Education – the grading and the positive bias.
I’d like to introduce you to two grading systems currently in use in different countries. Both systems are based on a 5-point-principle.
Firstly, a system where grades are given according to a Gaussian principle – most people get average grades, some people get near-average grades and very few get the extremes – superb success and complete failure. This way everyone actually get competent information about their results – if they are average, they will get average grades. If they aren’t, they won’t. This makes sure that everyone knows exactly how smart they are at each subject relative to the general average.
Secondly, a system where the principle is warped so that the average would get a more positive result. For example, on the scale 1-5 with 5 being the best result, the average does not get a 3, the average gets 4. This way the ‘average’ pupil believes that it (forgive me for being genderless) is smart. Therefore it thinks that it can do even better as it is already so successful.
The second system supports the average, giving them a kind of placebo effect. They think they are smarter, hence they try to achieve more. Because in their minds, they can. But is that better?
The problem with everyone thinking they can be better than the average Joe is that everyone wants to be better than the average Joe. That means less lowerclass, more upperclass. The gist of it is that is that society needs a whole lot of lowerclass. Blue collar workers are vital for a healthy society. Society does not need a bunch of people with Bachelor’s degrees who are undereducated to be specialists and overeducated to be anything less. Yet these are the people that the second system creates – unable or unmotivated to become specialists, delusional enough to become useless. This is what the first system avoids – since the average knows they are average they are motivated to remain average in terms of education and employment. This means less overeducation and more workforce. Basically less useless education.
So, which is better, optimism that can lead to more joy and unexpected successes or realism that can lead to more realistic dreams?
Gümnaasiumis tegin uurimistööd hindamissüsteemide kohta, kus olid ka mõlemad variandid sees. Aga mitte ükski hindamissüsteem ei viinud õpetajaid/professoreid nii paanikasse kui Gaussi kõver, mis sai oma "ebavõrdsuse" pärast tohutult materdada. Lihtsalt moderne ühiskond on niivõrd just sellisele positiivsele innustusele üles ehitatud, et ei taheta illusioone lõhkuda. Anyhow, vabandust, et inglise keeles ei kommenteeri, aga huvitav postitus.
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