WEEK 3: GRADES & CULTURAL CAPITAL

Melanie Tannenbaum, M.A. Sociology 463/663 Spring 2015

THE IMPORTANCE OF TEST SCORES

GRADES

Who gets good grades? Who gets not-so-good grades?

Are grades assigned fairly? What does “fair” mean?

What’s the relationship between test scores & grades?

What happens as a consequence of good or bad grades?

DO GRADES REFLECT MERIT?

CULTURAL CAPITAL

Bourdieu

Instruments for the appropriation of symbolic wealth socially designated as worth of being sought and possessed.

Two meanings

Knowledge of “highbrow” culture

Fine art, classical music, literature, museums, poetry

Knowledge of behavioral & linguistic codes

Work habits, participation

CULTURAL CAPITAL

Paul DiMaggio (1982)

Systematic influence of cultural capital on grades

Higher cultural capital → Higher grades

Participation in “highbrow” culture = Evidence of membership in cultural elite

Tina Wildhagen (2010)

WHAT DO GRADES MEASURE? FARKAS ET AL., 1990

Used a test of coursework mastery to assess exactly what was taught in the classroom (not standardized tests)

What is meritocracy in grading?

Narrowly Defined: Grades should only reflect how well the students master coursework (Grades = Test Performance)

Broadly Defined: Grades should reflect how well the student masters coursework and student conduct (e.g., effort)

TYPICALLY OBSERVED

Gender Race/Ethnicity Social Class

Grade

NARROWLY DEFINED MERITOCRACY?

Gender Race/Ethnicity Social Class

Grade

Coursework Mastery

BROADLY DEFINED MERITOCRACY?

Gender Race/Ethnicity Social Class

Grade

Coursework Mastery Student Conduct

FARKAS ET AL. (1990)

Gender Race/Ethnicity Social Class

Grade

Coursework Mastery Student Conduct

FARKAS ET AL. (1990)

Gender Race/Ethnicity Social Class

Grade

Coursework Mastery Student Conduct

Some background variables are related to coursework mastery and student conduct.

!Coursework mastery and conduct do determine grades.

!However, even when coursework mastery and student conduct are taken into account and controlled for, background variables

still have an influence on grades.

CONTEXT EFFECTS

Grading might be relative

“Grading on a curve”

Distribution of A’s, B’s, etc. might be predetermined

Reasonably Knowledgeable Student

Might get an A at Know Nothings School (Big fish, little pond)

Might get a C at Geniuses United School (Big pond, little fish)

CONTEXT EFFECTS

DISCUSSION TIME!

How could grades be done differently? How could they be improved?

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Do you think grading is “fair” the way it exists now?

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What are different inputs that you think could go into grades?

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Do you think that “sensitivity-based trainings” or other types of awareness trainings could help train teachers to avoid falling victim to biases?

DISCUSSION TIME!

Why do you think cultural capital influences student outcomes? What do you think are the main “mechanisms”/processes in play?

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What are some examples of modern-day cultural capital?

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If art & music are really so important, should we be pushing to have more art/music classes in schools? Why or why not?

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What traits do those who jump up (or fall) in social class possess? And how (if possible) can we bring these characteristics out in students everywhere?