En undersökning av hur några elever och deras lärare uppfattar förhållandet mellan kunskap och bedömning

by Wedin, Anna

This is a comparative study of two school systems, the International Baccalaureate (IBO) and the Swedish Upper Secondary School. The study focuses on the History and the grading of the courses. The similarities and differences between the two systems’ overarching curriculum are examined and evaluated. Students and their teachers have answered questions regarding knowledge, history and the grading system. This study is concerned with the relationship between knowledge and assessment, and students’ and their teachers’ thoughts about fairness in grading the students. The study shows that the IBO has a more scientific approach to knowledge than the Swedish Upper Secondary School has. The Swedish system requires more of interpretation over goals and criteria while the IBO has more of clear goals and criteria. The students’ and their teachers’ views of knowledge are much the same in the two systems but there is a difference how they describe History as a subject. IB students emphasise critical thinking and a more neutral attitude towards historical events while the students in the Swedish system tend to take a position on basis of values. IB students consider their grading system fair but show concerns about the fact that the examiner does not have the whole picture of their skills. The students in the Swedish system do not find their grading system fair because criteria and goals are too open. The two teachers agree with their students in their concerns.