Ever wonder how we ended up with a grade system in schools and universities?

George Siemmens, who hosts the eLearning Space Blog, included this question in his email newsletter. It show how mentors were key to learning in the years befor our current system of public education was developed.

I think mentors are still key to learning, and we need to find a delivery system that helps more mentors connect with more kids, especially those living in big city neighborhoods with concentrated poverty, where the range of people who can mentor jobs, careers, college and other aspirations is limited.

In the field of elearning, I consider George to be one of my mentors and if have benefited greatly from the ideas received from him over the past few years.