A synergistic approach to turning the tide of grade inflation

• Published in: Higher education Vol. 68; no. 6; pp. 1005 - 1023
• Main Authors: O'Halloran, Kim C, Gordon, Michael E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Science+Business Media B. V 01.12.2014; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Academic grading; Academic learning; Academic standards; Accountability; Accreditation; Achievement tests; Akademischer Grad; Analysis; Ausland; Cheating; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive ability; Cognitive style; College campuses; College instruction; College students; Colleges; Colleges & universities; Colleges and universities; Education; Education reform; Educational Change; Educational Quality; Educational reform; Elementary school students; Grade Inflation; Grading; Grading and marking (Students); Higher Education; Hochschulsystem; Inflation; Information; Institutional change; Learning; Lehre; Organizational change; Standardized Tests; Student; Students; Studium; Teachers; Teaching; Thinking Skills; U.S.A; Undergraduate education; Undergraduate Study; United States; Universities; USA; New York; United States > US; Grade inflation; Institutional change; Student learning; Educational reform; Academic standards
• ISSN: 0018-1560; 1573-174X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10734-014-9758-5

Higher education in the United States is facing increasing demands for colleges and universities to demonstrate what students learn and that they are providing a high-quality education experience during the undergraduate years (Pascarealla et al. in Chang Mag High Learn 42(1):16-22, 2010). Despite evidence of the elevation of grades in higher education dating back to the 1970s, attempts to rein in this phenomenon have been largely unsuccessful (Nikolakakos et al. in Coll Univ 87(3):2-14 2012). It is our contention that attempts to reform grading have not succeeded because their focus is too narrow. After providing background information on the extent and causes of grade inflation, we will propose a synergistic approach to dealing with the problem of grade inflation.(HRK / Abstract übernommen).