OU tutors who are stingy markers!!

[ShinyHappyPeopleHoldingHands]

YES that's YOU Ms B, if you frequent MN and are reading this! (Actually, God forbid that she should.. )

I am in my third year of part time OU study (of 6 until my degree.. hopefully..) and my grades had always been in the 70s.. (apart from one, at the end of my first year which was 90! Not sure what happened there..).. .. until this year. Anyway...

This years course is another Level 2.. and yet I can't seem to get anything above 60-something %! My first TMA was 69... my second was 63.. (lowest ever! ) and TMA03, which I've just got back, is another 69%.. which to be honest, I'm not too gutted about as a. I'm getting used to her stingy marking and b. I sat here at the pc and wrote that assignment in 7 hours flat with no prep and nowhere enough study that month so I should think myself lucky!

But having spoken to other students on my course, it seems we're ALL finding her a bit on the stingy side. And it's so depressing when you think you've done a fair job only to be given a mediocre grade.

This one I've just got.. she's put nothing but complimenatry comments throughout, both on the PT3 AND the actual in-text marking.. apart from a couple of little comments where I "could have expanded..." etc.

What would it have cost her to give me 70%??? If all she's said is nice things.. what does she want? Blood?? That extra 1% would have meant a lot to me!!

Anyone else found big variations between the marking of different tutors? And they all want different things don't they!

And how do people cope with the psychological effect of getting a lower than expected grade? It sometimes make me irrationally (I'll admit!) want to chuck the whole thing in.. although obviously I do get over that!!

I don't lecture at the OU but I do lecture at a 'bricks' uni, I would say this is a common complaint from students going from level one to two. Make sure you are being analytical enough and that the nuts and bolts i.e. referencing is ok. This can drop marks at this level.

My referencing is fine.. she saying glowing things about it. And last years course was a level 2 as well.. and I didn't get lower than 75!

It makes me fear for next year.. level 3!

I had one of these a few years ago. I have encoutered her again in a third year level course and her marking has seemed to improve, cause I dont think my TMAs have

Have you asked her, 'How would this piece of work need to be improved to get 70+?'
Because if she hasn't made it clear in her comments, I'd say that's her fault and you are entitled to have some feedback.
Why should you have expanded where she says you should? You can ask her in a perfectly non-confrontational way. But I do think you have a right to more explanation, especially if your marks appear to have dropped.

Great advice from Kathy, my brain is addled from all the marking

Oops sorry didn't mean to ignore this thread.

Yes I could ask her but I am loathe to. My friend got 70% just found out.

Last year's tutor only graded in increments of 5%, curiously. But I never got lower than 75 and that was a Level 2 too.

Makes you wonder what is actually the different between a 69% essay and a 70% one. Do tutors all have their own systems by working the grades 1% by 1% I wonder? (IYSWIM)

Do we have^ an OU tutor in the house? (And please God don't let it be mine! )

My OU tutor told me that all the tutors undergo a sort of continual assessment where their marks are compared to other tutors throughout the course's duration. If they are consistently higher or lower than other tutor's, they get 'red flagged' (or soemthing like that). Can't remember what he said then happened, but there is some sort of follow-up, and it's supposed to make the system fair.

I suspect the difference between 69% and 70% is more to do with a tutor's gut feeling though.

Also, they have an external examiner look through things at the OU don't they? Same as a brick university...

I don't lecture at the OU but the department I am in does a lot of distance learning.
I would be able to justify exactly why I gave an essay 69 rather than 70. I know they are very close, but as 70 is a distinction and 69 not it is a mark you think very carefully about. If it's as close as 1% there's usually something very specific that stops it being the distinction mark.

I still think you should ask. It doesn't need to be done in an aggressive, complaining or dissatisfied-sounding way - especially if you frame it as 'what would I need to do to this essay to improve it?' rather than 'why have you given me this mark?'
In fact in some ways I like having this kind of conversation with students personally as it means they are engaging really closely with their learning, which as a lecturer is what you want to see.

oh yes and as Scotsgirl suggests, it is normal practice for markers to be compared to make sure they are all marking to the same level. This would only really pick up discrepancies of 4-5% or over, though, IME.

70 isn't a distinction with OU though Kathy. The mark is an acutal percentage.

sorry, that sounds really bossy - I don't know the full situation and why you don't want to follow it up, so of course do whatever you think best.

xposted!

oh right - yes if it is not a borderline mark it may not be quite as carefully thought out.

Does it matter? I mean for my course the continuous assessment grades have nothing to do with the final grade.

Well yes it does matter Cascara on quite a few levels. I'm not really that stressed about that 1%; more curious really. But it matters because I have to achieve one level for my TMAs and another for my exam. And also, if I was inclined to be hankering after a first class degree (which obviously I'm not, sadly) and was aiming for all distinctions (if that's what you need, not sure on that) then 1% could make all the difference.

No you didn't sound bossy at all Kathy! I'm cringing about asking really; I would if I was any more concerned than I am but she did give me what she probably sees as constructive feedback (and it was, to a point) and she also made a nice remark at the end about knowing I've "got it tough at the moment so well done", so I don't want to seem too pernickity or ungrateful.

I'll just have to do a better job with the next TMA and show her what I can do. Quite looking forward to it actually.. it's about inclusion; disabled kids in mainstream classrooms which is right up my street. (I have a disabled 7 year old in mainstream).

Sorry if that came across as a bit flippant, I didn't mean it to. For my OU stuff my TMA average was 20% higher than my exam and it made no difference whatsoever, my grade was purely on my exam. Plus for my course 85% is a first and though my TMAs came close there was no way I was getting that.

I am really fed up with my current tutor all her marks have been below 70, on top of this her tutorials are pointless. This course U210 has really knocked my confidence. Luckily my other tutor on A217 has been a bit better but it will take me a long time to recover. I am also too scared to cause a fuss in case I encounter her on a later course!

PPD yes my current tutor is similar re tuturials (and marking obviously). I go to tutorials and come away thinking "well all I got out of that was the social element!"

She gives us barely anything re the next TMA and being as tutorials are timed to land just before a TMA I would have thought this was for the purpose of giving us some quite constructive input. I know you should expect to get less of this when you go up a level but I did U212 last year and that tutor used to give us handouts with what she expected. This one - also a level 2 - gives pretty much zilch although there is some construction general chat.

Weird how they differ isn't it.

I don't think tutors are supposed to give TMA-specific help at tutorials though, as this would disadvantage all those who can't get to tutorials.

My other tutor for A217 just concentrates on tmas for whole tutorial which is great at it focusses the mind, he doesn't answer them for us but gives clear pointers, this is a level 2 course as well.
Have my exam for the course where I have had no help, maybe the examiners will mark my pathetic efforts higher than her. Here's hoping!

Molesworth, everyone can ask to be sent tutorial info and notes though. And most people could make some of them if they chose surely (although I appreciate, not all.)