Grade Inflation and the "Process of Learning" by Dr. Wojciech Mrozek

Dr. Wojciech Mrozek

Paradoxically, the inflation of grades in the U.S. universities and colleges is neither about the grades nor their inflation.  If this was the case, then the solution could be straightforward: since the grades are inflated, one just has to lower every grade from A to B, from B to C and so on. Yet, the solution is not that simple, because the problem is bigger than the grades. I would argue that the problem is directly related to the crisis of the educational system. 

What is the purpose of education? Why do we learn? Why do people pay money (in some cases a substantial amount of money) in order to attend a school? The typical answers to those questions are as follow: “I need that degree to earn more money.” “I need to graduate to advance in my career.”  “I have to become more competitive in the job market.” To be honest, those statements are perfectly fine, but they cannot be the main reasons why we learn.  Yet, as long as we choose to answer those questions in a very pragmatic way, we will face the problem of focusing our attention on the highest possible grades earned. In other words, as long as education is seen as a commodity that can simply be bought and sold, or as an investment that can bring about a certain profit, then the grades are going to be the most important part of the learning process.  The investments must pay off the highest interests, meaning the highest grades because the investor expects the highest profit (the highest grades), and the institutions of higher education do not want to disappoint their investors (students). If that is the case, then the students, whether labeled as consumers or investors, would demand the highest possible grades and challenge any grade that does not fulfill their expectations. The outcome of such an approach is the “entitlement attitude” on the part of the students, and the “compliance attitude” on the part of the educational institution. Yet, I strongly believe that education is not a commodity, it has value in itself and the grades should be seen as a byproduct and not the main focus of the learning process.

Furthermore, I believe that education is not simply about teaching. It is primarily about learning. Education is not merely about what I teach, but it is more about what you learn. I believe that if the emphasis is on the latter, then the pressure of getting the highest grade would be minimized, and the students would gradually realize that the goal of education is not purely the final grade (which still is important), but the comprehension and skills they have discovered through their learning experience.

Unfortunately, there is not a simple solution to the problem of grade inflation. However, I believe that the initial step that may lead to a gradual solution is to change the focus of education from earning grades or degrees to learning and experiencing something new. If the students (and the instructors) increasingly change the focus from the grades to the learning process, then, I believe, we are on the right path. Instead of asking, “What grade did I get” one should ask, “What have I learned?” “How can I improve?” “Have I really achieved my best?”

Of course, we still needs grades, we have to recognize the achievements and accomplishments of every individual learner. The question is how to do it?

In every human interaction, there is a certain tension between subjectivity and objectivity. The relationship between the students and the instructor is not excluded from this tension. Yet, subjectivity is not only the problem of the instructor who is grading a paper; the student has his or her subjective interpretation too. Now, the question transforms into: Can any grade be ever objective? 

There is a further tension between objectivity and fairness. Which grade is objective? Which grade is fair? Does objective mean fair? What should we emphasize, objectivity or fairness? Should we pay attention to both?

Another tension is between the process of learning and the final product. While grading, are we looking at the final product or at the process? Are we rewarding just the basic value of the assignment or the work involved in accomplishing the assignment? Are we helping the student to achieve his/her best potentials (thus learning) or just judging the final paper? (I do not even know who wrote the final paper. See: The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 12, 2010. The Shadow Scholar. The man who writes your students' papers tells his story.)

Still another tension is between the uniqueness and individuality of every student and the standardization of the students’ achievements. We live in a society where individuality is highly regarded, almost essential to our identity as human beings. On the other hand, when it comes to education, we have standardized, numeric tests to define the value of a particular achievement, which effectively destroy individuality.

If the goal of education is achieving certain standards, then what should the standards be? Should it be the accomplishment of certain numeric values? Or the standard should be defined in terms of learning, widening horizons, growing and experiencing oneself and the outside world in a new and a very personal and individual way? The question is then, how do we measure the achievements? How do we recognize the individual accomplishments?

Dr. Mrozek is an adjunct instructor with Centenary College's School of Professional Studies; he teaches courses in Religion, Philosophy, and Academic Foundations.

Frank Longo Receives 2011 CAPS Adjunct Excellence Award

At the faculty workshop on Saturday, June 18, 2011 we proudly presented the 2011 CAPS Adjunct Excellence Award to Mr. Frank Longo.

Frank teaches finance and accounting in the CAPS program.

When students attest that Frank takes the mystery out of finance and, moreover, convinces them that "finance is fun", you know a special teacher is in your midst.

The selection process was multi-faceted. We first cemented the criteria: "The winner should be an instructor who brings not only knowledge and expertise into the classroom, but also passion for the material, respect and care for the students, a patient and uplifting demeanor, and a genuine love for teaching. Ultimately, this instructor's students achieve deep learning in a meaningful and relevant fashion" ** see footnote below **

We next asked students to nominate instructors based on that criteria; they embraced the request: 47 students submitted nominations, in some cases accompanied by a page-long testament, and 25 different instructors received nominations. Read these stats as you will, but I think an easy take-away is that your students appreciate the efforts behind quality teaching and will go out of their way to acknowledge it.

Finally, a panel of 5 CAPS staff members reviewed each nomination and thoroughly deliberated until consensus was reached.

How did we decide upon Frank Longo? The words of his students (below) will provide you the answer.

“He has a genuine love for teaching”

“He connects with his students”

“His passion for the course comes through with transferred excitement”

“He makes our entire class want to be taught”

“He has the ability to effectively identify and address individual needs of students while moving the whole class forward effectively.”

“He has a willingness to work with our class until we get what is being taught. If it takes additional hours to get us there, he puts in those hours.”

“His teaching approach is multi-faceted providing an enriched learning environment.”

“He used a variety of tools for learning.”

“He understands that finance is a course that builds.”

“His use of humor keeps students motivated and engaged.”

“He has the most patience of anyone I know.”

“He gave me the confidence to really break through and understand.”

“He helped me to see that finance is fun or in my case a whole lot less scary.”

Congratulations, Frank, and thank you for your hard work, your dedication to your students, and your commitment to teaching excellence.

**A footnote: You should know that we had Scott Williams in mind when setting our criteria for this award. A model adjunct and good friend, Scott passed away in December; he was a quiet mentor to many and an irreplaceable part of the CAPS fabric. When Scott offered advice it was wise to listen. Unfailingly honest and caring, he worked from the assumption that his students and colleagues had the responsibility -- and the ability -- to set and meet high expectations. Too late, I know, but to honor his good works we named Scott as an honorary recipient of the CAPS Adjunct Excellence Award.

In Memory of our Friend, Scott R. Williams

The Rules of Engagement

In the prior post, you read Instructor John Bermingham's thoughts on engaging adult students. John has penned an expanded version of his thoughts on the topic that I wish to share with you.

John teaches Business Law and Business Ethics. Walk past his classroom on any given night and you will witness an energy exchange in progress. There is a sense of shared excitement about the subject matter, from both student and instructor, demonstrating that John is, indeed, gifted at engaging his students. He recognizes that adult students need to be active participants in the learning process, engaged in a way that is relevant to them. Click here to read John's excellent piece, titled "The Rules and Tools of Engagement."

The Hedgehog and the Fox

“The fox knows many little things but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” - Archilochus

It was suggested by Sir Isaiah Berlin that perhaps all thinkers could be classified as either hedgehogs or as foxes. The hedgehog (i.e., Darwin) views everything through a single, governing principle. It accepts one great truth that informs all others. The fox (i.e., Shakespeare) believes in multiple means and truths even if wholly unrelated. In his book “Good to Great,” Jim Collins seizes on this concept and suggests that great organizations identify, in hedgehog fashion, the one thing at which they excel and leverage it fully. It is an interesting idea and I pondered its applicability to teaching.

Thus, as a thought exercise, I asked several of our CAPS instructors to assume the role of hedgehog, regardless of their natural inclinations, and try to identify one “big thing” which is the root of good teaching in an accelerated, adult program. Below you will find their aggregated responses.

As I read the varied entries, I wonder if my hedgehog approach has generated an end product that is fox-like in essence. Whatever the species of their creation, there is much to be learned from our esteemed colleagues and I thank them for their time and input.

The official query: If you had to boil it down -- to a single, big idea -- what is your approach to successfully teaching in the Centenary College CAPS program?

The unedited responses:

Daniel J. Lane – English and History

It can NEVER BE one single component that is ultimately successful for all instructors. I would look to my "prior knowledge" of Current Events, a strong sense of past/current Literacy Movements, and, a clear understanding of Human Behavior.

In order to "seduce" new students intellectually and emotionally, the person who delivers the content MUST be devoid of "ego".

That is not to say a lack of confidence as much as it allows/encourages our students to step outside the box of learning to gain some academic confidence in a new milieu.

Personality is a huge factor in why my students are compelled to achieve significantly higher than other students.

I utilize the John Wooden teaching philosophy. We never discuss final grades, yet, each week becomes a clear grade process that encourages them to not ask how am I doing but how can I learn/achieve more during the remaining weeks.

My students get the opportunity to discover/investigate/pick my brain on a multiplicity of levels.

William Lorenzo - History

In every cohort that I have taught and continue to teach, I impress on my adult learners to always strive for excellence and never settle for mediocrity. As graduates of Centenary College they have an obligation to go out into the world and make it a better place than what it is.

Tim Captain – Economics and Marketing Research

My approach to teaching students in the CAPS program is to constantly relate principles from the course to the real world. I'll highlight current news stories, as well as examples from my own professional and personal life, to illustrate these concepts in action, and then I'll encourage students to share ways that these principles relate to their own lives--both as businesspeople and as consumers. Students are often surprised to find how abstract concepts like price elasticity of demand actually relate to their everyday lives.


John A. Bermingham, Jr. – Business Law and Business Ethics

If I had to boil it down to one single method or rule for successfully teaching in Centenary College’s CAPS program, I would have to say it is “engagement.” Engaging a class means ‘the act of occupying the attention or efforts of a person or persons’. It is not just gaining and attracting students’ attention, but holding and maintaining it for a period of time. In order to keep my students engaged, I stay engaged myself and enthusiastic about the material I present. Additionally, I see myself as more a facilitator than a lecturer, introducing current events, real-life scenarios, role-playing, debate and maintaining a constantly interactive learning environment. No matter how you break it up, four hours is a substantial amount of time to be sitting in a classroom at the end of an already long work day. I find that changing things up and using several different methods of instruction helps to maintain students’ attention and stimulates their learning experience.

An eight-week course goes by very quickly and the students have to take in a lot of information in a short period of time. It is crucial that I remain a constant presence on Blackboard whether I am teaching a class on-line or in the traditional classroom setting. Blackboard is the class homeroom where students go on a daily basis for e-mails, discussion boards, assignments, or grades. I find that just sending out a daily e-mail to my class with an inspirational quote motivates them, lets them know I am on Blackboard, and that I am very accessible to answer any questions or concerns they may have.

I try to follow the words of Thomas Groome as he writes in his book, Educating for Life: A Spiritual Vision for Every Teacher and Parent that “educators should cooperate with the learner as a question raiser, coach, companion, and friend; always addressing interests, suggesting connections, encouraging reflection, giving examples, using imagery, inviting decision, and making connections with prior knowledge and experience.” I place myself by my students’ sides, letting them know that as we discuss a concept or current event I, as the instructor, will facilitate the educational process using the Socratic method of teaching; however, they, as the student, need to challenge me as we explore and discuss each concept or analysis. All of these methods, practices and theories are some ways to keep me engaged as an instructor and lifelong learner, and to hopefully provide a stimulating, interesting and engaging learning experience for the CAPS student.

Mary Gormley - English

I would have to say that the single biggest element in teaching in this program is flexibility. Students are often coming directly from work, and need time to let down their guard. A few minutes of "how's it going kind of talk" gives them time to unwind and the teacher the ability to assess which way to take the class that night. Because these students come from varying backgrounds flexibility is also key to effectively raise the bar without overwhelming the cohort.

Lynn Wocell – Art Appreciation

Teaching the Art Appreciation class successfully in the Centenary CAPS Program for the past 10 years occurred by understanding the nature of the adult learner. Adult learners want to know how to accomplish their goals efficiently and effectively. Most learners are juggling multiple responsibilities and do not want their time wasted. They come to class ready to work and want to be provided with a clear understanding of the task and how to accomplish goals avoiding any bumps in the road. To meet those needs I provide clear expectations of course objectives, engaging materials and well designed learning assignments. Discussions require students to be actively engaged and to associate and demonstrate their understanding of the subject (art) often by using experiential methods.

Adult learners come to class with a wealth of life and work experiences. I call upon students to relate to the subject by associating and building on those experiences. I provide assignments that have relevance and meaning. One recent example of how this was done by a learning team illustrates efficient, meaningful and experiential teaching and learning methods. The learning team, after carefully outlining their team project and specific goal in mind, met in Central Park to take photos for their multimedia presentation “Hidden Art in Central Park”. They collaboratively captured various visual elements evident in art and architecture throughout the park. After the photo shoot the team all proceeded to the Metropolitan Museum of Art nearby to also accomplish the required museum visit and paper. Their objectives were met by drawing on real life experience, which in turn provided a richer learning experience in a time efficient manner. Helping the CAPS learners to achieve success in meaningful and engaging ways has been a key to my success in the Centenary CAPS Program.

A Message from Dr. Letson re: Master Syllabus Methodology

Dear All,

In order to foster consistency and quality in our CAPS program and to be in compliance with the increasing need for transparency and accountability as required by Middle States, we have elected to utilize a master syllabus methodology to manage course development and delivery.

The benefits of this methodology are:

1. The master syllabus contains provisions needed to meet accreditation requirements.

2. The master syllabus focuses on those elements that are common to all offerings of the same course, aiding in the consistency of meeting course, program and college-wide learning objectives. This respects the academic freedom for adjunct faculty who wish to expand upon the basic framework, while leaving the required course assessments consistent.

3. The master syllabus is linked to the institution’s core curriculum content and evaluation process. Mandated elements are specifically addressed in master syllabus learning outcomes, and are part of the program learning outcomes assessment matrix as established by the full-time program faculty.

4. The master syllabus is managed electronically making it available to faculty, 24-7.

To be certain that you are using the most current version of the master syllabi, please make sure that visit the instructor lounge before teaching any courses for the upcoming 2010 calendar.
If you need assistance accessing the syllabi, please contact Lenore Goldberg at goldbergl@centenarycollege.edu.

If you have any questions please contact Anthony Yacullo at yaculloa@centenarycollege.edu.

Best,

Deirdre Letson

"My 'day job' has come alive."

Different motivations draw us into the Centenary College classrooms yet, once there, we share an identical opportunity, and that is to change lives. Our own slice of the College, the Adult Program, has a special identity. Our educational product is rooted in adult learning theory, oriented in a student-centered perspective, problem based, and applicable. If you ever doubt the power of those forces, I invite you to read the piece of student feedback (exerpted below) that came across my desk recently.

Ellen Boltizar (pictured) is a colleague who teaches Management Information Systems and Global Business in Centenary's adult program. Postive feedback about Ellen is routine but the depth and passion of this particular feedback is striking. When a student labels your class "life changing" and thanks you for making their day job "come alive", you have achieved something of which to be proud. Great job, Ellen.

For your consideration are the direct words of a student describing the impact of Ellen's Global Business Course:

"I want to pause in this fast-paced world and sincerely thank you for a very well taught, dynamic, and thought-provoking 'Global Business Environment' class. From the title and day 0, I never thought it would engender such mental creativity and have such intense personal and immediate application. Never.

This class represents a turning point for me though, a life-changing moment of clarity ...Through this class you've focused on culture from the inside out (firm) and the outside in nationalistic/country. With your (rare in academic circles) life-experience, you've made the book-speak tangible and germane.

You've often not just provided a foil for me to see 'big idea' application, you've demonstrated an active listening approach, empathy and provided insight and alternatives to my sometimes rutted thoughts of trying to be strategic in a very transactional wireless world -- in an industry enduring massive inflexive transformations and consolidations.

To be honest, I've come to find over my life -- and never in such a concentrated form as this MBA series -- that one doesn't know what knowledge one has until it's reflected back to them through unselfish service.

Put in real terms, by applying the principles, approaches and considerations taught in your class, my 'day-job' has come alive. Kind of like a high tech 'Night at the Museum 2'.

In a larger context for me, you've woven together -- and I've apparently absorbed -- earlier course teachings in marketing, business, legal, economic and distribution ... now adding cultural and critical research/insights needed to not only gain a personal understanding of the in-country selling/buying environment, but also, as I've been told by my constituents, leadership and colleagues, allowing me during my facilitations to come across and coach in a sincere, knowledgeable, and sensitive way as I discuss local and distant business cultural success and alignment factors.

This is a very rare thing to happen, especially to put this newly acquired knowledge to use so soon, especially considering the ultra-compressed timescale we followed in class. It's the very reason why I committed to go back to school -- specifically to gain new perspectives and tools to broaden my mental horizon -- making me more effective at work.

I'm sincerely and gratefully able to say that I've achieved that end, and I want to take a brief moment to acknowledge you for your very creative, passionate, and enduring approach to Global Business -- not the least being your drive to share it with students.

In short, I care because you care about your work, the profession you tend to, and the ever-evolving business journey. It shows in you, and it sticks with me. I hope to be able to remain in touch with you over time if that would not be a burden -- perhaps in an informal mentor role.

My best to you for the upcoming Summer and in all life brings your way."

Accessing Your Course Materials

For your convenience, below is a brief refresher on accessing course materials for the new curriculum (8-week courses).

For each course, there is a standard syllabus containing the objectives, required textbook, readings, and assignments. Those are fixed features, required by the College's Academic Departments, and should not be changed. In addition, there is a companion instructor manual for most courses. The instructor manual includes further instructions for assignments, suggested classroom activities, and supplemental materials and inputs. While the syllabus is fixed, you have freedom to facilitate your class time in creative and personal ways to move learners towards the objectives.

The steps below will allow you to access your course materials:

1. Log into Blackboard
2. Click the red "Faculty/Staff" Tab atop the page
3. Click the Instructor's Lounge link
4. Enter the credentials (username = appfaculty / password = ThoseWhoCanDo)
5. Click "CAPS Adjuncts"
6. Click "Accelerated Curriculum"
7. Select either "graduate" or "undergraduate program"
8. Click the link for your course
9. Download the syllabus and instructor manual

For those with the aural fortitude to endure three-minutes of my impossibly unpleasant voice, click here for a screencast which walks through those steps.

Finally, with Labor Day approaching, we would like to thank you for your all of your hard work in making the Centenary College Adult Program an exemplar of academic excellence.