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Show page 10 lessons, Fail 2003 The A Balloon: Grade Inflation at the U ARTICLE BY SARAH PLUMMER PHOTOS BY JODI GAYLORD G etting an A in this department is the same as getting a C in that department." Students have made comments like this on college campuses around the country since at least the 1960s. Whether students realize it or not, they are talking about the issue of grade inflation. Over time, students have come to expect B's or A's, and that is what they usually receive. Instead of the average C, an A has become the standard grade for many students and instructors on college campuses. On the surface, grade inflation is the progressive raising of grades without a similar rise in the scholastic aptitude, achievements or abilities of students. Why does grade inflation make certain implications about instructors and students? How and why does grade inflation continue to be a problem? What are the long-term effects of grade inflation? Are there any solutions to deflate the issue? Most importantly, have we seen inflated grades on our campus? Thought-provoking assumptions may be made about people who get caught up in grade inflation. First, it signifies that an instructor does not sufficiently care about his or her teaching. When instructors become more concerned about the grades they are giving out, rather than a student's overall understanding of the subject, their priorities are in the wrong place. "I am not at all convinced that grades are the most important measure of what is gained from college education... I try to provide challenging, stimulating classroom discussion of fascinating issues, tests that reflect [the readings] and [discussions] in class, a writing assignment that lets students stretch their skills, and points for attendance and participation. And then I don't worry about it," explained Amanda Dickson, an adjunct-professor in the department of communication. Illustration by Christopher Gino Dean |