On the Experience of the Arab Open University with the Standard Deviation Method

Autor/inn/en	Al-Eisa, Abdulkarim S.; Alhemoud, Abdulla M.
Titel	On the Experience of the Arab Open University with the Standard Deviation Method
Quelle	In: College Teaching Methods & Styles Journal, 4 (2008) 3, S.61-72 (12 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1548-9566
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Open Universities; Arabs; Statistical Distributions; Computation; Grades (Scholastic); Grading; Scores; Graduation Requirements; Context Effect; Comparative Analysis; Kuwait; United Kingdom + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Offene Universität; Arab; Araber; Wahrscheinlichkeitsverteilung; Notenspiegel; Notengebung; Schulnote; Abschlussordnung; Großbritannien
Abstract	The Arab Open University (AOU) has adopted the standard deviation method (SDM) as a grading system in replacement of a fixed scale. Adopting SDM was intended to remedy a problem that has resulted from discrepancies between AOU's graduation requirements and those of its partner, UK Open University. This paper aims mainly at investigating whether SDM has served the purpose for which it was selected. A data set of the final letter grades of students enrolled in 18 licensed courses from UK-OU at Kuwait branch was used. These letter grades were analyzed in comparison with the letter grades that would have been assigned to students had the fixed grading scale been utilized. The results of the comparative analysis revealed that SDM resulted in benefiting 39.4% of all students and lowering the letter grades of 10.4% of the students. Despite its positive results, SDM has not contributed significantly to remedying the problem in question. Thus, a case for withholding the D grade while continuing with using SDM was presented. (Contains 9 tables and 1 figure.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10