School grades under the magnifying glass
Grades are an incentive for the child to make an effort.
«This is particularly the case in the years of school selection. Studies show that pupils study a lot before transferring - because the pressure to achieve good grades is then very high. Unfortunately, this tends to reduce motivation to learn in the medium term. That's the other side of the coin.»
Philipp Bucher, lecturer in school and teaching development at the FHNW University of Teacher Education, former primary school teacher
Without grades, parents don't know where their child stands at school.
«A bare number says relatively little about the child's level of learning, it only shows how it performs compared to the rest of the class. And we know from studies that children are graded differently for the same performance: Depending on the composition of the class they are in, they perform well or unsatisfactorily for the same results. In order to know where a child stands at school, parents - and children - need comprehensible information on what the child can already do well and where they still need to practise. In this respect, the information value of grades is very limited.»
Katharina Maag Merki, Professor of Theory and Empiricism of Educational Processes in Schools at the University of Zurich
Training companies attach great importance to interdisciplinary skills; grades are often of secondary importance.
Markus Neuenschwander, learning expert
At the latest, training companies want to see grade reports.
«What our findings clearly show: Training companies attach great importance to interdisciplinary skills. They focus on classic work virtues such as decency, motivation, punctuality, reliability and the ability to work in a team. They are the deciding factor. Grades also play a role in the selection process, but for smaller companies they are often of secondary importance. The certificate helps companies to assess whether apprentices can fulfil the requirements of the vocational school. I am uneasy about the fact that more and more companies are turning to private test providers and sending applicants for their checks. The «sovereignty» over the assessment should remain with the teachers - they know the young people best.»
Markus Neuenschwander, Head of the Centre for Learning and Socialisation at the FHNW School of Education
Learning is no fun with grades.
«The question of whether learning has to be fun goes beyond the subject of grades. Sure: a simple recipe for getting children to learn is to let them learn what interests them. Unfortunately, this recipe can only be applied to a limited extent, as there is often a lack of interest in the subject matter or other things are more exciting. The advantage of learning for fun is that it is self-determined. Motivational psychology shows that children want to experience themselves as self-determined, but also want to be part of the community. In order to combine these needs, goals and norms that were originally outside of their own interests are internalised and thus become their own goals and norms. Learning can therefore also be stimulated by external factors without children feeling externally determined. Consequently, it does not necessarily require fun. But one thing is certain: pressure and coercion, whatever the cause, make learning more difficult.»
Urs Moser, Head of the Institute for Educational Evaluation at the University of Zurich
Other assessment tools are also prone to error. Then you might as well stick with the grades.
«This is not a good justification for continuing to use a poor forecasting tool. Suppose we had weather apps that were so inaccurate that it often rained on days that were forecast to be sunny and the sun often shone on days that were expected to be cloudy: wouldn't we just prefer to look out of the window? In the same way, schools should be guided by what pupils do, not absolutise error-prone forecasts.»
Philippe Wampfler, secondary school teacher and university lecturer in German didactics
You can't do it without notes.
«That's probably true. School doesn't just take place in the classroom, it collides with social realities - the demands of training companies, universities and so on. Nevertheless, we should be concerned that the consequences of selection decisions are not quite as harsh as they are in this country. We know, for example, that the performance of young people from different secondary school levels overlaps greatly in many subjects. It is therefore not uncommon for us to be dealing with young people who are similarly strong at school, but some of whom have significantly poorer educational prospects - because our system is based on a selection tool that does not accurately reflect performance.»
Winfried Kronig, Professor of Special Needs Education at the University of Freiburg
Grades do not allow statements to be made across classes or schools.
Urs Moser, education researcher
The abolition of grades actually means abandoning the performance principle.
«Learning without grades does not necessarily lead to a safe space without performance requirements and without assessment. The criticism of grades is not aimed at abolishing the principle of performance. Rather, it is directed at the consequences that are linked to a number that is not always transparent as to how it is arrived at. Grades relate to the teaching of the respective teacher and the overall performance of the class. They do not allow statements to be made across classes or schools and are ultimately only suitable to a limited extent for providing information about the competences achieved. Research has shown that grades are not objective, that they measure imprecisely and often reflect not only performance but also other aspects such as background or behaviour.»
Urs Moser
