Great article from Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, president emeritus at George Washington University, on grade inflation at Harvard, where the median grade given is an A- and the most frequent grade awarded is an A. An excerpt: Grades serve several purposes. They are a tool that measures a student's progress in relation to others in a class; they allow financial aid and scholarship committees to assess merit; and they culminate in a 4-year overall performance record in the form of a college transcript. Academic strengths and weaknesses are discovered over a period of time. … [Read more...] about Harvard University and Grade Inflation
Thriving at College
Why Do Students Drop Out of MOOCs?
MOOCs--massively open online courses--are all the rage in some circles, believed to be on the verge of putting all but the most elite college campuses out of business over the next decade. Although I agree that online learning has the potential to augment and transform traditional education delivery methods, I'm not convinced that colleges en masse will go the way of the dinosaur anytime soon (unless their leadership is corrupt or incompetent). For one, MOOCs have a drop out rate of about … [Read more...] about Why Do Students Drop Out of MOOCs?
Why Tough Teachers Get Good Results
This book sounds totally awesome, particularly for parents or anyone in the education system (K-12 or college). I say that based on co-author Joanne Lipman's recent article in the Wall Street Journal, entitled, "Why Tough Teachers Get Good Results." Lipman argues, "It's time to revive old-fashioned education. Not just traditional but old-fashioned in the sense that so many of us knew as kids, with strict discipline and unyielding demands. Because here's the thing: It works." She articulates these eight principles for tough teaching: 1. A little pain is good for you. 2. Drill, baby, … [Read more...] about Why Tough Teachers Get Good Results
How Many HS Students are “College-Ready”?
Less than half, according to the College Board. Julia Ryan, writing in today's Atlantic, reports: Of the 1.66 million high school students in the class of 2013 who took the SAT, only 43 percent were academically prepared for college-level work, according to this year’s SAT Report on College & Career Readiness. For the fifth year in a row, fewer than half of SAT-takers received scores that qualified them as “college-ready.” … [Read more...] about How Many HS Students are “College-Ready”?
The Challenges of College Life
Focus on the Family's Jim Daly and John Fuller had an excellent discussion with three presidents of Christian colleges, Dr. Sandra Gray (Asbury University), Dr. Michael Lindsay (Gordon College), and Dr. Pete Menjares (Fresno Pacific University). They discussed the common challenges facing college students (e.g., the dangers of the party lifestyle, the spiritual transition of making their faith their own, the financial costs associated with higher education, etc.). The show was broadcast last month, and is just under 30 minutes in length. … [Read more...] about The Challenges of College Life
Syllabus Shock
Reality is beginning to set in for college freshmen everywhere. A few months ago I wrote an article entitled Syllabus Shock for the Christian College Guide. Here's the opening: One of the first surprises of college gets distributed during the very first meeting of every class: a syllabus. Students who know what's on the syllabus usually earn higher grades than those who don't. And they always make a better impression on their professors. I know this is true because I'm a professor at California Baptist University in Riverside, California. But I was once a college freshman too.Here's a link … [Read more...] about Syllabus Shock