Duke University Professor Calls It Like It Is

Michael Allen Gillespie, a professor of political science and of philosophy at Duke University, has written a revealing piece in The Chronicle of Higher Education.  I recommend it for its honesty about grading (or not really grading) and about professors “cheating” students by not fairly grading them in a way that shows them what they still need to learn and understand.  Here is the link http://chronicle.com/blogs/conversation/2014/01/14/degradation/

After reading Professor Gillespie’s piece, I recommend reading my post Insightful Commenter on New York Times Economix Blog .  It gives a good indication of what many students really believe.

Here is the comment about Prof. Gillespie’s piece that I posted on The Chronicle.  (It is similar to the comment I made in my post New York Times Behind the Times.  Grade Inflation is Sooo 20th Century.)

“Grade inflation? That is sooo 20th century.   We are now in a deflationary period.  I call it “content deflation”.  It’s so much easier for everyone.  The tests are easier for professor and student alike.  Administrators hold it in high regard.  With “content deflation”, our “customers” (once quaintly called “students”) not only get a good grade with little real learning, there isn’t even much there to trouble the “customers” with.  So, now we don’t have to dumb down the test.  And the student and his/her parents can leave assured that they learned all that was required in order to be competent in X.  After all, they went to an “elite” school.”

For anyone who hasn’t really seen content deflation encouraged by administrators,  you can read my personal experience with content deflation at Washington University in St. Louis.  It’s on my blog www.inside-higher-ed.com .  Click on A Tale Out of School – A Case Study in Higher Education.

I can’t post this without thanking Professor Gillespie for being honest and calling “cheating” by its real name. Thank you.”