ERIC Number: EJ805460
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1028-3153
EISSN: N/A
Commonwealth Degrees from Class to Equivalence: Changing to Grade Point Averages in the Caribbean
Bastick, Tony
Journal of Studies in International Education, v8 n1 p86-104 2004
British Commonwealth universities inherited the class system for classifying degrees. However, increasing global marketization has brought with it increasing demands for student exchanges, particularly with universities in North America. Hence, Commonwealth universities are considering adopting grade point averages (GPAs) for degree classification more closely corresponding with those used in U.S. universities. Linking to U.S. inflationary systems threatens to severely devalue Commonwealth degrees unless their own grade inflation is recognized and contained. This article describes the North American GPA system and how market-driven teaching creates the grade inflation it is experiencing. This is compared with grade inflation in a Caribbean Commonwealth university in the process of changing to a common GPA system. The article notes the inability of the U.S. accreditation system to halt grade inflation and recommends that Commonwealth universities changing to GPA systems consider refocusing marketing pressures away from teaching and consider various European alternatives for protecting their degree standards. (Contains 8 tables and 3 figures.)
Descriptors: Grade Point Average, Grade Inflation, Economic Climate, North Americans, Classification, Academic Standards, Grading, Student Recruitment, Educational Environment, Foreign Countries, Quality Control, Global Approach, Student Exchange Programs, Academic Degrees, Student Evaluation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: North America
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A