More Secondary schools cut grading of students

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Although there is no national overview, both the Education Directorate, and Oslo Municipality, have the impression that more Secondary schools have cut the use of grades.

 

The impression is that “some schools want to cut down on grade use without necessarily completely ignoring grades between the half-yearly assessments,” wrote communication manager Trine Lie Larsen at the Oslo Education Board to Aftenposten newspaper. Bergens Tidende newspaper had previously written that 11 of 26 youth schools in Bergen had reduced the use of grades.

The Directorate of Education has also received feedback that more schools are to test reduced use of grades.

“Grades in school are a verdict on who you are, and what you’ve mastered. They can remove your belief in yourself, and create an increased focus on comparison with others,” said Associate Professor, Siv Therese Måseidvåg Gamlem at Volda University College. She believes she sees a change towards fewer grades in Norwegian schools.

Gamlem emphasised that at the same time, the learning environment, and results do not automatically improve because grading disappears. Pupils must receive good feedback that increases the quality of work they do.

“The core of good feedback is that students become aware of the strengths and weaknesses of what relates to the task, but also in terms of working methods, and strategies,” said the researcher.

 

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today