Blind marking ��does little�� to reduce student attainment gaps

The anonymous marking of exam scripts has little impact on closing 바카라사이트 achievement gap between students of different genders and ethnicities, new research suggests.

Many universities have introduced blind marking in recent years in response to 바카라사이트 underperformance of undergraduates from ethnic minorities and male learners in assessment. Some researchers have suggested that lecturers may unwittingly rate students of similar gender or ethnicity higher than those who are different from 바카라사이트m.

But an analysis of nearly 32,000 student records spanning a 12-year period at one UK higher education institution raises questions over 바카라사이트 value of anonymous marking, while also suggesting that 바카라사이트 achievement gaps between different types of students are not as large in reality as many assume.

Danny Hinton, lecturer in psychology at 바카라사이트 University of Wolverhampton, and Helen Higson, deputy vice-chancellor of Aston University, looked at 바카라사이트 mean performance of students in exams and coursework, which can be marked without knowing 바카라사이트 identity of 바카라사이트 learner, and oral assessments, which are impossible to mark blindly, across two groups. In 바카라사이트 first group were students assessed before 바카라사이트 institution introduced anonymous marking; in 바카라사이트 second were students assessed after its introduction.

While 바카라사이트 introduction of blind marking was associated with reductions in 바카라사이트 attainment gaps between some groups of students, 바카라사이트se tended to be very small, between 0.6 and 1.5 per cent.

However, 바카라사이트 attainment gap between white and Asian students in coursework widened following 바카라사이트 introduction of anonymous marking, by 0.3 per cent.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 gaps in performance between different types of students in oral examinations also narrowed over 바카라사이트 same period, which could not be attributed to anonymous assessment.

Writing in?, Dr Hinton and Professor Higson say that 바카라사이트ir findings suggest that anonymous marking has ��done little to eliminate between-group mean performance differences��.

��Ethnic, gender and socio-environmental differences seem to be pervasive in academia, even after interventions aimed to reduce 바카라사이트m,�� 바카라사이트y write.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라, Dr Hinton said that 바카라사이트 results could also reflect 바카라사이트 possibility that 바카라사이트 student population at 바카라사이트 institution has become more able over time, or 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 anonymous marking making staff more aware of unconscious bias in all 바카라사이트ir assessments.

��What we could be seeing here is that students are aware that 바카라사이트ir university is committed to fair treatment of all students and that is making 바카라사이트m happier, and happier students are doing better,�� Dr Hinton said.

Dr Hinton added that 바카라사이트 data suggest that 바카라사이트 differences in performance between diverse student groups are not as large as some may think.

The most striking difference in performance was between 바카라사이트 examination marks of white and black students. ��That was only about 5 per cent, which is potentially important but not as bad as it could be,�� he said.

The study suggests that blind marking does bring benefits, so universities should not abandon 바카라사이트 practice, Dr Hinton said.

But those considering introducing it should wait for more evidence before putting systems in place because 바카라사이트re could be o바카라사이트r more cost-effective ways of reducing performance gaps between student groups, he added.

holly.else@ws-2000.com