[lit-ideas] Re: Grade inflation
- From: Robert.Paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Robert Paul)
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: 12 Apr 2004 19:33:11 PDT
Torger writes:
>For papers and essays, a lone professor is the sole arbiter... one voice, one
opinion -- no matter how honest, meticulous, and caring...<
And what, really, is wrong with that (especially if the voice is 'honest,
meticulous, and caring')? If a paper is read in light of the material presented,
the discussions about it, conferences with the student before it is given in in
a final version, is it really a defect in the system that a committee doesn't
have a hand in assigning grades?
John's openness about his criteria is commendable, but for all of that, simply
spelling things out for students beforehand doesn't quite seem to address
Torger's worries, if I understand them. One could no doubt say similar things
about grading undergraduates who plan to go on to graduate or professional
schools: 'The way I do it will be very much like the way things are done at your
next academic stop.' Does this mean that my assessments will be 'more honest,
meticulous, or caring'? Not unless something more is factored in. Today, a
student remarked, 'Now I know how philosophy is done at Reed.' 'No you don't,' I
said.
Robert Paul
The Reed Institute
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