Grade Distribution in Busan Universities: English Instructor Perspective

The purpose of this study is to recognize some of the problems associated with norm-referenced grading in a language-learning environment. With this purpose in mind, a web-based survey completed by 74 foreign instructors of English at Busan universities was conducted and analysed using the web-based site Survey Monkey. These foreign instructors of English courses in Busan universities were surveyed pertaining to the language learning environment and how it is affected by the norm-referenced style and these results are presented and discussed. Grade distribution systems in universities are a controversial topic in every educational institution. Whether an administration chooses to utilize a grading curve or not can greatly affect both instructors and students in the classroom. The differences between a norm-referenced system of grading and a criterion-referenced system are so vast that instructors' course objectives and testing must reflect those differences to avoid grading complications at the end of a course. Norm-referenced systems fail to specify what was learned in the classroom and rank students based on their comparative performances instead of individual achievement. This article details the differences between the systems and indicates the disadvantages of the norm-referenced system. Of the respondents who use a norm-referenced system, 76.6% stated that it was mandatory. Of these respondents, 65.1% indicated that the norm-referenced system did not help in the assessment of their students. In addition, a large percentage of respondents, 86.1%, who use the norm-referenced system replied that not all courses are suited to a norm-referenced system.