Importance Of Grades Research Articles

Do Teachers has In-group Bias on Basis of Student’s Caste and Socioeconomic Status in India?

This paper studies the extent of teacher’s in-group bias in occupational expectations and grading on basis of student’s caste and socioeconomic status. The paper adopts an experimental approach and draws on data generated from 122 teachers from 19 schools in Delhi, India. Student’s caste and socio-economic status were randomly assigned to a set of essays written by students such that the assigned characteristics were not related to essay quality. The results show that high caste teachers hold higher occupational expectations from their in-group category and biased against low caste category. For instance, high caste teachers assign 0.53% or 0.019 points higher occupational expectations to high caste students and assign 5.6% or 0.19 points lower occupational expectations to low caste students. The magnitude of coefficients is small but significant at 5% level (P value<0.005). In terms of marks assigned, results show, that high caste teachers assign 2.36 points or 3.22% higher marks when the assigned characteristics belong to high caste; indicating in- group bias/favour for the same caste. The coefficient is positive and significant at 5% level (P- value < 0.05). In contrast, high caste teachers are shown to be biased against low caste students as they assign 2.41 points or 3.41% lower marks when the assigned characteristics is low caste. Given the ultra-competitive nature of schooling in India and the importance of grades in determining access to higher education in India, even a point disadvantage is substantial.

Power battery third-party reverse logistics provider selection: Fuzzy evidential reasoning

Massive power batteries (PBs) are crucial to new energy vehicle enterprises. Due to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), the third-party reverse logistics provider selection(3PRLPs) process has become an important decision to save cost. This paper uses an innovative combination of qualitative analysis and quantitative data integration to address the PB 3PRLPs problem by using Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and fuzzy evidential reasoning (FER). Firstly, the possible failures and potential effects in the PB 3PRLPs are identified by the FMEA to determine criteria and importance grades. Subsequently, AHP is utilized to calculate the criteria weight based on the importance of grades. FER is creatively applied to address the intersection of assessment grades and allocate the belief degree (BD) of the interaction to fuse heterogeneous data. Additionally, sensitivity analysis is done to look into the stability of the sequencing. Compared with other methods, the proposed method not only solves the subjectivity of AHP weighting but also manipulates probabilistic and fuzzy uncertainties for multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM). This method is useful in quantitatively analyzing the 3PRLPs problem and in providing auxiliary decision support for enterprises.

A Comparison of Academic Load and Student Perspectives on Education Between America and China

Education is a significant contributor towards shaping the future of our society. However, education systems and academic values in distinct countries such as the United States and China may vary and therefore have different impacts on students living in different parts of the world. This influenced this study in terms of student perspectives on various aspects of their educational experience, which includes academic load at school, tutoring, extracurriculars, and preparedness for future success in college or careers. The results show that overall, middle school and high school students in China have a higher academic load because they have more classes and spend more time at school, doing homework/studying, or receiving tutoring. However, student perspectives on the importance of grades vs. personal qualities are fairly similar between American and Chinese students, with less value on grades and standardized test scores towards future academic success. Because China has a traditionally stricter stance on academic rigor and standardized testing, this insight represents a potential shift in mindset towards education in the modern day. Future research can seek to confirm this in other regions and countries to seek a more accurate and cohesive overview of student perspectives on education.

592-P: Diabetic Retinopathy Grade as Predictor of Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Lower Extremity Amputations—Multicentric Longitudinal Seven-Year Study

Lower Extremity Amputations (LEA) and Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) are debilitating complications in patients with T2DM. We prospectively explored the association of grades of DR with the outcomes and the risk factors in patients (n=2500) with LEA (January 2011 to December 2017) Goodness of fit was examined using Pearson Chi Square test. Severe neuropathy (n=1341, 53.6%), osteomyelitis (n=1274, 50.9%), and gangrene (n=1242, 49.6%), were the predominant comorbidities. DR was observed in 56% (n=1400) of patients (NPDR n=962, 38%; PDR n=438, 16%). DR and LEA were strongly related with the highest association observed for amputations of both lower limbs (n=640), followed by above knee (n=365), below knee (n=249) and toes (n=146) (p<0.00001). 73.8% of patients with DR (n=1034) had HbA1c >11%. The seven year follow-up was characterized by a high incidence of new diabetic ulcers and amputations (62.8% n=1571, p<0.00001). The incidence of new ulcers was highest in the NPDR group (n=483, 50.2%) whereas the incidence of new amputations was highest in the PDR group (n=238, 54.3%). The all-cause mortality was 41.9% (n=1048, p<0.00001). Patients with NPDR reported highest mortality (n=508, 48.4%). Myocardial Infarction (n=316, 30.01%) was leading cause of mortality in patients with NPDR (n=237, 42.3%) whereas Congestive Heart Failure (n=604, 57.6%), was predominant cause of mortality in patients with PDR (n=350, 70.5%) (p<0.00001). The incidence of mortality 29.4% (n=308) was highest in the 7th year of follow-up. We observed that grades of DR had independent higher predictive values for new ulcers, new amputations and all-cause mortality. Patients with NPDR had worst outcomes. This long-term prospective study highlights the importance of grades of DR to predict outcomes beyond ocular morbidity and implement an integrated multidisciplinary approach for this composite complication, as a consequence of diabetes. Disclosure K. Shah: None. S. Natarajan: None. V. Parsewar: None. V.K. Shivane: None.

Importance of Grades and Placement for Math Attainment

Research on high school math course taking documents the advantages of starting high school at or beyond Algebra 1. Fewer studies examine differentiation into remedial, general, and honors Algebra 1 course types by course rigor. This study examines how course grades and course rigor are associated with math attainment among students with similar eighth-grade standardized math test scores. Students who earned an A in remedial courses had lower attainment than students with a D in general Algebra 1. Students with an A in general Algebra 1 had lower attainment than students with median grades in honors Algebra 1.

Making the grade: a history of the A–F marking scheme

This article provides a historical interpretation of one of the defining features of modern schooling: grades. As a central element of schools, grades—their origins, uses and evolution—provide a window into the tensions at the heart of building a national public school system in the United States. We argue that grades began as an intimate communication tool among teachers, parents, and students used largely to inform and instruct. But as reformers worked to develop a national school system in the late nineteenth century, they saw grades as useful tools in an organizational rather than pedagogical enterprise—tools that would facilitate movement, communication and coordination. Reformers placed a premium on readily interpretable and necessarily abstract grading systems. This shift in the importance of grades as an external rather than internal communication device required a concurrent shift in the meaning of grades—the meaning and nuance of the local context was traded for the uniformity and fungibility of more portable forms.

Study of Lightning Damage Risk Assessment Method for Power Grid

Based on the idea of risk evaluation, the existing lightning damage risk assessment methods are reviewed and summarized in this paper. And the power grid lightning damage risk assessment system is established on the basis of lightning flashover risk evaluation methodology for transmission lines, and adopts the improved Analytic Hierarchy Process as the core algorithm. It can comprehensively evaluate the risk for transmission lines of regional grid, various sections of a line and each tower of the section, considering much more impact factors, including the running time of line, importance of grades, equipment damage, and the success rate of lightning stroke reclosing and so on. According to the calculation results of the risk assessment of the analytic hierarchy process and lightning flashover risk evaluation, the principles and methods of grade classification for power grid lightning damage risk map are studied, and give typical examples in the paper. It can describe the lightning withstanding ability much more scientifically and provide important references for the manage department of power system.

Where a is Ordinary: The Evolution of American College and University Grading, 1940-2009

Background/Context College grades can influence a student's graduation prospects, academic motivation, postgraduate job choice, professional and graduate school selection, and access to loans and scholarships. Despite the importance of grades, national trends in grading practices have not been examined in over a decade, and there has been a limited effort to examine the historical evolution of college grading. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study Here we look at the evolution of grading over time and space at American colleges and universities over the last 70 years. Our data provide a means to examine how instructors’ assessments of excellence, mediocrity, and failure have changed in higher education. Data Collection and Analysis We have collected historical and contemporary data on A–F letter grades awarded from over 200 four-year colleges and universities. Our contemporary data on grades come from 135 schools, with a total enrollment of 1.5 million students. Research Design Through the use of averages over time and space as well as regression models, we examine how grading has changed temporally and how grading is a function of school selectivity, school type, and geographic region. Findings/Results Contemporary data indicate that, on average across a wide range of schools, A's represent 43% of all letter grades, an increase of 28 percentage points since 1960 and 12 percentage points since 1988. D's and F's total typically less than 10% of all letter grades. Private colleges and universities give, on average, significantly more A's and B's combined than public institutions with equal student selectivity. Southern schools grade more harshly than those in other regions, and science and engineering-focused schools grade more stringently than those emphasizing the liberal arts. At schools with modest selectivity, grading is as generous as it was in the mid-1980s at highly selective schools. These prestigious schools have, in turn, continued to ramp up their grades. It is likely that at many selective and highly selective schools, undergraduate GPAs are now so saturated at the high end that they have little use as a motivator of students and as an evaluation tool for graduate and professional schools and employers. Conclusions/Recommendations As a result of instructors gradually lowering their standards, A has become the most common grade on American college campuses. Without regulation, or at least strong grading guidelines, grades at American institutions of higher learning likely will continue to have less and less meaning.

Attrition in STEM fields at a liberal arts college: The importance of grades and pre-collegiate preferences

There is widespread concern, both in the private and public sectors, about perceived declines in U.S. college graduates in STEM fields. In our sample, the proportion of science majors has remained steady over the sample period; however, the number entering our college intending to major in STEM fields has fallen. In this paper we use administrative data from the graduating classes of 2001–2009, roughly 5000 graduates, from a northeastern liberal arts college to model the progression of students through STEM majors. The results suggest that absolute and sometimes relative grades are important, as is the intended major (as reported on the admissions application). AP credits are also strongly correlated to taking a first course, but diminish in the more selected samples. Simulations suggest that if science grade distributions were more like the college average, there would be roughly 2–4% more students progressing in STEM departments.

Transfer-Student Performance in Upper-Division Chemistry Courses: Implications for Curricular Reform and Alignment

ABSTRACT Using a statewide database of student records, the grades of students enrolled in organic chemistry and biochemistry at a large state university were analyzed to determine if there was a difference in performance between community college transfers and “native” students. Although only small differences were found for the organic chemistry sequence, much larger differences were found in biochemistry. Given the importance of grades in these classes for admission to competitive professional schools, these results suggest that transfer students, often disproportionately minority and economically disadvantaged, may face greater hurdles in the admissions process. The results further highlight the importance of establishing meaningful articulation agreements between 2-year and 4-year schools.

Early Adolescents' Perceptions of Patterns of Parenting, Teaching, and School Atmosphere

The purposes of this study were to examine the perceived congruence among middle school students' perceptions of parenting style, teaching style, and school atmosphere and to examine differences between resulting clusters of students on the importance of grades, academic competence, and school achievement. Participants were 230 fifth- and sixth-grade students whose perceptions of their contexts were cluster analyzed. Students who perceived congruent authoritative parenting and teaching styles accompanied by high parental involvement and a positive school atmosphere had the highest achievement outcomes. Students who perceived incongruent styles between their parents and teachers (neglecting parenting and authoritarian teaching) accompanied by low parental involvement and a negative school atmosphere had the lowest achievement outcomes. No gender or socioeconomic differences were found among the clusters. The importance of studying students' achievement within multiple contexts is discussed.

Grading Mainstreamed Special Needs Students: Determining Practices and Attitudes of Secondary Vocational Educators Using a Qualitative Approach

Despite the importance of grades in our educational system, empirical research examining issues related to the grading of students with special needs has received relatively little attention. To address this situation, a qualitative research approach was used to explore a select number of these issues. An in-depth, semistructured interview was used with a purposive sample of 10 secondary vocational educators. Four themes (conclusions) emerged from an analysis of the data. First, a description of successful grading practices and problems/concerns experienced by teachers when grading students with special needs were examined. Second, the perceptions of educators concerning intended and actual messages that grades communicate to others was explored. A third issue focused on the degree of undergraduate/graduate preparation and inservice staff development teachers have received on issues related to grading students with special needs. Finally, a majority of those participating reported experiencing a developmental process of gradually changing grading practices. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research were also provided.

Self-Made Academic Predictions of Junior College Students

This study is concerned with identifying and measuring the self-made academic predictions of junior college students. Scores on the College Opinion Survey (COS) were related to high school rank (HSR), subsequent first- quarter grades in college (GPA), and scholastic aptitude test scores (MSAT) (ACT). COS scores for junior college students were compared to scores of freshmen in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota. Student estimates of relative performance and ability (COSi) were significantly (p≤.01) related to past and future academic performance and aptitude variables. Feelings about the importance of grades (COSj) were not related to scholastic aptitude but were related (p≤.01) to future academic performance. Feelings about the importance of grades (COSa) were related to previous performance only for females.

Adolescent learner perceptions of foreign language assessment: Critical incident analysis

This article reports on a study that aimed to explore adolescent learner perceptions of language assessment experiences and their beliefs about what makes a useful, valuable and highquality assessment. The data was collected by means of the critical incident technique (CIT) in which 25 lower secondary learners (aged 14–16) were asked to recall both positive and negative instances of assessment they had experienced in the course of their language education. The results reveal that the participants held generally positive views of language assessment and paid attention to such aspects of assessment as reliability, appreciation and authenticity. On the other hand, the importance of grades was prioritised over the learning value of assessment, which is characteristic of performance-oriented assessment environment

The meanings of grades

Grades don't mean anything! My son got all A's in high school and is flunking out of college. How do you explain that? first thing I ask a graduating senior is what kind of grades he has, then I make him a job offer. Across the counselor's desk comes comment after comment concerning grades. At one end of the continuum are those who feel that grades are meaningless. At the other end, are persons who feel that grades are the whole thing. Somewhere in the middle are people thoroughly confused about the meaning of grades. We suggest that confusion exists because there is no single meaning to a grade. Once we understand what grades mean, then we will probably use them correctly and be neither confused nor taking issue with the importance of grades. However, as long as we continue to leave grades undefined or misuse them, we may expect to be hung on the horns of this dilemma. In an earlier article in this journal', it was suggested that the process of education always involves these essentials: the teacher, the learner, the subject-matter, and the confidence which exists among these three elements. We can define various approaches to education according to whether they stress the teacher, the learner or the subjectmatter. We can also dispense with the dilemma posed by the meaning of grades by applying this formula to the problem. Try to visualize the educational problem as a capital Y. Label the arm at the upper left the learner, and that in the upper right others, including the teacher. The base of the Y label subject-matter, and the crotch which joins the two arms through the base speak of as confidence, without which education could not exist. This three-dimensional picture -the learner, teacher (others) and the subject matter, with confidence at the hub-now permits us to locate three kinds of grades. The first kind of grade is that which results from the learner's acting