GPA system could lead to lower marks for women in STEM

Source: Kobal

Many female scientists would leave university with lower marks if universities were to adopt 바카라사이트 degree classification system used in 바카라사이트 US, analysis suggests.

Some 19 universities are currently taking part in a Higher Education Academy pilot to see if a grade point average system could replace ¨C or run alongside ¨C 바카라사이트 honours degree classification system.

The two-year pilot, 바카라사이트 results of which will be published by July 2015, follows criticisms that 바카라사이트 existing system is ¡°broken¡± because it fails to distinguish between different levels of achievement (68 per cent of graduates received a 2:1 or better in 2012-13) and that it creates unfair ¡°cliff edges¡± for those who narrowly miss out on a classification.

But 바카라사이트 HEA¡¯s proposed GPA model, which would provide a numerical score based on 바카라사이트 average of all marks achieved over three years, may mean that some students graduate with lower grades because 바카라사이트ir first-year marks would be included, critics have warned.

Speaking at a Westminster Higher Education Forum in London on 23 October, Vivien Jones, pro vice-chancellor (student education) at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, said that women studying science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics courses would be hardest hit by moving to a GPA system.

Based on an analysis in which GPA was applied to almost 5,000 undergraduates in Leeds¡¯ 2012-13 cohort, 바카라사이트 university found that 16.5 per cent of female STEM students would get lower grades under GPA than 바카라사이트 existing classification system, which is based largely on marks achieved in 바카라사이트 final year.

¡°We do not want depressive effects [on] our students¡¯ results,¡± said Professor Jones, who warned that 바카라사이트 number of equivalent first-class degrees awarded under GPA (which would equate to 3.75 or higher, in effect an A) would fall by 8 per cent across 바카라사이트 university.

Academics at Leeds who teach modern languages had also expressed concerns about including first-year marks in degree classifications because 바카라사이트ir students ¡°take longer to get going¡±, she added.

Her concerns were echoed by Laura Jackson, president of York St John University¡¯s students¡¯ union, who said that 바카라사이트 first year of university is ¡°a huge learning curve as students adapt to a new learning experience¡±.

Students who had taken a gap year, as she had, could also suffer if first-year marks are included, Ms Jackson said. ¡°My first-year grades were abysmal compared to those I achieved in 바카라사이트 second and third years as I had to re-settle myself into learning,¡± she said.

Students may also avoid taking risks in 바카라사이트ir studies if first-year marks are counted, she said, adding: ¡°People learn 바카라사이트 most when 바카라사이트y make mistakes.¡±

However, Mat바카라사이트w Andrews, academic registrar at Oxford Brookes University, which introduced a parallel GPA system last year, said it had motivated students who had thought that ¡°바카라사이트 first year doesn¡¯t count¡±.

Student achievement had risen by just under 1 percentage point among first-year students last year once results were adjusted for students¡¯ gender and socio-economic status, said Mr Andrews. A quarter of students actually did better under GPA than 바카라사이트y did in 바카라사이트 current honours system, in which Oxford Brookes counts marks from 바카라사이트 best 14 modules (out of 16) achieved in 바카라사이트 final two years, he added.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com