Croatology, Vol. 13 No. 1-2, 2022.
Original scientific paper
System Dialectics of Evaluation in Elementary Schools on the Example of the Elementary Schools in Zagreb
Stela Fumić
; Faculty of Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Mateja Županić
; Electrical Engineering Vocational School Zagreb
Erik Brezovec
; Faculty of Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The main goal of this paper is to discuss (with the help of the empirical results) the structure and importance of grades for elementary school
students in Zagreb. Specifically, the discussion is focusing on the functionality of grading as one of the elements of evaluation in the elementary
school. It uses a specific dialectical approach anchored with elements of social system theory. Dialectics of this kind is manifesting in the system /
environment relationship in which the system represents the structure of education, while the environment is indicated by action elements inside /
outside / at the edge of the system (students, parents, and teachers) - all these elements are studied in their relation to grades. The results of the survey
enrich the theoretical discussion. Results suggest that there is an inflation of the excellent (5) grade. Specifically, the average grade of students
who participated in the survey (grades 2 through 8) has been 4.7. Based on statistics, deviations from the normal frequency distribution has been
evident. That all raises the new challenges for the the system in the context of the increasing dispersion of knowledge (plurality) that modern (post)
modern society entails. Accordingly, the hypotheses about the importance of grades has been reviewed with regard to the level of grade that students
attend, students’ opinion about the teacher’s attitude toward students with respect to the grades that student achieves. The results showed a connection
between the importance of grades and the school class (grade) that students attend. The above data point to the loss of meaningfulness of grades within the education system in the Republic of Croatia.
Keywords
grades; average grade; elementary school; system theory; dialectics
Hrčak ID:
281461
URI
Publication date:
19.7.2022.
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