CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

In the common belief of parents in relation to studies, grades are the ones being

judged on how the student performs in school or maybe as a basis of his/her knowledge.

Five days a week for 6 to 7 hours of school with different lessons each day. Add also

projects assignments done and tests. All of these are factors affecting the grades of students

and through those tests teachers were able to measure the knowledge of students but that

doesn’t mean that students with low grades don’t have adequate knowledge to do the task

given. We need to look at the bigger picture that grades are not really a basis for student’s

raw knowledge and there are many ways to determine a student’s knowledge and capacity

to do the work given.

There are many ways in this new era where we use modern technology to teach

students and let them learn also on how to use modern technology to their advantage.

They are taught in several ways like lectures, games, reporting, video presentations and

power point presentations. One of the factors of being able to properly function during

class is the student’s health, emotional factors, and family stability. Many more factors

affect student performance that may be a result why some students fail a class but have

adequate knowledge. Thus we can conclude that student grades are affected by many

factors and the raw knowledge of the student is one of those factors but it is not the main

basis of it.

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 Proposed title

Perception on Academic Grading: School Grades being a looking glass on

student’s learning.

Statement of the problem

Nowadays, most people believe that grades are the basis of student’s knowledge and

performance in school. Moreover, most students also believe that grades judge student’s

knowledge and on how well they perform in school. Grades also determine whether if schools

were to accept the student. Most of the time, there’s correlation between knowledge and grades.

In real life we don’t really answer quizzes to be successful in our jobs rather we answer quizzes

to apply what we’ve learned and apply it to our profession.

Therefore, this study aims to determine if school grades is a looking glass on student’s

knowledge and if it is really the basis of people whether you’re smart or not. It will seek the

following questions:

1. How do grade 11 students perceive grades as measurement as perceived by one’s

learning?

2. What other factors influence the student’s grades?

3. What other measurements should the school implement?

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Definition of terms

Raw- In a natural state

Factors- something that helps produce a certain outcome

Belief- A feeling of being sure about something that is true

Era- A period of time that is associated with a particular event

Basis- Something from which another thing develops or can develop

Entrance exams of some schools give tests that aren’t based on what the students learned

from past grades but logic tests to measure if they can follow patterns and such to measure their

knowledge. But in order to accept the student in that particular school they must first review the

grades of students from past grade period. Thus we can be sure that grades are important but still

doesn’t prove what is the capability of that student.

“Teachers are a factor on how the student develops their own knowledge but it depends

on how they teach the student. Viewing videos in class may seem passive or may have no effect

to students whom are not active in the class. But if an interactive classroom discussion is formed

it may prove to be effective for students to remember the lesson that may enhance their

knowledge and for them to actually improve their selves.”(Cruse ,E., 2006). Due to the

modernization of this era many teachers adapt to the ever changing world and students are also

upgrading their ways to learn and there are many ways which we can relate this two. But there

are still some teachers who stayed at the old ways of teaching lecture then recitation and quizzes.

(Bajak2014)

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 Active learning is one of good examples on how teachers should change their teaching

and may help students develop their knowledge thus an increase to performance and grades also.

Teachers modernize their way of teaching using sites like VLE or Virtual learning system and

many more and students can study at home and take their quizzes at their free time. Due to lack

of attentiveness of students, students fall asleep in class together with a boring teaching way of a

teacher we have to admit that it is really sleepy during classes with this kind of situation. Due to

these students fail in exams and many more are now subjected to fail due to these old

ways. ( Mayer 2001). Due to these factors we cannot really say that knowledge is the very main

basis of grades but grades are affected by many variables and depending on the student variable

also. We must unite these two if we are to seek a good way to develop student knowledge.

Scope and delimitations of study

This study was conducted within grade 11 ABM (Accountancy and Business

management) strand, this study only focuses on this particular strand and classes within morning

time. About five sections where interviewed: AM1, AM2, AM3, AM4 and AM5.

No differentiations were made. All students who were interviewed was picked and the

picking was randomized. No discriminations of sorts were used. No measurements on the

capacity of students’ knowledge was done nor IQ tests given to those interviewed so that the

answers that will be given are not biased. Only a small sample of students were picked under the

pool of a large number students and were given questions and were asked of their insights on this

problem. An additional limitation to the study proved to be the data collection process. Since our

process of obtaining information largely depends on the interviewee, their insights, what

information and beliefs their wiling to share and the number of those interviewed was small. The

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perspectives and lived experiences was also limited because it depends in the

interviewee. According to Patton (2002), he stated that perceptual data are in the eyes of the

beholder. However, this data will help verify results and will not discriminate nor the results

given will not be biased and are the actual answers of the interviewees.

The delimitations of the study is that how the study was narrowed in scope (Creswell

2003). Having conducted case study research in nly oone strand could be viewed as a

delimitation. The complete perspective could be achieved by collecting various data from each

interviewee. Same opinion or not the answers of the interviewees will be classified under the

closeness and relatedness of them to other answers of the interviewees. Additionally, the sample

in this study consisted of only grade 11 ABM students who agreed to participate in the study.

Data sources, which included structured face-to-face interviews, and we also included related

studies and literature reviews to the scope of this study.

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 Significance of study

In this study, students will know that grades does not determine their knowledge but to

be known as a factor to their grades. It may improve their performances and look into more

factors that may affect their grades.

For parents this research may help them determine the causes which affect student’s low

grades but should be able to understand that knowledge is the very main basis of the student’s

grade.

For teachers, this study may help them in helping students to narrow down the

possibilities why students fail in their class and may help teachers push the students to do more

on their studies.

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 CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Academic Grading System

Guskey (2004) believes that grading is an important professional responsibility, yet

serves as a great challenge to teachers since few have had formal training in grading methods. In

addition, many teachers have limited knowledge about the effectiveness of various grading

practices. In Guskey’s 2006 study of understanding why and how teachers grade, the results

showed that educators draw primarily from their own 2 experiences as students in determining

the grading practices they employ. Guskey maintains that educators must make every effort to

ensure that grading practices are clear, explicit, and objective as possible. Furthermore, he

believes educators need to refrain from using personal opinions and unconscious biases as

influences while assigning grades, ensuring that above all, their grading policies and practices

will be equitable and unprejudiced.

(Marzano, 2000) Grading practices continue to be controversial and misunderstood. A

disconnect exists between grading purposes, practices, and policies and the current era of

accountability. Student performance in class should, in theory, partially match performance on

standardized tests. Measurement experts believe that since educational reform is on a rise in the

areas of curriculum development, standardized assessment, and high-stakes testing, there is a

greater need to further the reform to include grading practices among classroom teachers, in

order to eliminate the attitude that since grading practices are so ambiguous, that the actual grade

is meaningless.

Fair Isn’t Always Equal: Assessing and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom, Rick

Wormeli does not mince words as he calls for teachers to engage in honest discussion about

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grading: There are some aspects of teaching that we keep in cages in hopes they will never

escape. . . . We don’t share our concerns with our own grading approach or that of a colleague’s

often, and we don’t spend time with each other determining the meaning of a C, an A, or

discussing what constitutes a 3.5 on a rubric. . . . The day is upon us, however. It’s time to talk

about grades, grading, and report cards openly, if we haven’t before, questioning assumptions,

embracing alternatives, and focusing on the promise of what teaching and learning can be. (89–

90)

a. Standards- Based Grades

Transforming Classroom Grading, Robert J. Marzano came to believe the most important

purpose of grades is frequent, detailed feedback and, therefore, the best reference point must be

specific objectives, standards, or other learning goals.

b. Student- Centered Approach

James Moffett and Betty Jane Wagner believed that we can trust students to want to learn

when they are sure it is their learning rather than their compliance that is our first

concern. In Student- Centered Language Arts, K–12, Moffett and Wagner argued that students

and teachers should be partners in learning and that we need to “concentrate on keeping the

ownership of the work and the goal- setting with the student” (251). A student- centered

approach does not relieve students of responsibility to participate in all aspects of their class, but

it does release them from the chore of doing assignments for the sole purpose of protecting their

final grade. Moffett urged teachers not to give grades at all, if they could be avoided. I have not

found a way to do that, but I have been able to follow his second- best advice: “We recommend

that teachers not give a grade to individual activities but only to the totality of a student’s

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work. . . . Make a blanket judgment on the whole of a student’s work for the marking period.

This is easy to do when you look it all over at once and confer with the student about it.

Bookkeeping for grades alone is minimal this way” (252).

c. Baseline Self- Evaluation

I use the students’ self- evaluation to generate the first entries in the grade book. These

entries are revisited and revised in conferences toward the end of the marking period. I explain at

the beginning of the year that scores for one marking period will not be averaged with the next.

Instead, the scores will build throughout the year to reflect the student’s progress.

2.2 Knowledge of Students

Marilla Svinicki, The University of Texas. Instructorsuse terms and concepts of which

students have no prior knowledge to provide an adequate context for interpretation. Used at the

rapid pace of the expert, this is what they complain about as "jargon" and its over-use leaves

gaps in student ability to process new information. The phenomenon is similar to that

experienced by the average computer novice attempting to obtain help from an expert. Half of

the words are totally unfamiliar and the other half is used in an entirely new and illogical way.

After two or three sentences, the listener is left in the dust and feeling hopelessly ignorant and

hostile. This may be the stuff of great comedy routines, but it is disaster in a classroom.

Beginning a class with a review of what has gone before helps activate prior knowledge.

Presenting new information in its relationship to old not only helps students learn the new

information but strengthens the old. Introducing new concepts by contrasting them with some

that have already been learned makes use of prior knowledge to aid in the learning of new. Better

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yet, having the students make those comparisons teaches them something about the way to

approach the learning of new material and about the structure of the discipline.

2.3 Academic Performance of Students

Karemera (2003) found that students' performance is significantly correlated with

satisfaction with academic environment and the facilities of library, computer lab and etc. in the

institution. With regard to background variables, he found a positive effect of high school

performance and school achievement he found no statistical evidence of significant association

between family income level and academic performance of the student.

Robert & Sampson (2011), found that the member of educational board will be educated

and their impact on school is positive, for professional development it is essential for student

learning. The students who are actively engage in the learning process are observed to have a

positive correlation with the CGP. A Study effort from student and the proper use of the facilities

provided by the institution to the student, a good match between students’ learning style and are

positively affect the student's performance (Norhidayah Ali, et. al., 2009)

Young (1999), held the view that student performances are linked with use of library and

level of their parental education. The use of the library positively affected the student

performance.

The academic environment is the effective variable for students and has positive

relationship with fathers’ education and grade level (Kirmani & Siddiquah, 2008).

Noble (2006), students’ academic accomplishments and activities, perceptions of their

coping strategies and positive attributions, and background characteristics (i.e., family income,

parents’ level of education, guidance from parents and number of negative situations in the

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home) were indirectly related to their composite scores, through academic achievement in high

school.

The students face a lot of problems in developing positive study attitudes and study habits.

Guidance is of the factor through which a student can improve his study attitudes and study

habits and is directly proportional to academic achievement. The students who are properly

guided by their parents have performed well in the exams. The guidance from the teacher

also affects the student performance. The guidance from the parents and the teachers indirectly

affect the performance of the students (Hussain, 2006).

Boud and Falchikov (2006) suggest that higher education institutions must provide

a foundation for lifelong learning in work and other social settings. As the process of assessment

is intrinsically linked to student learning and performance (Hodges, 2011), practitioners involved

in work-integrated learning need to use the assessment process to assist students develop skills

that will optimize their employability throughout their working years. McDowell and Sambell

(1999) indicate that students’ value assessment tasks “which help them to develop knowledge,

skills and abilities which they can take with them and use in their future careers” (p.81).

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 CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The researchers used the one-on-one interview method so they can get the student’s own

perspective on how grades reflect their learning on a certain aspect and also the researchers will

be able to get the information they need from the respondents. The researchers also believed that

with the use of recordings, they’ll be able to get the full answer of the respondents.

Sampling Procedure

The researchers believe that selected grade 11 students will be able to represent the Senior

High School Department. Therefore, the questionnaires will float in the grade 11 level of the said

department.

Since the goal of this study concerns the students of the Integrated School, the researchers

think that it is fair and just to interview students who are able to answer with full honesty.

Respondents

The respondents of this study are three students per ABM AM sections; they will be

interviewed one by one.

All in all, the researchers will interview 15 students throughout the Senior High School in

Integrated School in New Era University.

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 Sources of Data

In this study, the data that will be used are the data that will come directly from the

researchers’ instrument, the recordings.

The said instrument, the recordings, will be reviewed and will be checked by the

researchers’ teacher for further corrections. The researchers then will seek the approval of the

Integrated School Principal. The respondents’ answers were recorded the week after it was

signed.

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 CHAPTER 4
RESEARCH FINDINGS

This chapter discusses the analysis of data of the research findings. They relate to the

research questions that guided the study. Data were analyzed to determine the Perception on

Academic Grading: School grades being a looking glass on students’ learning.

The answers below will show the data gathered through the interviews.

1. Do tests, recitations, seatwork and assignments measure what you have learned?

Majority of the respondents said that tests, recitations, seatwork and assignments

measures students’ learning for those materials or instruments reflect what you have learned on a

certain subject that the teacher taught you. There were four respondents who answered that those

materials don’t measure what you’ve learned because it depends on the questions and most of the

time they are objective. But there were two respondents who said that yes recitations and

seatwork measure what the student has learned but they answered no for the assignment because

they said that you can just copy someone else’s work and that doesn’t reflect what you’ve

learned.

2. What do you do when you have low grades?

All of the respondents said that when they have low grades, it serves as a motivation for

them to strive harder. They also said that it would serve as an assessment on what they did wrong

or where they lack. They would study harder and focus on the subject where they got a low grade.

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3. Is there someone/something that helps you to be motivated? If yes, who/what are they?

All of them answered yes, they all have someone/something that keeps them motivated

but they have different people and things that helps them to be motivated. Most of them

answered that their family and friends are the ones who give them strength to study well. There

were two respondents who said that God and their family are the ones who keep them inspired

for they are always there whenever they need help. There were also two respondents who said

that they think of their future and their goals are the ones that keep them going to do better. Then,

there’s one respondent that if there’s an award he will be motivated to do the tasks that he needs

to do.

4. Should extracurricular activities be added as a component of grades? Why?

Nine of the respondents answered that extracurricular activities should be added as a

component of grades because they said that’s where you apply what you have learned and some

students put effort on this kind of activities because it is their hobby or they have interest on that.

Six of the respondents answered no because they think that it should just be an additional grade.

Some students don’t have time to do this kind of activities and they think that it would be unfair

for some.

5. Do your emotions affect you when you’re studying? Why?

Majority of them said that emotions them when theyare studying because whenever they

are in a negative mood, they tend not to study but when they are in a positive mood, they study

well and they’ll understand better what they’re reading. Three of them answered that emotions

don’t affect them because they set them aside so that they can focus well on what they’re doing.

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 CHAPTER 5
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary

This study aims to determine if school grades is a looking glass on student’s knowledge

and if it is really the basis of people whether you’re smart or not.. The researcher interview

randomly in Grade 11 ABM AM and only 15 students agreed to participate in the study.

Based on the data gathered thru face to face interview, related studies and literature

review are as follows.

The Interview questions asked are honestly by the 15 grade 11 ABM students, the

research questions guided us in our studies, and the data’s gathered were analysed to determine

the Perception on Academic Grading: School grades being a looking glass on students’ learning.

Conclusion

Teachers are a great factor in the learning they impart on their students. Grades do not

determine students’ learning but is a big factor on the students’ improvement on their

performances.

Teachers should help to narrow down the possibilities why students fail in their class.

Parents may determine the causes which affects the students’ low grade and should encourage

the students to help them have a good grades.

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 Guskey 2006 said “maintains that educators must make every effort to ensure that

grading practices are clear, explicit, and objective as possible.”

Moffett and Wagner argued that students and teachers should be partners in learning and

that we need to “concentrate on keeping the ownership of the work and the goal- setting with the

student”

Presenting new information on its relationship to old not only helps students learn the

new information but strengthens the old.

Recommendation

For Students grades does not determine their knowledge, but is an overall total summary

of the students’ performance inside and outside the classroom where the students may have room

for improvement.

For Parents must be very supportive of their students’ grades because determining the

causes which affect the students’ low grade is a great help for them and an inspiration for some

students to strive harder and have good grades

For Teachers are a great help for the students and all the possibilities why students fail in

class can be determined and the teachers may help push them to do better on their students by

giving remedial classes or projects that can help elevate their failing grades.

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 REFERENCES

http://www.abet.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/do-grades-make-the-grade.pdf

http://www.tcnj.edu/~senate/resources/documents/GradesasValidMeasures.pdf

https://globaljournals.org/GJMBR_Volume12/3-Factors-Affecting-Students-Academic.pdf

https://www.therapiebreve.be/documents/mcclelland-1973.pdf

http://fs.mapua.edu.ph/MapuaLibrary/Thesis/LEARNING%20SATISFACTION%20OF%20ST

UDENTS%20AND%20ACADEMIC%20PERFORMANCE.pdf

http://www.apjce.org/files/APJCE_14_4_223_232.pdf

https://www.ets.org/Media/Research/pdf/RR-08-30.pdf

https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/18673/4/gupea_2077_18673_4.pdf

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.691.960&rep=rep1&type=pdf

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