ABSTRACT
AIM: The aim of the study was to answer the research question: What is known from the literature about academic grading practices and grade inflation in nursing education? BACKGROUND: Nursing students require authentic assessment that supports their professional formation. For teachers and students, integrity is fundamental to professional nursing excellence. METHOD: Arskey and O'Malley's framework was used to integrate and reinterpret findings from qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies. RESULTS: Twelve studies were reviewed. Contributing factors are described as institutional constraints, external standards, team teaching, lack of faculty confidence, and student incivility. Strategies that may mitigate grade inflation include establishing grading expectations and increasing pedagogical rigor with precise rubrics, valid and reliable examinations, interrater reliability, and faculty development. CONCLUSION: Academic grading is a complex faculty responsibility grounded in ethical and relational competencies that can support or hinder students' professional formation. Evaluation of strategies to mitigate grade inflation in nursing education is urgently needed.
Subject(s)
Education, Nursing , Students, Nursing , Faculty , Faculty, Nursing , Humans , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
This article is an account of a project involving nursing faculty and adult learners. Their purpose was to generate interactive and collaborative pedagogies. Reflection and dialogue were used to explore how the educational experience can be transformed into an engaging and caring learning environment for adult students. Principles derived from humanistic nursing and caring, reflection, and teaching and learning guided this project.
