QUESTION
Course code 8602
Level: B.Ed Solved Assignment
Course code 8602
Level: B.Ed Solved Assignment
ANSWER
Calculating CGPA and Assigning Letter Grades
CGPA stands for Cumulative Grade
Point Average. It reflects the grade point average of all subjects/courses
regarding a student’s performance in a composite way. To calculate CGPA, we
should have the following information.
Marks in each subject/course
• Grade point average in each subject/course
• Total credit hours (by adding
credit hours of each subject/course)
Calculating CGPA is very simple
the total grade point average is divided by total credit hours. For example, if
a student's MA Education program has studied 12 courses, each of 3 credits. The
total credit hours will be 36. The CGPA will be 36/12 = 3.0
Assigning letter grades
The letter grade system is the most popular in the world including Pakistan. Most teachers face problems while assigning grades. There are four core problems or issues in this regard;
1) what should be included in a letter grade,
2) how should achievement data be combined in assigning letter grades?
3) what frame of reference should be used in grading, and
4) how should the distribution of letter grades be determined?
Determining what to include in a
grade Letter grades are likely to be most meaningful and useful when they
represent achievement only. If they are communicated with other factors or
aspects such as effort of work completed, personal conduct, and so on, their
interpretation will become hopelessly confused. For example, a letter grade of C
may represent average achievement with extraordinary effort and excellent
conduct and behavior or vice versa. If letter grades are to be valid
indicators of achievement, they must be based on valid measures of achievement.
This involves defining objectives as intended learning outcomes and developing
or selecting tests and assessments that can measure these learning outcomes.
Combining data in assigning grades
One of the key concerns while assigning grades
is to be clear about what aspects of a student are to be assessed or what will be the
tentative weightage to each learning outcome. For example, if we decide that 35
percent weightage is to be given to mid-term assessments, 40 percent final term
tests or assessments, and 25% to assignments, presentations, classroom
participation, and conduct and behavior; we have to combine all elements by
assigning appropriate weights to each element, and then use these composite
scores as a basis for grading.
Selecting the proper frame of reference for grading
Letter grades are typically assigned based on one of the following frames of reference.
a)
Performance of other group members
(relative grading)
b)
Performance concerning specified standards
(absolute grading)
c)
Performance concerning learning ability
(amount of improvement)
Assigning grades on a relative basis involves comparing
a student’s performance with that of a reference group, mostly class fellows.
In this system, the grade is determined by the student’s relative position or
ranking in the total group. Although relative grading has the disadvantage of a
shifting frame of reference (i.e. grades depend upon the group’s ability), it
is still widely used in schools, as most of the time our system of testing is
‘norm-referenced’.
Assigning grades on an absolute basis involves
comparing a student’s performance to specified standards set by the teacher.
This is what we call ‘criterion-referenced’ testing. If all students show a
low level of mastery consistent with the established performance standard, all
will receive low grades. The student performance about the learning
ability is inconsistent with a standard[1]based system of
evaluating and reporting student performance. The improvement over a short
period is difficult. Thus lack of reliability in judging achievement about ability and in judging degree of improvement will result in grades
of low dependability. Therefore such grades are used as supplementary to other
grading systems.
Determining the distribution of grades
The assigning
of relative grades is essentially a matter of ranking the student in order of
overall achievement and assigning letter grades based on each student’s
rank in the group. This ranking might be limited to a single classroom group or
might be based on the combined distribution of several classroom groups taking
the same course. If grading on the curve is to be done, the most sensible approach
in determining the distribution of letter grades in a school is to have the
school staff set general guidelines for introductory and advanced courses.
All staff members must understand the basis for
assigning grades, and this basis must be clearly communicated to users of the
grades. If the objectives of a course are clearly mentioned and the standards
for mastery appropriately set, the letter grades in an absolute system may be
defined as the degree to which the objectives have been attained, as follows.
A = Outstanding (90 to 100%) B = Very Good (80-89%) C = Satisfactory (70-79%) D
= Very Weak (60-69%) F = Unsatisfactory (Less than 60%)
