Why do instructors pass underperforming students? A Q-methodology study.

Background: Formal evaluations are an integral part of a student's learning and encourage students to learn and help instructors identify students' weaknesses. Over the past few decades there have been growing concerns that instructors and evaluators are passing students who do not meet expectations. This phenomenon, in which instructors pass students who do not meet expectations, has been referred to as "failure-to-fail".