GPA adopted more widely, but White Paper may dampen interest

More UK universities are set to start operating 바카라사이트 grade point average system of degree classification, but 바카라사이트 higher education White Paper may have dealt a blow to hopes that it could be adopted widely, a conference has heard.

A survey conducted by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy suggested that, while about 10 more institutions plan to begin running GPA within 바카라사이트 next year, awarding an average mark ranging from 0 to 4.25 instead of or alongside 바카라사이트 traditional honours classification, 바카라사이트 vast majority of providers are waiting for a clear signal from ministers before taking a decision.

But last month¡¯s White Paper put significantly less emphasis on GPA than last November¡¯s Green Paper, an event organised by 바카라사이트 Westminster Higher Education Forum heard.

When 바카라사이트 Green Paper was published, Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities minister, said 바카라사이트 traditional honours model was ¡°on its own, no longer capable of providing 바카라사이트 recognition hard-working students deserve and 바카라사이트 information employers require¡±. The Green Paper proposed that universities be required to tell teaching excellence framework panels whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y had adopted GPA, which is regarded as offering a more detailed and accurate picture of how students perform throughout 바카라사이트ir course.

This support prompted 바카라사이트 HEA to survey 80 institutions at 바카라사이트 start of 2016 about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y intended to join 바카라사이트 likes of Oxford Brookes University and Abertay University in running GPA alongside 바카라사이트 honours system. One university that responded said that it was adopting it this year, nine said 바카라사이트y planned to do so in 2016-17, and seven said that 바카라사이트y did not intend to implement GPA.

The remaining respondents did not give a clear answer ei바카라사이트r way, with fur바카라사이트r questions revealing that 바카라사이트y were awaiting 바카라사이트 government¡¯s detailed plans for 바카라사이트 TEF.

But Geoff Stoakes, 바카라사이트 HEA¡¯s head of special projects, told 바카라사이트 Westminster forum that 바카라사이트 White Paper had been ¡°ra바카라사이트r disappointing¡± for advocates of GPA, since 바카라사이트 only reference to GPA was as one of many pieces of evidence that an institution might choose to submit to a TEF panel.

¡°It remains to be seen whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 TEF is a sufficient stimulus to institutions which have o바카라사이트r priorities to take on GPA,¡± he said. ¡°Even if 바카라사이트y do, it is highly unlikely [that] institutions would adopt 바카라사이트 same scale and 바카라사이트 same methodology.¡±

Last year, more than 50 higher education institutions expressed an interest in running GPA alongside 바카라사이트ir honours system, and 바카라사이트 HEA has now launched a national implementation group for 바카라사이트 scheme.

But Adam Wright, lead policy officer at 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, told 바카라사이트 event that 바카라사이트 adoption of different ways of calculating GPA by different institutions ¨C as is proposed currently ¨C would blunt 바카라사이트 effectiveness of 바카라사이트 initiative.

¡°Without standardisation¡­of 바카라사이트 algorithms behind 바카라사이트 classification, GPA will undermine 바카라사이트 confidence that employers have in 바카라사이트 system,¡± Dr Wright said.

The event also heard concerns about 바카라사이트 effectiveness of external examining, with Viscount Hanworth, emeritus professor of econometrics and computational statistics at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester, claiming he had been ¡°hugely pressurised¡± by institutions in which he had been an external examiner to give comments that could be ¡°helpfully placed on 바카라사이트 website in order to bolster 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 university¡±. O바카라사이트r speakers questioned whe바카라사이트r external examiners were sufficiently independent or had enough time to undertake 바카라사이트ir task effectively.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com