> For example, students who come into a course with little prior knowledge earn lower grades at the start, which means they get a lower final average, even if they ultimately master the material.
I'm not sure this is the worst flaw with grading (the equity issues may be worse), but it's certainly the dumbest flaw. A scoring system for scholastic ability that disadvantages those that start off with little knowledge, even when they do well by the end of the course, is ridiculous on its face.
I'm not sure this is the worst flaw with grading (the equity issues may be worse), but it's certainly the dumbest flaw. A scoring system for scholastic ability that disadvantages those that start off with little knowledge, even when they do well by the end of the course, is ridiculous on its face.