90% failure rate in mid term exam

[inbangkok]

I worked for many years as a professor in the USA, and your experience here is the same as in the USA. To fail a student, the professor must provide an inordinate amount of documentation (well beyond simple test scores). Moreover, students may retake the class until they pass. Often, the professor is held accountable for the student's performance. For graduate schools, teaching is considered a joke by the students. In order to retain accreditation credentials, programs must demonstrate a substantial graduation rate. As a professor, I was told routinely to change grades. At the last university I worked, i was called out for identifying a student who had graduated with a bachelor's degree and was admitted to graduate school...yet she had an IQ that was on the order of 80. Essentially, her literacy was at the 6th grade level. She had been passed over and over again, with a C grade. She was admitted to graduate school with standardized test scores that were at the 4th percentile. In the USA, this is particularly true for Black students, where the threat of discrimination is compounded by the influence of affirmative action. This established pattern of academic evisceration has prompted scholar Charles Murray to declare that an undergraduate degree (even from places such as Harvard) is useless in informing an employer about the cognitive ability or academic skills of an individual. Sadly, it's true. A degree no longer tells us about the ability, interest, or potential of an individual. Thankfully, some professions (namely medicine) still rely on tests and boards to grant credentials.

What schools did you work at as a professor in the USA where you were told to change grades? Sorry but I think you are not telling the truth.

I don't believe it either.......

[thailiketoo]

I worked for many years as a professor in the USA, and your experience here is the same as in the USA. To fail a student, the professor must provide an inordinate amount of documentation (well beyond simple test scores). Moreover, students may retake the class until they pass. Often, the professor is held accountable for the student's performance. For graduate schools, teaching is considered a joke by the students. In order to retain accreditation credentials, programs must demonstrate a substantial graduation rate. As a professor, I was told routinely to change grades. At the last university I worked, i was called out for identifying a student who had graduated with a bachelor's degree and was admitted to graduate school...yet she had an IQ that was on the order of 80. Essentially, her literacy was at the 6th grade level. She had been passed over and over again, with a C grade. She was admitted to graduate school with standardized test scores that were at the 4th percentile. In the USA, this is particularly true for Black students, where the threat of discrimination is compounded by the influence of affirmative action. This established pattern of academic evisceration has prompted scholar Charles Murray to declare that an undergraduate degree (even from places such as Harvard) is useless in informing an employer about the cognitive ability or academic skills of an individual. Sadly, it's true. A degree no longer tells us about the ability, interest, or potential of an individual. Thankfully, some professions (namely medicine) still rely on tests and boards to grant credentials.

What schools did you work at as a professor in the USA where you were told to change grades? Sorry but I think you are not telling the truth.

Let's put it this way. It would be pretty much weird if he'd "just made this story up".

Lets put it this way. I taught in the USA on a college level and his story is pretty much weird. If you have any factual experience about making up grades in the USA feel free to add it. No? Didn't think so because it's BS.

Check out the freshman retention rates at the link below.

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/freshmen-least-most-likely-return/page+11

[Fatty123]

A few years ago I realised the best way to handle those feelings. You cannot change the system. It would be tough to do, even in your own country. To do so as a non immigrant temporary employee (as 99% of foreign teachers are in Thailand) is not possible. However, you can do the following:

1. Do the best job possible.

2. Try and make the lessons interesting or fun (not saying you don't by the way)

3. Who cares if they pass them all? Surely the 'deep' learning is more important. Will they remember what you've taught them? Can you make it useful and relevant to them?

In the west (UK), kids are taught just to pass exams at the moment. The government have realised they need good pass rates to be popular. Most kids leave the school system with no memory of what they've been taught. They were shown how to pass the exam questions. Parrot fashion. And that's it in most cases. I'm have about 18 months of my Ed degree in the UK remaining. I am a mature student and most of my peers are between the ages of 19-24. I'm in my late 30s. Most (if not all) of my peers have very poor levels of written English/grammar. But, they all got grade A or B at English and a few have A level English. They are passing anyone. It's not so different. Yes, you can fail in the west...but people are getting incredible grades for being pretty average.

So, if you like living in Thailand...stay. Just accept you can't change the system. If they pass them all, forget about it. Just teach them anyway. Who cares about the piece of paper (certificate) anyway? The learning is what counts.

Edited December 8, 2014 by Fatty123

[Chao Lao Beach]

I hate to ask, is it the same with Medical Degrees here?

Have a bad feeling, it might be the case.

Considering the cars that most med interns drive doing their time n the training hospitals, I suspect so.

PS, full of, Benz, BMW;s and fast cars.