Contract grading - traditional grading: A comparison

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
James M. Eddy, Department Head and Professor (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: The study compared the relationship of the contract plan of student evaluation and a traditional type of evaluation, for changes in knowledge and attitudes during a college course in ecological relationships. The Syracuse Environmental Awareness Test- was used to measure both cognitive and affective changes. In the experimental group the contract, plan of evaluation was utilized. Subjects were evaluated on .the number of course objectives which were completed satisfactorily. In the control group, a traditional type of student evaluation was used. The students we evaluated on the scores they received on three examinations. Although there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups when compared, there' were several factors which gave credence to the hypothesis that the traditional method was superior to the contract method. First, there was a significant increase in cognitive knowledge for the control group between the pretest and the posttest, while in the experimental group there was no significant increase.'" Second, the experimental group. had a larger percentage of Health Science majors than did the control group. If it is valid to assume that Health Science majors would be more highly motivated to do well in a course in their major field of study; then the experimental group should have demonstrated greater increases in cognitive and affective behavior.

Additional Information

Publication
Resources in Education, ERIC #134623, 9, 5: 16pp
Language: English
Date: 1977
Keywords
contract grading, traditional grading, student evaluation

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