The University's medical program, ranked 27th among the top medical schools for research by U.S. News & World Report, has recently decided to switch to a pass/fail grading system for medical students in their first and second years. The ramifications of this decision are enormous, and they reflect a growing trend in academia. Over the past decade, the academic community has adopted a new approach to learning, one that is predominately immersed in improving the self-esteem of students. This leads to a lessening of the expectations of the student to achieve, and thus diminishes standards and performance.
This school of thought has manifested itself in several different forms over the past few years. Approximately 10 years ago, Outcome Based Education (OBE) emerged at the forefront of education reform. More recently, there has been a push toward "smaller learning communities" in high schools, beginning with freshmen, and leading to the formation of "Freshman Academies," a section of a school building in which freshmen are housed separately from the rest of the school.
OBE focuses on self-esteem, emotions, environmentalism and multiculturalism and diversity. It had been instituted in many school districts in part or in full, and, due to its failure, has already been retracted in some districts. Through OBE, the honors track has been eradicated from many public schools since it is seen as a hindrance to equality. Students either take open-book tests or no tests at all. Students are encouraged to express their feelings rather than focus on the fundamentals of academics -- mathematics, the natural sciences, history, English, languages, etc.
The Freshman Academy, which is starting to be implemented in many school districts, also focuses on self-esteem and targets average students while not providing adequate attention to students who excel in the classroom. Freshmen are secluded from the rest of the student body because a few members of the class can't handle the transition from middle school to high school. Its specific purpose is to reach out to "at-risk" students; however, everyone must attend the academy.
This methodology of education, which is now rearing its head at the collegiate level, has several flaws. First, it usually abolishes a numerical or letter grading system. This creates an environment that attempts to make everyone equal. High-end achievers are stifled; individual achievement is not recognized or encouraged for fear that top performers will make the playing field unfair for others. Inevitably, standards decrease as the bar is lowered.
Second, it discourages students from exerting their best effort. There is an absence of a tangible incentive to perform at maximum potential. If a student who would normally receive an "A" for his hard work and accomplishments knows that he will get the same grade -- "pass" -- as a fellow student who just does enough work to "get by," is there any motivation for the diligent student to try his very best?
Third, student performance decreases because expectations are lowered. Studies show that after a school has undergone the implementation of OBE, test scores plummet. A report published by the Independence Institute, a public policy research institution, indicated that the students' scores on standardized math tests dropped 11 percent in Rocklin, Ca., just one year after OBE was put into practice. In Rockchester, N.Y., after four years of OBE, 70 percent of 9th graders were failing the state math test.
Now, this sentiment of "dumbing down" education has spread to the Medical School with its recent decision.
Research is underway by Robert Bloodgood, former faculty member and co-chairman of the committee at the Medical School, and Jerry Short, a Curry School of Education faculty member, to assess the effects of a pass/fail system. One can only wonder what the results will yield.
What was wrong with the old system? According to the University's Medical School Web site, some students cited the following reasons for declining admission: "A-F grading system seems to generate more stress and competition compared with pass/fail programs"; "I want a school with a less traditional curriculum and no grades"; and "I was very disappointed with the fact that UVA has letter grades still. I think that makes it a lot more stressful ?
Because a few students wanted to attend a school with no grades, no competition and no stress (can this really be identified as a school?), the University altered its grading policy.
While the intentions of reducing stress may seem noble, exposing students who will go on to be surgeons, pediatricians, specialists, etc., to stress is not a bad idea. The ability to handle stress is a good skill to master. Case in point: If a surgeon is performing open heart surgery on you, and something goes unexpectedly wrong, would you want the surgeon to panic because he can't deal with the pressure, or would you want him to be calm, cool, collected and know what to do? This stress is much greater than the stress that comes from cramming for a midterm. Shouldn't a soon-to-be-doctor be able to handle the pressure from an academic course load?
The degradation of our education system has reached its pinnacle, now infecting not just primary schools, grade schools and high schools, but also the echelons of higher education.
(Whitney Blake's column appearsFridays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at wblake@cavalierdaily.com.)
Read More
EDITORIAL: Carla Williams deserves her seat at the table
By Editorial Board | 7 hours agoLooking beyond basketball and football reveals that Virginia Athletics is, in many ways, thriving.
UPADHYAYA: The Great and not-so-Good sides of U.Va.’s 2030 housing plan
By Apal Upadhyaya | 2 days agoInstead of improving the dire state of existing infrastructure, however, the University has shifted attention away from it and chosen to expand.
EDITORIAL: Support low-barrier shelters in Charlottesville
By Editorial Board | 3 days agoInvesting in low-barrier shelters now will pay off in increased stability for the homeless, which will undoubtedly improve the safety of shelters and the community writ large.
