The Value-Driven Meaning of Grades

A multiple case study approach was used to investigate how grades were assigned by teachers and used by students and parents. This study reported that the interpretation and use of a grade is driven by the value students, parents, and teachers attach to grades. Because high grades were valued, students faced negative consequences for low grades. Parents and teachers, therefore, used grades to control student performance of those students who also valued high grades. Students who did not value grades were controlled by other outside factors they valued. Parents and teachers used both reward and coercive power to control expected student outcomes. This exertion of power resulted in students not valuing the learning process. Instead, they were motivated to perform to receive an extrinsic reward or a high grade and to avoid punishments from things they valued.