A groundbreaking study from the University of Michigan has brought to light an alarming issue that can significantly impact student performance. The research team, after analyzing 30 million grading records, discovered a prevalent bias in grading based on students’ last names.
When students’ assignments are graded alphabetically, those with last names toward the end of the alphabet tend to receive lower grades compared to those with last names at the beginning. This bias was attributed to the default setting in many online learning systems, such as Canvas, which arranges students’ names alphabetically by last name.
The researchers observed that this alphabetical sorting led to graders being more fatigued and less attentive as they progressed through the list, resulting in lower grades for students with last names at the end.
To address this issue, the study recommends changing the default sorting setting in grading systems to randomize the order in which students appear. Additionally, employing more graders to distribute the workload and training graders to be aware of potential biases can help mitigate the impact of this unconscious bias.
This study highlights the importance of addressing biases in educational practices to ensure fairness and equity for all students.
