Comparison of Finnish and American Educational Systems and Whether Grades Are Detrimental to College Learning

Differences Abroad
How many times have we found ourselves rushing to our professors' office doors and waiting by the mailbox to find out what kind of grades we have received? If you are like most American college students you will find that the answer to this question is that it happens all too often. But do you think that these grades actually reflect what we have learned? Would we be better off with a system of higher education that contained no grading at all? Well, according to David Rothenberg, a philosophy professor, who spent time teaching in Finland, their educational system is centered on the belief that grades are not necessary to learning. In his essay "Learning in Finland: No Grades, No Criticism," he tells about his experiences teaching as a Fulbright scholar in Finland. …