Is “10” the “Little Grade of Happiness”? An Analysis of Students’ Failure in the Course and the Necessity of Using Alternative Grading Approaches in University Teaching

The first goal of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the academic progress of failed students does not reach the desired level even after retaking the course. The second goal was to test the hypothesis that 10 as a minimum grade has a positive effect on students’ academic progress compared to grades close to it.

The data of more than 190 thousand of grades from eight semesters was extracted from the university’s learning management system. By applying the conditions of panel study and removing missing and outliers, 4522 pairs of grades of students who failed a course formed the statistical sample of the research. After applying the mixed effects model, the students’ learning rate in the second round of taking the course and the educational factors affecting the students’ grades were explored.

The findings showed that the learnings of failed students in the second round of taking courses is not satisfactory and is significantly lower than the average of the class. The main and interesting finding in the present study was that the minimum grade of ‘10’ compared to weak and very weak passing grades has a more positive effect on the overall progress of students without probation.

Considering the minimum grade of 10 for students can be considered by university professors as a justified solution that has a positive effect on academic progress. The probable explanation is that this grade has a special message for students in a way that motivates them to work harder to improve their GPA and compensate for their backwardness. It can be said that the traditional belief of some learners that 10 is the “Little Grade of Happiness” has a theoretical basis and psychological justification.