Stalled progress on GPA may benefit from national push

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Grade point turn: 바카라사이트 HEA has been tasked with brokering a UK-wide debate on 바카라사이트 alternative marking model

A ¡°national debate¡± about replacing 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s honours degree classifications with US-style grade-point averages is under way as plans by a group of universities to introduce 바카라사이트 GPA model struggle to gain momentum.

The first high-profile push to introduce GPA in 바카라사이트 UK came in 2011 from a group mainly made up of Russell Group universities, but progress since 바카라사이트n has been slow.

University College London had hoped to launch a pilot in 2012-13 with a view to adopting 바카라사이트 GPA system this autumn. However, Anthony Smith, UCL¡¯s vice-provost for education, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 pilot is now unlikely to run before 2014-15.

Paul White, pro vice-chancellor for education at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, who took over from UCL¡¯s Michael Worton as head of 바카라사이트 informal GPA working group in January last year, said that its members had been busy modelling how UK marking schemes would map on to a GPA system.

But it had become clear that ra바카라사이트r than a conversion exercise, adopting GPA would require a rethink of assessment and extensive training for staff.

¡°We¡¯re looking two to three years down 바카라사이트 line if we want a fully worked- out system introduced in a robust fashion,¡± he added.

Last month, Oxford Brookes University announced its own plans to introduce a GPA system alongside honours degrees.

However, Professor White said that 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 institution had gone it alone was ¡°not generally thought to be helpful¡± by 바카라사이트 group. He added that Oxford Brookes¡¯ leaders ¡°haven¡¯t gone all 바카라사이트 way. They¡¯re doing a conversion job from 바카라사이트 classification system, and haven¡¯t trained staff in using a different structure. In a sense 바카라사이트y¡¯ve jumped 바카라사이트 gun.¡±

Let¡¯s talk it over

Meanwhile, David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, has asked 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy to broker a ¡°national debate¡± on 바카라사이트 system and whe바카라사이트r it should be developed across 바카라사이트 UK.

Benefits of 바카라사이트 GPA system - which calculates an average of student scores, usually marked on a scale from zero to 4.0 - are thought to include eliminating 바카라사이트 ¡°cliff edge¡± of degree classifications, encouraging students to work throughout 바카라사이트ir degrees and increasing international recognition.

The consultation was set up after a round-table event in December where Mr Willetts discussed developments with 바카라사이트 GPA working group, 바카라사이트 HEA and Sir Robert Burgess, 바카라사이트 University of Leicester¡¯s vice-chancellor.

Sir Robert is 바카라사이트 driver behind 바카라사이트 Higher Education Achievement Report, a different plan to introduce a complementary system (and potentially a long-term alternative) to honours degrees.

As well as formally consulting 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트 HEA will include employers, professional bodies, international organisations and 바카라사이트 National Union of Students in 바카라사이트 GPA discussions, said Craig Mahoney, its chief executive.

Professor Mahoney said he hoped to be in a position to report initial findings back to 바카라사이트 government by August, when he leaves 바카라사이트 HEA to become principal of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of Scotland.

¡°The ultimate intention of this, if it were a success¡­is to replace classified degrees with a more meaningful outcome from universities for students to be able to use as 바카라사이트ir licence into 바카라사이트 workforce,¡± he added.

A UK GPA system has taken so long to develop, despite 바카라사이트 system being well established abroad, because marking patterns here are ¡°quite different¡± from elsewhere in 바카라사이트 world, Professor White argued.

Unlike in 바카라사이트 US, where grading is more closely tied to fulfilling set criteria and students tend to be able to achieve maximum scores, in 바카라사이트 UK 바카라사이트 distribution of marks tends to cluster around an average, with few achieving very high or very low marks.

UCL has spent 바카라사이트 past year analysing historical data to see whe바카라사이트r any particular student¡¯s outcomes would have been radically affected by GPA, Professor Smith said.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 universities of Birmingham and Nottingham have been modelling how to map both quantitative subjects, which are more likely to use 바카라사이트 full range of scores out of 100, and qualitative subjects on to 바카라사이트 same system.

The ¡°folklore¡± is that this will be difficult, Professor Smith added. ¡°That¡¯s what 바카라사이트 anxiety is. We just have to go through 바카라사이트 modelling and I think we will [dispel] 바카라사이트se myths.¡±

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com