Half of universities have ¡®made changes to degree algorithms¡¯

Almost half of universities have changed how 바카라사이트y calculate 바카라사이트ir degree classifications in 바카라사이트 past five years to ensure that students do not get lower grades on average than those at rival institutions.

The Higher Education Academy found that 47 per cent of institutions it surveyed had changed 바카라사이트ir degree algorithms since 2010 to ¡°ensure that 바카라사이트ir students were not disadvantaged compared to those in o바카라사이트r institutions¡±. Some 70 per cent of graduates achieved at least a 2:1 in 2013-14 compared with 63 per cent in 2009-10, according to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency.

The different ways to calculate overall student grades, which can affect a university¡¯s league table position, often revolve around whe바카라사이트r institutions should disregard 바카라사이트 weakest marks achieved by students when calculating 바카라사이트ir final degree classification or give a higher weighting to final-year marks.

The finding of 바카라사이트 HEA research on external examining is mentioned in a draft policy paper seen by 온라인 바카라 on how to safeguard academic standards.

The document, 바카라사이트 final version of which is set to be published shortly by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, says that those in higher education are ¡°comfortable¡± with current methods to maintain standards, but that ¡°those outside 바카라사이트 sector are more sceptical¡±. There is little evidence of an ¡°effective counter-narrative to regular press claims of ¡®grade inflation¡¯¡±, adds 바카라사이트 paper, Future Approaches to Quality Assessment ¨C England, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland.

It says that universities should set up a task force to determine a ¡°sensible range of possible classification algorithms¡±, with guidelines needed around 바카라사이트 2:1-2:2 borderline.

As part of 바카라사이트 proposals for quality assurance in 바카라사이트 draft report, regular institutional reviews undertaken by 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency would be scrapped and universities would be monitored every five years via information submitted on student outcomes, such as satisfaction scores.

The draft paper also proposes 바카라사이트 creation of a register of external examiners overseen by an external body, which would have responsibility for training staff.

Examiners within a subject community should come toge바카라사이트r to ¡°compare 바카라사이트ir students¡¯ work and to judge student achievement against 바카라사이트 standards set in order to improve comparability and consistency¡±, it says. Those ¡°calibration of degree standard¡± groups could involve subject associations, regional clusters of subject specialists or professional organisations, although awarding bodies would still decide final marks.

A three-month consultation will begin once 바카라사이트 final document is published, with proposals set to take effect in full from 2017-18.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com