Grades…and it’s affect on learning motivations…and other aspects of “school” is one of those “reform” issues that has been with us for decades if not longer. I say decades because I can recall in the 1960’s grades were a hot topic as a “corrupting” influence on the learning process. There were a fair number of experiments at that time to do away with grading systems; I don’t know the story of what happened between then and now.
And there’s probably a history of “theory of grading” that goes back long before the 60’s… how and when did it originate? Was it part of what Mitra attributes to a British Empire promulgation of standardized educational systems based on the need to turn out rank and file of bureaucrats to run that empire?
Early on, there’s the “Socratic Method”…which I’m pretty sure didn’t involve grades as such.
But it’s a very relevant question…in today’s world of learning which bleeds outside of traditional structures which “enforce motivation”…where does the motivation come from instead? Is it an intrinsic inherent quality of learners to be curious, and want to know, and therefore “enjoy completing the course”??
Admin: Did the link the usual way, and it’s working now, fwiw.
Grades…and it’s affect on learning motivations…and other aspects of “school” is one of those “reform” issues that has been with us for decades if not longer. I say decades because I can recall in the 1960’s grades were a hot topic as a “corrupting” influence on the learning process. There were a fair number of experiments at that time to do away with grading systems; I don’t know the story of what happened between then and now.
And there’s probably a history of “theory of grading” that goes back long before the 60’s… how and when did it originate? Was it part of what Mitra attributes to a British Empire promulgation of standardized educational systems based on the need to turn out rank and file of bureaucrats to run that empire?
Early on, there’s the “Socratic Method”…which I’m pretty sure didn’t involve grades as such.
But it’s a very relevant question…in today’s world of learning which bleeds outside of traditional structures which “enforce motivation”…where does the motivation come from instead? Is it an intrinsic inherent quality of learners to be curious, and want to know, and therefore “enjoy completing the course”??