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What is Ethical About Grade Inflation and Coursework Deflation?

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Abstract

Recent research questions the validity of student evaluation of teaching (SET) data to measure teaching and learning. Yet, there is extensive use of this instrument around the world, which arguably contributes to a decline in the rigor of college classes. This performance measurement has lead to both unethical grade inflation and coursework deflation as faculty try to entertain students rather than educating them. These unethical teaching techniques used by many faculties are on the same plane as the unethical practices of executives “cooking their books.” Ethical and unethical SET management techniques of professors are discussed herein, along with incentive and structural pander pollution of administrators and universities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. E. J. Ourso College of Business, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA

    Donald Larry Crumbley & Kenneth J. Reichelt

  2. College of Business Administration, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA

    Ronald E. Flinn

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  1. Donald Larry Crumbley
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Correspondence to Donald Larry Crumbley.

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Crumbley, D.L., Flinn, R.E. & Reichelt, K.J. What is Ethical About Grade Inflation and Coursework Deflation?. J Acad Ethics 8, 187–197 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-010-9117-9

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