issue essay...

[dicapino]

Competition for high grades seriously limits the quality of learning at all levels of education.

 

Students in all levels of education are given the orientation that scoring high grades is the only means to show true learning. Competition for high grades limits the quality of learning due to these reasons: first, students prepare more for exams than for actual learning; also, students willing to learn are discouraged, and don’t perform well in examinations.

 

 

 

Firstly, students prepare more for examinations than for actual learning. Students prepare more to pass examinations; thus, they may take to rote memorization, and will not be interested in having a better understanding of concepts and ideas they are taught. Therefore, students are good test-takers, but not good learners. For example, it is normal to question students on a course that they took exams on a week back, and they don’t recall even a minute detail.

 

 

 

Also, students willing to learn are discouraged and do not perform well in examinations. Students who are not able to cope with such competition, and are interested in having a proper understanding of concepts, and ideas are not motivated continue this mode of learning, since students with high grades are given utmost preference. For instance, during my undergraduate studies, students that did not score high grades had a better understanding of courses more than some so called brilliant lads.

 

 

 

Opponents against my view argue that competition for high grades motivates student to do well. I believe that such competition may motivate some students, but a majority will be discouraged to learning since they do not meet up these high grades.

 

 

In summary, competition for high grades make student excellent test-takers, but not excellent learners. Encouraging this will seriously reduce the standard of learning, as schools will produce individuals that are only effective in school classrooms, but not in the society.

 

 

i took 35 mins.