RE. Adjustment of test 2 grades..
(This goes to my professor as soon as I get home. And if she refuses to change it, it goes to the head of the math department. Her 'adjustment' is outrageous, and can be read at the bottom if you're behind.)
Professor,
This adjustment is unfair; please allow me to demonstrate why.
First: I, and everyone else who worked hard, studied, came prepared, and did well (considering the average) deserve our grades. Mine was an 83%, lower than I hoped, but acceptable. Those who did not study, those whom even You chastised for not completing (or attempting) the homework until the night before the test, those who blatently announce in the test room to the back back row that they need someone to cheat from, they also deserve the grades they got. We were all informed, before Exam 1, that there would be no curve and no retakes.
Second: The self-limiting 'curve' set in place ONLY benefits those who did poorly. In fact, the more poorly one did the more it benefits them. Assume the class average represents Student A who got 57% on Exam 2, and that Student B got an 83% on Exam 2. Assume that for the next three Exams, both students achieved 85%.
For Student A, when half the difference of Exam 3 (85%) and Exam 2 (57%) is added to Exam 2, (85-57=28. 28/2=14) Student A now has a 71. Student A now passes with two letter grades higher than they earned.
For Student B, the same steps, (85-83=2. 2/2=1) Student B gains 1percent and now has an 84. Student B's letter grade does not change.
Continuing with Exams 3 and 4, as proposed, continue to add many percentage points to Student A while giving Student B only a fraction of a point, resulting in Student A ended with 81.5%, and Student B an 84.75%. Student B did not benefit at ALL from this proposed adjustment. Even Student C, who only achieved 05% on Exam 2 receives a 73.75% after this adjustment. This is in no way fair to the students who actually worked for their grades.
Repurcussions: I am waiting for acceptance into the BSN, Bachelors of Nursing, which is a competitive program where entry is determined by grades. My grades must be higher than another student's for me to get slot we both want. If Student A is GIVEN 24.5%, simply because they did poorly, Student B now risks losing her Nursing slot to a student to failed where she succeeded. This is unfair.
You mentioned in class that as a teacher one wants to help students. Helping a student to pass by simply changing a failing grade to a passing grade, does not help the student; it hurts the students who did pass.
You mentioned that a good student could raise their grade to over 100%, but as we see from the self limiting nature of this adjustment that this is impossible. Starting with an 83%, if I get 100% on the next three tests, Test 2 has a maximum of 97.88%.
You also mentioned that simply giving EVERY student 10% would not be fair. I disagree! Giving every student 10% allows you to raise their failing grades, while raising the passing grade accordingly, to preserve the natural grade curve.
One cannot favor one student over another. Grading must be fair, and equal, and everyone MUST be graded with the same rule, or the point of testing and grades and the entire learning process is devalued.
I urge you to recall this unfair adjustement, which benefits those those who fail and injures those who pass.
Adding 10% to EVERYONE is fair.
Dropping the lowest grade for EVERYONE is fair.
This adjustment is not.
A very concerned Student B.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: College Algebra Professor <***@fau.edu>
Date: Feb 17, 2011 5:38 PM
Subject: Adjustment of test 2 grades..read please!
To: Students of College Algebra, FAU 2011.
Hi students,
Adjustment of Test 2 Grades:
Test 2 grades were generally poor and, we feel, due to a failure by many to prepare properly by doing the associated MyMathLab homework. You will have the opportunity to raise this Test 2 grade by doing better on the next four tests.
If your Test 3 grade exceeds your Test 2 grade, your Test 2 grade will be adjusted by adding half the difference to your current Test 2 grade. Further, if any subsequent Test grade exceeds your adjusted Test 2 grade, again half the difference will be added to your Test 2 grade.
For example:
If one's Test 2 grade was 54, but one's Test 3 grade is 80, the Test 2 grade is adjusted to 54+13 = 67;
furthermore: if one's Test 4 grade is 81, the Test 2 grade is further adjusted to be 67+7 = 74;
furthermore: if one's Test 5 grade is 82, the Test 2 grade is further adjusted to be 74+4 = 78
and finally: if one's Test 5 grade is 82, the Test 2 grade is further adjusted to be 78+2 = 80
You can thus increase your Test 2 grade step by step until it no longer hurts your average
Ms *.
Professor,
This adjustment is unfair; please allow me to demonstrate why.
First: I, and everyone else who worked hard, studied, came prepared, and did well (considering the average) deserve our grades. Mine was an 83%, lower than I hoped, but acceptable. Those who did not study, those whom even You chastised for not completing (or attempting) the homework until the night before the test, those who blatently announce in the test room to the back back row that they need someone to cheat from, they also deserve the grades they got. We were all informed, before Exam 1, that there would be no curve and no retakes.
Second: The self-limiting 'curve' set in place ONLY benefits those who did poorly. In fact, the more poorly one did the more it benefits them. Assume the class average represents Student A who got 57% on Exam 2, and that Student B got an 83% on Exam 2. Assume that for the next three Exams, both students achieved 85%.
For Student A, when half the difference of Exam 3 (85%) and Exam 2 (57%) is added to Exam 2, (85-57=28. 28/2=14) Student A now has a 71. Student A now passes with two letter grades higher than they earned.
For Student B, the same steps, (85-83=2. 2/2=1) Student B gains 1percent and now has an 84. Student B's letter grade does not change.
Continuing with Exams 3 and 4, as proposed, continue to add many percentage points to Student A while giving Student B only a fraction of a point, resulting in Student A ended with 81.5%, and Student B an 84.75%. Student B did not benefit at ALL from this proposed adjustment. Even Student C, who only achieved 05% on Exam 2 receives a 73.75% after this adjustment. This is in no way fair to the students who actually worked for their grades.
Repurcussions: I am waiting for acceptance into the BSN, Bachelors of Nursing, which is a competitive program where entry is determined by grades. My grades must be higher than another student's for me to get slot we both want. If Student A is GIVEN 24.5%, simply because they did poorly, Student B now risks losing her Nursing slot to a student to failed where she succeeded. This is unfair.
You mentioned in class that as a teacher one wants to help students. Helping a student to pass by simply changing a failing grade to a passing grade, does not help the student; it hurts the students who did pass.
You mentioned that a good student could raise their grade to over 100%, but as we see from the self limiting nature of this adjustment that this is impossible. Starting with an 83%, if I get 100% on the next three tests, Test 2 has a maximum of 97.88%.
You also mentioned that simply giving EVERY student 10% would not be fair. I disagree! Giving every student 10% allows you to raise their failing grades, while raising the passing grade accordingly, to preserve the natural grade curve.
One cannot favor one student over another. Grading must be fair, and equal, and everyone MUST be graded with the same rule, or the point of testing and grades and the entire learning process is devalued.
I urge you to recall this unfair adjustement, which benefits those those who fail and injures those who pass.
Adding 10% to EVERYONE is fair.
Dropping the lowest grade for EVERYONE is fair.
This adjustment is not.
A very concerned Student B.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: College Algebra Professor <***@fau.edu>
Date: Feb 17, 2011 5:38 PM
Subject: Adjustment of test 2 grades..read please!
To: Students of College Algebra, FAU 2011.
Hi students,
Adjustment of Test 2 Grades:
Test 2 grades were generally poor and, we feel, due to a failure by many to prepare properly by doing the associated MyMathLab homework. You will have the opportunity to raise this Test 2 grade by doing better on the next four tests.
If your Test 3 grade exceeds your Test 2 grade, your Test 2 grade will be adjusted by adding half the difference to your current Test 2 grade. Further, if any subsequent Test grade exceeds your adjusted Test 2 grade, again half the difference will be added to your Test 2 grade.
For example:
If one's Test 2 grade was 54, but one's Test 3 grade is 80, the Test 2 grade is adjusted to 54+13 = 67;
furthermore: if one's Test 4 grade is 81, the Test 2 grade is further adjusted to be 67+7 = 74;
furthermore: if one's Test 5 grade is 82, the Test 2 grade is further adjusted to be 74+4 = 78
and finally: if one's Test 5 grade is 82, the Test 2 grade is further adjusted to be 78+2 = 80
You can thus increase your Test 2 grade step by step until it no longer hurts your average
Ms *.
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