A Higher Ed listener emailed in asking about letter grades: are they good? Bad? Do they hinder students’ desire to take classes that might be interesting but challenging, too? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about the impact letter grades can have on how we experience and approach our formal education. Imagine what school might be like without grades. Or if students were given the time to master a subject rather than be evaluated on it at pre-set time intervals? Hear Ed and Jennifer further discuss the utility of letter grades and possible alternatives to those A’s, B’s, C’s, D’s, and F’s. It won’t be graded, but see how you do with this week’s new puzzler. Hint: a pair of sunglasses might help!
This episode was recorded on November 18, 2015.