Gymnasieelevers förståelse av betyg

by Manneby, Therése

In our community we always make assessments of different kinds, as well officially as unofficially. We constantly judge each other and our surrounding. One kind of judgement made in the open is the one in school where the pupils’ skills are to be judged by teachers. This judgement may have big influence in the pupils’ future, since high grades may lead to work or higher studies. But what is a good grade – what is in the grade and why do the pupils get grades? The purpose of this essay was to examine the understanding of grades among Upper secondary school pupils. The used method is focus group interviews. Three different groups were interviewed with three to four pupils en each group. The results of the interviews were analysed on the basis of an analyzing tool that were made in the theoretical chapters. The result shows that the pupils’ opinions are that factors like personality, presence, ambition and engagement affect the grades. The fact that the pupils’ knowledge shall be compared to the steering documents the pupils do not mention when they are asked on which grounds the grades are set. The pupils describe the difference between the grades using different qualities of knowledge. They talk much of grades as a tool of selection for work and higher studies. The opinions are divided whether the grades are a motivation or a stress factor. None of the groups says that the grades may serve as a source of information for parents or municipality.