Confronting Our Grades: A Developmental Reading Faculty Project

Moraine Valley Community College’s Developmental Education Reading faculty started looking at grade distribution in their classes 10 years ago. Students were successful, but they speculated that C grades were compressed. Over a few semesters, the faculty deliberated factors in determining success at A, B, and C levels. They analyzed data and contemplated aspects of teaching to explain documented trends. These discussions created heightened self-analysis, leading to intense debate about what the data meant personally, for the team, and for students. Tough conversations provided change to better serve students and offer measurable outcomes for continued modifications. After they began implementing resource-seeking opportunities to support student success, data was collected again to see if students were impacted. The findings proved that faculty must consider other factors that enable a student to earn an A, B, or C. Each member’s time, reflection, analysis, and collaboration provided measurable results that can be used for new approaches. The innovation instills equity among instructors as well as accountability for instructors and students.

Innovators

• Rita Ferriter, Assistant Professor, Developmental Reading
• Susan Godwin, Professor, Developmental Reading
• Jennifer Lee-Good, Instructor, Developmental Education/Reading
• Michael Morsches, Dean, Learning Enrichment and College Readiness