Student Grading and European Credit Transfer System - Results and Conclusions

Abstract

Basic didactic requirements to student knowledge assessment during the teaching process are considered. Advantages of a 100-grade scale are discussed in the context of the implementation of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) in the near future. Results from the application of such a scale during the period 1998-2003 are presented. The assessment system is described and methods for transition to the ECTS and to the Bulgarian 6-grade scale are discussed. The results obtained with the system are presented, and its advantages are pointed out. The system is extremely simple and clear. It covers all aspects of students' work during the semester and their performance at the final exam. The application of the system increases students' motivation for systematic learning and satisfaction from the objective assessment of their work. The information and diagnostic value of this approach for teaching process management is demonstrated using a real-life example. Issues arising from the application of the system are discussed and possible ways of solving are proposed. The general conclusion is that the system has proved very useful for practical implementation and convenient for use with the ECTS.