Essay On Zero Based Grading System

Assessing student’s performance through variety of grading approach is part of education. Grading system manifests one’s ability and knowledge by a process of transferring student’s efforts and achievement into marks. Evaluation of student’s skills started way back nineteenth century wherein professors accounted the learning of students to parents through oral communication. With the population growing in 1800, instructors use official development assessment to evaluate student’s completion of requirements. In 1900’s, the use of percentage as marks for student’s work emerged as precise way to grade students. (Guskey & Pollio, n.d.). Most college universities, public or private, in Philippines follows the grade point system scale of 1.00 which is the highest grade corresponding to superior and 5.00 which is the lowest possible grade meaning failed. Grading entails the procedure of showing student’s strength and weaknesses in a subject matter. Moreover, multitude of studies and debates evinces that alteration in the way of grading approach may paved the way for student’s attitude to modify. (Cherry and Ellis, 2005).

One change in the grading system is the alteration of fifty based grading system to zero based grading system. The implementation of zero based emerged as instructors see the method as the best way to discipline students who are not exerting desired effort in studying. (Guskey, 2004). According to an online news magazine published by Catalyst- Chicago, practice of zero based grading system may put students’ marks to the lowest extent that may leave students no choice to recuperate their low scores (Caneva, 2013).

In the Philippines, De La Salle Lipa is one of the schools practicing zero based grading system for BS i...

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... by the instructors to the students. When comparing results, students accept their grades because there is evidence of reliable computation and any complaints on grades is justified. Assessment methods where students are comfortable or are in favor of, may urge students to acquire new knowledge and gain understanding and values.

A student should not be worried with grades or fear any grading approach. Students must be satisfied with any grade received although it is not the highest among the group. It may be devastating for a student to receive a failing grade especially if that individual is positive to receive a high mark. Most people think that grades are what students are, but it is not. Students should come to school with the eagerness coupled with enthusiasm to learn and not for the sake of grades or attendance in order to pass with simplicity (Marquez, 2013).