Publication Type: Abstract
Abstract: Grade inflation is the situation wherein a fixed letter grade comes to represent a lower level of student performance, such that the majority of students receive higher grades (than past students) and/or produce a lower quality of work and lesser achievement of educational outcomes. In an effort to bring grade inflation to preceptors’ attention, a continuing education seminar which encompassed our own institution-specific data and ways to recognize and address grade inflation was presented to full-time faculty preceptors by three members of Experiential Education. The purpose of this study was to determine if the educational seminar on grade inflation influenced grades assigned by APPE preceptors in attendance.
The study protocol was approved by the College of Pharmacy IRB. APPE grades assigned by “study” preceptors for rotations B through I pre- (‘05-‘06) and post- (‘06-‘07) grade inflation seminar were compared for 15 of 17 faculty preceptors in attendance; 2 preceptors did not have students in either pre-or post- study period and were excluded from analysis.
Results: 172 student grades pre- intervention (B-I, ‘05-‘06) were compared with the 122 student grades currently available from the post- intervention period (B-F, ‘06-‘07). Respective distribution of grades ‘(05-‘06, ‘06-‘07) were: A+: 17%, 17%; A: 35%, 42%; A-: 26%,9%; B+: 6%, 13%; B: 9%, 10%; 0.05).
Implication: An educational intervention to address grade inflation did not appear to impact the assignment of APPE grades by faculty. The study confirmed the skewed nature of APPE grades.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This study investigates the Meaning of Grades scale (Goulden & Griffin, 1997) to determine its reliability and construct validity. The scale is found to be a one-dimensional scale. Once 11 non-correlating items are discarded, the resulting 14 item scale results in an alpha of 0.75. Further, the scale is correlated significantly with the Implicit Theories of Intelligence scale (Dweck, 2000), suggesting interesting implications for further research in understanding student and teacher communication about grades.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This study examines the ways in which college students understand grades, particularly when they feel that their grades do not reflect their learning. Using a grounded practical theory analysis (Craig & Tracy, 1995), this study highlights the communicative strategies students use to deal with grades when they do not feel their grades adequately measure their academic succes and the situated ideals that guide those communicative strategies. From this analysis, a normative model for how teachers ought to frames grades in the classroom will be outlined.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: There is significant research in both reading and mathematics which points to important building blocks, or essential steps, in the process of becoming literate and numerate. EGRA and EGMA both build on this research and focus on providing information about how well students are mastering each of these essential steps. This information will be useful to ministries, who will be able to gain a better understanding of the overall competency of learners, as well as to pinpoint problem areas. With adaptation, it will also be useful at the local, and even classroom, level in order to more closely diagnose what steps may be missing or causing problems among students. This paper will describe the overall processes followed in the development of these assessment tools. It will then focus on EGRA, giving a brief overview of its components, describing the process by which it is adapted in local country contexts, and then presenting some of the results of its application in nearly twenty low-income country contexts.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This study determined if student motivation, student unwillingness to communicate, other family members with a four-year degree, and biological sex affect sutdents' grades in a public speaking course. Results indicated that combined student motivation, student unwillingness to communicate, other family members with a four-year degree, and biological sex explain a significant amount of variance in students' public speaking grades. However, biological sex was the only significant main effect.