Most schools now grade students by A,B,C,D and F, this determines their performance in class if they are to promoted to another class or offered a scholarship. But what if this method is scrapped and it will be replaced with pass/fail method, where by someone that an A+ will be given a pass and some that had a grade like F will be graded fail instead. Will that be kind for the students morale?
In the case of passing/fail using will reduce the anxiety and energy to pursue to get a high point, for when a student got 59 it feels like he or she has failed after studying and the other where a student got 85 he discourage or disappointed in himself after seeing a fellow student getting an 100. This now looks like a competition instead means of growth.
Inputting fail/pass method it will reduce tension, it reduces the competition between students, they will be more concerned to know if they are doing well to be able to move on. For a student who doesn't have confidence will be more and when pass/fail school system it reduces the fear of making mistakes, that's where learning occur.
But there is negative side of pass/fail. First its kills motivation; what makes A and B to be different is when a student pushes harder to reach on highest top. Wherby every student result looks the same on the script and some that 50% is the same as someone that has 90%. Most of the students will just at 51% and stop and will not be motivated to do more. They are just learning for learning sake, maybe just to pass a subject they don't like.
Using a pass/fail, does not encourage feedback. For instance when a sthad an A in a course, it makes the students to have confidence that he has done well and known the subject well and when a student have a C on a student, it makes you realise that you didn't did when and that you put more effort in your study for you score an A next time. But using"Pass" to pass to grade the students, they won't know when they scaled through or improved in their studies.
Now the question is will pass/fail good for morale? The answer will be yes. When you remove grades like A,B, C ,D, or F it will reduce and make the students from comparing each other, it will reduce lack of self confidence and shame. If the reason why the students study its only for them to have a grade, then using pass/fail grade them will make them not to study hard or that will make them not feel challenged.
The best option is to use the two to grade students, use the pass/fail for the basic courses, the aim is for the students to master the course and the feedback will be recorded through comments and while A or F grade will be use for specialised courses
In concluson, removing letter grade for pass/fail grading students academic performance will not help in education system itself. Grading is not just a aim rather it's a tool. If the aim is to reduce lack of confidence, shame and anxiety then pass/fail will definitely be helpful. If the aim is to encourage students better performance and to get a good feedback then letter grades will be in the right thing to use. When student feels capable and observed progress and not always compared with each other that's when students morale comes in and improves.
image generated by Gemini AI
