- Introduction and thesis for the topic
- The extent of grade inflation, which defines how far grade inflation has been witnessed in the world.
- What or who have been the agents of grade inflation
- Effects or the results of the extremely favorable examination system
Lecturers or professors of previous times cannot clearly tell what has befallen university education. They are in exclusive doubt as we are concerning the extent to which grading have changed in Universities and colleges. To them, it is either the exams have become extremely easy, or the current examiners test the teachers to ensure all students pass in the given examination. In the past, students were known to be achievers following their ability to achieve these grades, which are being granted with exclusive hard work and research. Today, it has become exclusively amazing to find grade C students while in reality most of the A graded students should have scored grade C. This is a major concern of the new examination system.
The rate at which grade inflation is being witnessed in universities is extremely challenging. It could have been thought that this is a practice that was only meant for universities and colleges that meant to make its name in this highly competitive field. However, it has dawned on me that this is not the case. I have lived to know that Harvard University and California University are the renowned universities in the world following their ability to educate and examine the best minds in the world. However, this is not the reality. There are extremely many forces that revolve around the status that the universities possess. Not all students who go to these universities belong to the class of first class honors as they are awarded during graduation ceremonies. Grades in the Universities have been altered and it has become extremely easy for anyone to acquire first class honors (Alfie, 2002).
Research in these major universities has been extremely helpful in realizing the reality. It has become extremely difficult to differentiate between the outstanding student who deserves the A grade and a common student who deserves C grade. The universities have been the major players in making students achieve grades that they do not deserve. High school examinations that graduate students to University education have been influenced in an exclusive manner such that they have influenced entry of substandard students to the universities. On the other hand, universities have not been able to set up excellent environment that supports extensive studies among students. Instead, there are a lot of universities and colleges that have come with the commercial education being their central theme. This has attributed them towards extending A grades anyhow. The practice is excellent definition of the extent by which university education has become a common achievement (Alfie, 2002). This makes it difficult to differentiate between exemplary student and low performing students.
It has not yet been exclusively clear who are the main causes of the extreme changes in grading for university and college students. It seems that examinations have lost meaning in these institutions. Examinations were initially known to challenge a student to reason on the bases of what he or she has been taught in class concerning a given topic. However, the situation has changed and it seems people are out for other forms of achievements or missions. It has dawned on me that lecturers and professors are seeking to bring up students who are in a position to answer questions as they find it fit, without paying attention to the knowledge that has been extended to them in class (Alfie, 2002).
In universities, research and analysis for certain topics has lost its original meaning. It is no more in order for students to be expected to prove their arguments or thesis through exclusive research. The excellence of the student is only tested through a paper, where high grades are achieved through exclusive cramming. The element of excellent analysis and understanding of given elements of study has become lost and students are not willing to deviate from the formula that has been taught to them (Alfie, 2002). It is no more challenging to acquire good grades for students as universities and colleges in collaboration with lecturers have enabled students to achieve high grades.
However, it is extremely challenging that no university has been willing to come up with exclusive research and finding on the effects of grade inflation. It is obvious that this element will cause extensive impact among the students who will g through the university education at such times. There would be exclusive need for sensitization of a need for a better grading system that will succeed in defining students according to their achievements in certain fields.
It is obvious that the first effect is existence of incompetent personnel in the corporate world. The grade that one acquires is extremely different from the skills the he or she posses if the grading system favored students (Alfie, 2002). A grade A student is expected to have extensive skills over a Grade B students in a given field. However, it is not a wonder to find a grade B student performing better a grade B student. This is an indication that employers will hire the wrong personnel in their organization. This will be an enemy for development in any economy.
With this kind of grading and teaching formulae, it will be extremely difficult for the world to experience advances in terms of creativity. Innovations will be forgotten since students are not exposed to the right education systems that may make them come up with new thoughts to change the world. The world deserves an education system that will influence creativity during these times of exclusive use of technology.
The other effect is that Universities will continuously tamper with their reputations if they continue offering good grades to students while they expose them to little, or no informative education. Universities and colleges must rebuild the already scrambling systems and be ready to prepare exemplary students who are well defined by extensive research. All stakeholders must hold hands to come up with new systems that will help in defining new education system countered with a reliable grading system.
Reference
Alfie, K. (2002). The Dangerous Myth of Grade Inflation. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 49(11), B7.
