An undergraduate thesis training course for faculty reduces variability in student evaluations

Area of Science:

• Higher Education
• Nursing Education
• Academic Assessment

Background:

• Undergraduate thesis evaluation is a known weakness in universities.
• Existing literature highlights the need for specific training for thesis evaluators.
• Discrepancies in grading can negatively impact student perception and academic integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze grade discrepancies between thesis supervisors and faculty examiners.
• To evaluate the impact of targeted faculty training on the undergraduate thesis evaluation process.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study conducted in a Spanish Nursing School (2015-2016).
• Analysis of mean grades from 920 undergraduate thesis evaluation rubrics.
• Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to assess training effects.

Main Results:

• Significant grade differences observed between faculty panels (mean 7.63/10) and supervisors (mean 8.62/10).
• Participation in faculty training showed significant differences in evaluation outcomes.
• Training had a moderate effect size (ɳ²p = 0.063) on reducing grading disparities.

Conclusions:

• Faculty training initiatives effectively reduce subjectivity in undergraduate thesis evaluations.
• Training enhances fairness and improves the overall quality of student assessments.
• Targeted training is crucial for consistent and equitable academic evaluation practices.