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What is Grade Inflation?
Grade inflation is a global problem in higher education that is receiving a growing amount of attention. It is the phenomenon where grades are given out too easily, resulting in increased grades in courses or programs. Grade inflation also occurs when students graduate with high marks, even if they haven't necessarily learned the material.
What Causes Grade Inflation?
Grade inflation has a negative impact that circulates throughout the entire institution; however, it is difficult to establish a single cause for this phenomenon. Educational leaders are faced with numerous challenges in defining and deciphering the causes of grade inflation. In many cases grade inflation results from the unintended consequence of organizational systems rather than a specific factor. We will look at some of the leading causes.
Quality Standards
Does the educational institution have quality standards for grading? Has the grading standard been assessed in comparison with other courses, programs, or institutions? If the answer is no, then the risk for grade inflation increases substantially. A well-designed quality framework that includes grading standards can mitigate the risk of grade inflation.
Training
How is the grading standard embedded into instructional practice? Another risk for grade inflation occurs when faculty (the vast majority who are SMEs) do not receive appropriate training on quality standards. Faculty need training on how to design authentic assessments. Mentorship also plays an important role for supporting faculty in the development of accurate grading systems.
Transfer of Learning
One area that can always be improved in higher education is to assess transfer of learning among faculty. Once faculty receive training on grading standards, we need to ensure the principles are put into practice. This can happen informally through mentors, or formally via performance reviews.
Malicious Intent
We can’t ignore the potential for grade inflation driven by malicious intent. Faculty could inflate grades to improve their ratings on student reviews. Straying from or ignoring the quality standards will also contribute to grade inflation. Watering down or diminished expectations has a negative impact on high performing students and the integrity of the course.
What are the Effects of Grade Inflation?
Grade inflation threatens the integrity of a course, program, or academic institution. Students who feel they have not been accurately assessed can launch appeals to receive a fair evaluation. Grade inflation also negatively impacts a student’s ability to transfer into other programs. External universities or colleges may not recognize the credentials from institutions suspected of grade inflation. The perception of employers toward graduates is also greatly diminished in cases where grade inflation is suspected. Potential students may not want to enroll in educational institutions that experience cases of grade inflation. Incidents of grade inflation would cause accrediting bodies to investigate and potentially suspend a program or education provider.
What Can We Do?
To mitigate the risks of grade inflation we need leadership, quality standards, and training. Educational leaders are needed to set the tone and parameters for the change process. Although grade inflation is a complex issue that can be localized within a course or rampant throughout an organization, educational leaders can employ a variety of strategies to protect the integrity of the institution. Defining root causes and establishing organizational and departmental quality assurance standards will build and strengthen the relationship with learners and stakeholders.
Educational leaders also play an important role in the design of quality standards and the grading framework of the institution. Developing a quality assurance system that aligns performance standards and competencies will assist educational leaders in creating an integrity-based institution that will solidify stakeholder confidence. Implementing a quality assurance system ensures program and course alignment to the standard. Program review systems can also be used to evaluate the integrity and rigor of tests and exams. Training faculty to design effective grading and assessment systems will also serve to limit grade inflation at the source. Faculty who are trained and mentored according to the standard will ensure the effectiveness of the quality assurance system.
Final Thoughts
Educational leaders need to develop an awareness of the risks associated with grade inflation. In a worst-case scenario grade inflation creates a low-quality contagion that spreads to every course and program. This phenomenon discredits the integrity of the institution among stakeholders such as employers, accreditation bodies, external educational institutions, and government. To mitigate the risk of grade inflation, educational leaders can create quality standards for grading, provide appropriate training, and support faculty in building a framework of academic integrity.