Beyond HEQCO's Skills Assessments: Validation of a Measure of Students' Academic Capital and Evidence of Grade Inflation in Ontario's High Schools and Universities

Autor/inn/en	Côté, James E.; Grayson, J. Paul; Roberts, Sharon; Chen, Liang Hsuan
Titel	Beyond HEQCO's Skills Assessments: Validation of a Measure of Students' Academic Capital and Evidence of Grade Inflation in Ontario's High Schools and Universities
Quelle	In: Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, (2020) 194, S.16-38 (23 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1207-7798
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; College Readiness; Academic Ability; Grades (Scholastic); Student Satisfaction; Student Attitudes; Academic Persistence; Student Characteristics; Background; Family Characteristics; Gender Differences; At Risk Students; Grade Inflation; College Students; First Generation College Students; Foreign Students; Canada + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Notenspiegel; Schülerverhalten; Hintergrundinformation; Geschlechterkonflikt; Collegestudent; Kanada
Abstract	In the U.S., it is well documented that many students enter universities unprepared, lacking the basic academic skills necessary for optimal, or even positive, outcomes. However, less evidence has been reported on this problem in Canada, and there appears to be a public impression that Canada's universities have higher standards, on average, than American universities. This perception is reflected in documents produced by the Ontario Government, but documents prepared by independent sources, such as Statistics Canada and the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), suggest otherwise. The present article adds to this independent literature, reporting on a new empirical measure based on a suite of questions assessing the basic academic skills necessary to meet the challenges of higher education. Seven sets of skills were identified, and through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, two forms of academic capital were identified, as were three clusters of students. Evidence for the validity of these measures was found in terms of hypothesized associations with student grades, satisfaction, and thoughts of dropping out. Demographic differences (e.g., family background, gender) were minimal. The results suggest that a majority of Ontario's university students are at risk of sub-optimal academic outcomes, including a sizeable minority that is likely dysfunctional in contexts in which using basic academic skills would be necessary to pass courses if it were not for grade inflation. These students report lower grades, greater dissatisfaction with the university experience, and more frequent thoughts of dropping out. Policy implications are discussed in terms of what governments, secondary schools, and universities might do to reduce skill deficiencies and the associated negative experiences with post-secondary education. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Canadian Association for the Study of Educational Administration. Available from: College of Education, University of Saskatchewan. Tel: 306-966-7619; Web site: https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/cjeap/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01