Are Grades Necessary for Learning?

Well, this is my second time addressing the question my first time I was a resolute and emphatic yes. However, when I reread the question I realized that I answered the question, "Are grades necessary?" Not "Are Grades Necessary for Learning?" which are two completely different questions. So my new answer is no not at all. What does a grade have to do with learning? Not much. The grade is needed as part of the current system that we operate in. But is in and of itself is not essential to learning, it is in fact more often a hindrance. Many studies have shown that grading is actually counter productive to learning and can have a negative effect.  I found this statement on Alfie Kohn's website,  "Grades may encourage an emphasis on quantitative aspects of learning, depress creativity, foster fear of failure, and undermine interest" (Butler and Nissan 1986, p. 215). This is a particularly ironic result if the rationale for evaluating students in the first place is to encourage them to perform better." There are also studies that show that when students get to choose what type of activity or problem they get to address, they will take the easier road if they think or know that they are going to be graded. Conversely, when they think they are not going to be graded they are more likely to challenge themselves, often at a level higher than the teacher would have. That does not sound like grades and necessary for learning to me. In short, grades are not necessary for learning, they are however, necessary for the educational system that we operate in for a number of reasons. But that is a different question all together.