students response

students response Order Description   First post student name is Rosa; Take and defend a position about whether you would or would not agree to "curve" the grades Tests are for a variety of reasons. Tests are given for admissions purposes, progress throughout the program, to assess student attainment of learning outcomes, and exit exams. Billings & Halstead (2016) add, the National League For Nursing recommends faculty make thoughtful decisions and understand how the test was developed, what constructs the test measures, the validity and reliability of the test, the readability of the test items, and the presence of linguistic or cultural bias. Developing a test is a difficult task; test must be based on evidence, follow best practices, and requires much thought and planning. Once a test has been completed and graded, educators have the option of curving a grade. There are two forms of grading options educators can use; there is norm- referenced or criterion-references measurements. According to (2001), norm-referenced measurement is used to separate students based on achievement level by comparing their achievement to the achievement of other students. This type of measurement is called grading on a "curve." Comparing students achievements to an instructor- chosen standard instead of to the achievement of other students is called criterion-referenced measurement (Aviles, 2001). By using criterion-referenced measurement, this helps educators achieve whether students achieve the levels we expect form them. Grading on curve is commonly referred to as adding points to all grades to bring the highest test scores up to the 100 point average (Kulick & Wright, 2008). Grading on a curve is not uncommon is higher education and in more common in large classes. I do not have an issue with curving a test grade. Although, I would carefully exam all avenues. The first step would be to consider the content of the material, such as: difficulty of the content, the validity and reliability, and other factors. After carefully examination of these factors, I would then decide whether or not to grade on a "curve." Although, I never asked an instructor to "curve" a grade, I was always grateful when it happened. References: Aviles, C.B. (2001). Grading with norm-referenced or criterion-referenced measurements: to curve or not to curve, that is the question. Social Work Education, 20(5), 603-608.doi:10.1080/02615470120064750 Billings, D.M., & Halstead, J.A. (2016). Teaching in nursing. A guide for faculty (5th ed). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Kulick, G., & Wright,R. (2008). The impact of grading on the curve: A simulation analysis. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 2(2), 5. Second post student name is Rebecca If I were informed as an instructor, of students observed cheating during an exam I would take additional time at the end of my next class to address how important integrity is not only in the professional field they chose but in life. I would explain that someone had notified me that some students were observed cheating. I would then take the time to review the syllabus and reiterate the school’s academic policies regarding cheating, which they signed at the beginning of the semester (Bart, 2011). Since I did not observe the cheating I would not feel at liberty to pull students aside or accuse students of cheating. If a situation occurred and I did observe it I would collect their exam, and dismiss them from the class. I would then discuss the situation with the head of the nursing department and see the proper steps to follow up with the student. I would never meet with a student alone, as then you have no support or documentation from a third party to validate the conversation. Instructors should think outside the box in preparing their curriculum. Prevention strategies for cheating should be employed in advance to avoid these situations. It is important that instructors go over the syllabus entirely including the section on academic dishonesty. An acknowledgment statement should be turned in by the students after the syllabus has been discussed. If instructors discuss expectations up front it is easier for students to follow. When test taking within the classroom, make students bring all belongings to the front of the room and leave it, only taking their writing utensil to their seat. The seating would be every other seat, so no one is in front of or beside another. There will be more than one version of the test, and when passed out, they will be randomly spread around the room (Billings, 2016). Test keys would not be used for the tests due to students finding them available on the internet and other sources. Additionally, the test will be individualized with an essay question which will allow students to articulate their knowledge and understanding (Weimer, 2015). The test will be changed after each semester. Students may not leave the room until they have completed their exam. One would hope as an instructor that your curriculum engages all types of students and encourages their desire to learn; however, cheating prevention is an active part of the instructor’s curriculum. References Bart, M. (2011). Five Ways to Tackle Cheating in College. Retrieved from Faculty Focus: https://www.facultyfocus.com/.../five_ways_to_tackle_cheating-in-college/ Billings, D.M., & Halstead, J.A. (2016). Teaching in nursing. A guide for faculty (5th ed). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Weimer, M. (2015). Advantages and disadvantages of different types of test questions. Faculty Focus.