóricos, foi o desenvolvimento de um percurso de estudo e pesquisa, a partir de uma situação não rotineira entre as práticas docentes escolares das séries iniciais, com ajuda de um diretor de estudo tomado entre os autores dessa pesquisa. Os resultados encontrados ratificam a hipótese inicial de naturalização desse sistema de numeração pelos professores em formação inicial que demonstram e ratificam a potência da metodologia empregada nessa pesquisa como um dispositivo didático de ensino, inclusive para a formação docente.