Grade distribution in week fourteen

As the first full term of online courses draws to a close for the college, I wondered what the grade distribution might look like in my courses year-on-year. Modern western higher education has a focus on assessment via measuring student learning outcomes. Yet most institutions of higher education still produce transcripts of courses with grades, only a few report student accomplishments as student learning outcomes. The reality for students is that grades are what are on their transcript, and graduation requirements are written in grade point averages not student learning outcomes accomplished. Job applicants are asked to submit transcripts of courses with grades, not banks of student learning outcomes mastered. For all of the focus on student learning outcomes, the core engine of higher education runs on grades and student attention is on their grade, not outcomes mastered.

A strict year-on-year comparison is not possible in the fourteenth week because the fall 2019 data is term end numbers, not week fourteen numbers. There is still weeks 14, 15, and 16 ahead along with final examinations. Thus there is room for the numbers to shift before the term ends. 

I had the sense, however, that success rates as measured by those with a grade of C or higher might be weaker this term against fall 2019 - the last time a residential term completed as scheduled. The data under the chart provides support for my gut sense that more students are struggling to succeed this term than last fall. The shift to online distance education has been challenging for both faculty and students. 

The largest driver of the higher rates of students below 60% is missing work. A number of students who were getting work turned in through midterm or even beyond midterm, simply stopped submitting assignments. The cause is unclear and I have reached out to these students to encourage them to complete the assignments and the term. 

I remain hopeful that students who have chosen to disengage will re-engage with some encouragement in these final weeks of the term and improve the final performance distribution.


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