Essay Example on Tackling the Grading System Problem: Proposals, Evidence & Solutions

Introduction

The grading system has been a challenge in many institutions, and therefore the students carried out research to determine the solutions and recommendations of the named problem (Wikstrom 125). In this assignment, the student will provide the answers, evidence, and the best proposal to follow. Below is the way on how to tackle the grading system problem.

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How Does Each Proposal Define the Issue

In one proposal, grades are a set of words, numbers, or symbols that are used to designate various levels of performance or achievements. The classes under this proposal might be letters like A, B, C, and D or symbols like 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. In some cases, grades can be ranked inform of words such as satisfactory, needs, or exemplary improvement where the grading system is referred to as the way bin in which the grades are designed (Wikstrom 125).

While in the other proposal, the grading system is based on the evaluation of the critical part of educational practice through issuing assessments, which results in the attainment of the most influential students and ways of teaching. Under this proposal, the grading system used is upgrading. In this system, the students are graded according to their performance (Strong 55). Through revision, working in groups iteration, students improve their performance, and they are graded without the use of letters like A, B, C, and D, nor do they use words and symbols.

Therefore, teachers have a different perception of the new use of the grading system as they face challenges in issuing grades (Wikstrom 125). This system refers to the teachers' understandings, awareness, and views towards the new levels. By use of these proposals, the teacher will get solutions on how to undertake such challenges and on how to be useful in its use.

Solutions and Evidence to the Problems

Grading systems of A through D has been a challenge to the grading for the students. Therefore some solutions have been identified to solve them. Such solutions are elucidated as follows (Wikstrom 125). One of the solutions is the Montessori approach which emphasizes on students' growth from themselves apart from imposing something to them. It explains grades distinctions, such as external rewards to the students' achievements. It natures students' desire hence motivating them to learn. This will simplify teachers work since the approach encourages learners to study.

Grading systems of A, B, C, or D has issues with students' self-esteem, which brings negative reinforcement hence leading to lack of motivation in the future. This results due to the consistency of negative scores of assessment without support from their teachers (Wikstrom 125). Therefore, from this proposal, it has been found that teachers have to find a way on how to motivate both best and low performing students. This can be achieved by giving rewards for all slights improvements.

The grading system has also brought in teacher's guidance along with the performance of their students rather than giving out judgement on their performance as final results (Wikstrom 125). Thus this guidance students get motivated and work hard toward the achievement of a good grade. They are thus fighting the case where teachers use punishments as a way of making them improve on their levels.

Apart from grading student using A through D system, the proposal has found the solution to selecting areas of improvement (Wikstrom 125). That is instead of assigning student by the assessment grade; it can be of more benefit to make selections on the areas in which they fail and put more effort into their improvement. After that, giving them more advice on how to achieve improvements in future and focus on positive growth.

Under the upgrading system, the researchers have managed to come up with the appropriate solutions. Such solutions are as elucidated. The grading system will help in trimming down the anxiety as well as stress which build up to to the students during and after examination that might be unfavourable to them especially at their early stages like at the age of 10-16 years. This grading system minimizes such threats to the students. It also helps in decreasing the number of dropout rates of the students due to less anxiety and fear concerning the performance. It builds the courage to the students as it gives them hope of improvement in future and makes them have a feeling that exams are straightforward.

Still upgrading system will help the teachers as it will enable them to adopt the practice of issuing some exams in the course of the syllabus unlike in the past where exams were administered after completing the whole system (Strong 55). This will lead to a significant focus on the learning instead that test of teaching. There will be an increase in the stress on the conceptual clarification due to experiential learning, thus having enough time for curriculum transactions.

Upgrading too will help in the improvement of the learners holistically in terms of personality by focusing on the co-scholastic aspects that are assessed as part of continuous evaluations (Strong 55). It will prepare students to be physically fit for, emotionally balanced and mentally alert when they finalize their studies. It will also aid to teachers to physically practice what they learned in the school in real life.

Traditionally students have lacked time for leisure to practice their hobbies. Since upgrading does not hold learners on intensive revision during and after the exam, they will use this time to develop and mentor their hobbies, interests and personalities (Strong 55). Teachers and parents will also have time to interact with the students and advise them on the subjects, and talents they do during leisure time. This mutual interaction with teachers will finish the fear that has existed for many years.

Upgrading will equip learners with life skills, particularly in critical thinking and creativity, coping and social skills (Strong 55). Teachers will also help students to implement these skill since they essential in life after school. These skills will keep students in a good phase when they reach the most competitive surroundings.

Proposal Which is More Persuasive and Why

After analyzing the two proposals, I found that upgrading system is a more persuasive system which should be implemented and A through D be banned. The reason as to why I support this is due to its positive solution for learners should be graded in schools.

In its solutions, it provides a positive and motivating factor to the students and is of ease to be used by many teachers. The system increases the student's courage hence reducing the number of dropouts as well as increasing the populations in the schools. Still upgrading system will help the teachers as it will enable them to adopt the practice of issuing some exams in the course of the syllabus unlike in the past where exams were given after completing the whole class. Hence the parts where the students will have a challenge will be easily identified, and an immediate solution will be taken to cater for such. Upgrading too will help in the improvement of the learners holistically in terms of personality by focusing on the co-scholastic aspects that are assessed as part of continuous evaluations. Therefore, continuous assessment text will be of more value to evaluate the students.

Summary

To sum up, I found that the implementation of the upgrading system in the learning institution will be significantly vital. Upgrading equips learners with time to execute all the skill they have acquired in the school. It also motivates learners to study since it does not involve complex revisions during and after exams.

After comparing the two proposals, upgrading will fit in most learning institutions. The reason behind this is that upgrading system will help in trimming down the anxiety as well as stress which build up to to the students during and after examination that might be unfavourable to them especially at their early stages like at the age of 10-16 years (Strong 55). This grading system minimizes such threats to the students. It also helps in decreasing the number of dropout rates of the students due to less anxiety and fear concerning the performance. It builds the courage to the students as it gives them hope of improvement in future and makes them have a feeling that exams are straightforward.

Works Cited

Wikstrom, Christina. "Grade stability in a criterionreferenced grading system: the Swedish example." Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice 12.2 (2005): 125-144. HYPERLINK "https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09695940500143811" https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09695940500143811

Strong, Brent, Mark Davis, and Val Hawks. "Self-grading in large general education classes: A case study." College Teaching 52.2 (2004): 52-57. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3200/CTCH.52.2.52-57