Recently the newspaper did a poll asking what students preferred when being marked levels or percentags. Not surprisingly percentages won by a landslide. “I hate levels because I never know how well I’m doing. If I get a level four I don’t know if it’s 80% or 100%.” says a 12th grade student. Levels are so vague and students like to know exactly what mark they are receiving in a class, especially in grade 12 when a single percent can make all the difference on university and scolarship applications.
Another students said “I don’t see the point of using levels, I mean the teachers have to convert all the marks into percentages for report cards anyway.” Which is so true, what’s the point of levels if the teacher has to change them all come report card time anyway. Wouldn’t that take longer than just assigning a percent in the first place?
But the question still remains, if students prefer percentages so much, why are levels being used at an increasing rate? One reason levels may be used is because of it’s efficiency. It’s much faster for a teacher to give you a level from one to four on an assignment than to figure out a percentage out a hundred. This is especially true for smaller assignments.
By Jackie Barry
2 comments:
I agree with the students, when it comes to obtaining your position numerically, percentages are more efficient than levels, although, levels do make it easier for teachers to notice the students position, since with each level in each section a description of what the requirements are listed. For subjects like math, science, the arts, peer leadership, and so many others, levels help students build on their weaknesses, since each assignment specifically tells them what they lack, thanks to the levels.
Oh well, the world of school is very unneccessarily complicated.
I'd prefer percentages jus like the student said: u'd have to change it anyway, plus u know exactly what u'r getting.
However, some teachers use levels, most of them put the percentages too..so it's all good for me. :)
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