TY - JOUR
T1 - Teachers' perceptions and A-level performance: is there
any evidence of systematic bias?
AU - Thorpe, Andy
AU - Snell, Martin
AU - Chevalier, A.
AU - Hoskins, Sherria
PY - 2008/8
Y1 - 2008/8
N2 - Applications for places in UK Higher Education are usually made before the results of A-level examinations are known, so references from schools and colleges normally refer to expected (orn predicted) grades. Inaccuracies in these predictions may be systematically related to key characteristics of the applicant and could lead to under-representation from various groups of students. This paper examines data on predicted A-level grades for 415 recently-enrolled university students. In contrast to the findings of previous studies however, we find that prediction bias is not particularly related to the gender, class or schooling of the student, but is closely linked to the predicted grades themselves—students predicted low grades performed above expectations, and vice-versa. The implications of this for current UK government initiatives intended to widen participation in Higher Education are considered briefly in the conclusion.
AB - Applications for places in UK Higher Education are usually made before the results of A-level examinations are known, so references from schools and colleges normally refer to expected (orn predicted) grades. Inaccuracies in these predictions may be systematically related to key characteristics of the applicant and could lead to under-representation from various groups of students. This paper examines data on predicted A-level grades for 415 recently-enrolled university students. In contrast to the findings of previous studies however, we find that prediction bias is not particularly related to the gender, class or schooling of the student, but is closely linked to the predicted grades themselves—students predicted low grades performed above expectations, and vice-versa. The implications of this for current UK government initiatives intended to widen participation in Higher Education are considered briefly in the conclusion.
U2 - 10.1080/03054980701682140
DO - 10.1080/03054980701682140
M3 - Article
SN - 0305-4985
VL - 34
SP - 403
EP - 423
JO - Oxford Review of Education
JF - Oxford Review of Education
IS - 4
ER -