The Stricter the Better? The Effect of Teacher Grading Standards in Primary School on Children’s Competences Development (Online Seminar)

FBK-IRVAPP is pleased to invite you to the following seminar: The Stricter the Better? The Effect of Teacher Grading Standards in Primary School on Children’s Competences Development

With the participation of Ilaria Lievore (Università di Trento)

Language: the seminar is held in English.

Abstract: In educational studies, little attention has been dedicated to the consequences of adopting specific grading practices on student educational outcomes. This paper aims at filling this gap, analysing the effect of teacher grading standards on children competences development, ad its heterogeneity across students’ ability, gender and socioeconomic background. Grading standards measure how strictly teachers grade their students, and they are a mean through which teachers can manipulate students’ effort and motivation. The analysis relies on Italian INVALSI-SNV data, linking 5th grade students in the A.Y. 2013/14 with their teachers. Students are then followed up to grade 8 and 10, where their competences in are measured through the standardized INVALSI test score. Classroom grading standards are estimated as the classroom fixed effect coefficients in a regression of student’s GPA (grade point average) on student’s test score. To estimate the causal effect of grading standards on students’ competences, we rely on 2SLS regressions with school fixed effects. Results indicate that being exposed to stricter grading standards in grade 5 leads to higher students’ literacy and numeracy competences in grade 8 and grade 10. The positive effect of harder grading standards is similar across students with different ability, gender and socio-economic background.