This isn’t the first time I’ve seen someone make an educational video to improve their grade but it’s one of the first times I’ve seen DNA rhymed about on a clip. It’s not too bad really. No ‘buts’, it’s really not that bad. Some people feel the need to do this anyway if they really want to pass a class. It would appear a group of students found it possible to do something in order to get their teacher to grade on a curve. Now if you know what this is and approve of it that might mean you have a severe competitive streak that doesn’t allow for failure, or it could mean that you’re the top dog in the class and want to inspire others to reach their potential by setting the bar insanely high. In any case grading on the curve is kind of a pain for some people while for others it’s almost a cheap way into a better grade.
Personally I believe this video deserves a decent grade since the effort and the execution were very well done. Of course it’s not going to be Hollywood-quality filming, it’s a college music video talking about genetics and it’s done on campus. But the idea of doing the film and the manner in which it’s done is enough to think that the individual or the group responsible actually took some time to plan it out and make it work. That kind of effort deserves a good grade so long as all the information is accounted for and they were within the parameters of the assignment. If this was extra credit then there’s no need to grade on a curve. Of course judging by the title there’s a good chance that it was a final assignment or something just as important.
Grading on a curve though isn’t entirely beneficial for everyone. With traditional grading students tend to earn their grades based on their own merit and what they can bring to the classroom. There’s no pressure to outperform anyone or live up to the standards of those students that do better in class and understand the material a little more than others. Some students are naturally gifted and comprehend certain information without the need to study nearly as much, while some students have to pull all-nighters in order to simply pass their classes. Grading on a curve can really hurt the chances of those subpar students that are doing their best but just don’t understand the material as well.
This isn’t a plea to go easy on any student, but the idea of grading on a curve means that the top student in the class is going to essentially set the bar for the others. It’s great that the maximum effort manages to gain those exemplary students exceptional grades, but measuring one student’s effort against another’s isn’t a great idea when it comes to the learning process. Even in college where people are freakishly competitive about their grades, this is not one of the better ideas when it comes to learning.
It was a well done video though.
