Young students’ use of explicit grading criteria for self-regulation

The focus of this study is how young students (age 10-11 years) use explicit grading criteria as a means for self-regulating their learning and for improving their performance in school. Data comes from group interviews with students (n = 64), which were performed as part of an evaluation of a nationally mandated trial, where grades were introduced earlier in the Swedish school system. Findings from the analysis suggest that students do not use the grading criteria as such, but rely on colour markings, representing teachers’ assessments. Findings also show that the students have several and specific strategies for self-regulation, but that these strategies are not connected to the grading criteria. Instead, the strategies are general and apply to all subjects. Some students also make reference to vague strategies, such as increasing effort. In this particular sample, references to specific versus vague strategies correlated with high-, and low-performing schools, but since there was only one low-performing school in the sample, this finding may not generalize to other schools. Changes in the pedagogical practice needed to accommodate a formative use of the grading criteria are discussed