APES-USA: Academic Performance Evaluation of Students - Ubiquitous System Analyzed: Academic Performance Evaluation of Students - Ubiquitous System ... Letter Grading System Is Inherently Unfair B - Tapa blanda

Congratulations! You have, right in front of you, a treasure. From within these pages you will be able to pick up a good collection of reformist ideas and concepts, endowed with the potential to bring about an epoch making impact on all kinds of assessments or evaluations in general, and in the academic performance evaluation of students, in particular. Once it so happened that Prasad was moved by a real life encounter with one of his long time friends who shared with him her sour experience as a student in a premiere educational institution. It seems that when she inquired with the professor who gave her a 'B' grade in a course in which she expected an 'A' grade, she was called to a side and explained that it was indeed a very high 'B', and that after all the difference between a low 'A' and a high 'B' is only marginal! However, that marginal difference had resulted in her missing an admission into an elite graduate program, which was her cherished dream unrealized. Prasad was ruminating on that episode during one of his casual walks on the sandy beach side off the Institute campus, on a beautiful Thursday evening of the Eighth of August Two Thousand Two; when he was 'visited' by the slippery idea of 'SQUIDS' fl owing over the tidal waves from the salty waters of the sea swashing on and off the sandy beach front. Yes, that is it! 'SQUIDS' (singular) has indeed come as a unique blessing in disguise. Here, 'SQUIDS' stands for 'Scale Quantum Unit Interval Domain Size' that is the most fundamental basis for the design of a measurement scale. 'SQUIDS' defines the scale precision. 'SQUIDS' is the key concept used in resolving the mystery behind the unacceptably chaotic behavior of the Letter Grading System, and also in developing an alternative system design as well. The proposed design for a novel "Students Academic Performance Evaluation System" has a tremendous potential to usher in a conceptual paradigm shift in all kinds of assessments or evaluations. The mathematical fallacy that is mysteriously implied in the design of the letter grading system has been well brought out and resolved here. Although the problem has been well analyzed and even a solution has been proposed herein, there remains a substantial amount of work remaining! The next stage is the task of convincing (and/or getting convinced by) the concerned stake-holders in academia, that can then facilitate a smooth implementation of this novel proposal. You are urged to take a pro-active leadership role in the entire exercise, to bring about the needed changes.

Since 1991, Dr. Keshava PRASAD Halemane has been working as Professor of Systems Analysis and Computer Applications in the Department of Mathematical And Computational Sciences at National Institute of Technology Karnataka Surathkal, which is also his Alma Mater, earlier known as Karnataka Regional Engineering College Surathkal. Prasad has an impressive academic credentials. He secured the university first rank as well as the state level overall highest percentage of aggregate marks, considering all the examinations of all the semesters of the undergraduate engineering B.E. degree program, across all the universities of the Karnataka State in 1972, and was awarded the 'Karnataka State Gold Medal for The Best Engineering Student of The State'. His doctoral research work in CMU in the area of 'optimum design of engineering systems that accounts for the uncertainties in parameter values' has effectively revitalized the research investigations in that area, by his novel initiation in opening up an entirely new approach which has now been well recognized and followed, as the most rational and systematic conceptual advancement in that field. In addition to his long tenure in academia, Prasad has extensive experience in various fields - including his initial exposure to the manufacturing industry, corporate as well as national R & D work, both in USA as well as in India. He has shown convincingly, that he is very quick and efficient in learning new things and attaining expertise in new areas; and has felt very comfortable in dealing with the variety of diverse work situations that he has gone through, being distinctly outstanding among his colleagues and co-workers in every organization that he worked for. Prasad has demonstrated excellent leadership in every situation, and has been singularly conspicuous among his colleagues, indeed as a visionary genius. Above all, Prasad is endowed with a rare combination of an extremely sharp intellect (depth-in-thinking) along with a highly sensible mind (balance-in-judgement) and a humane heart (breadth-in-feelings). Also, he is noted for his integrity of character and pleasant disposition. He has a special talent for teaching in its broadest sense, and is an exemplary (inspiring) teacher indeed, although (or maybe, because) he prefers to consider himself as a student all through life: "Life, the best teacher; and Living, the best Learning"!