Make science easier, examiners are told

[RetardedBastard]

Don't you just love this?

The Government claims that exams are structured in this way to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to show what they are capable of without being thrown off course by questions that are too hard or too easy. However, many experts believe that this approach to science leaves some students poorly prepared to pursue the subject at A level.

...

“Part of the desire is that the student can come out of the exam with a feeling of success that they have actually tackled a significant proportion of the questions, and achieved the best grade expected,” he said. “The vast majority of candidates taking this exam are going to achieve grades D to G, and they deserve a positive experience of science.

“They can only have that by being allowed to attempt questions which are at their level . . . It is making exams accessible to candidates.”

Wow, I hope the American Dept of Education doesn't hear about this. I'd hate to be stuck with people who otherwise wouldn't be able to make it in my physics classes.

 

[cristo]

Wow, I hope the American Dept of Education doesn't hear about this. I'd hate to be stuck with people who otherwise wouldn't be able to make it in my physics classes.

But everyone has to study science, surely? Why would you be in a class with someone who "wouldn't make it into your class"?

I think the GCSE system is pretty good. There are different tiers for different levels of students, which means that the higher tier questions are aimed at people who are expected to do well. There could be some harder questions thrown in at the end, I agree, but all in all I reckon it's fine. It should also be noted that the example paper given in that article is an easy part of a paper (multi-guess) from an (arguably) easier exam board-- Edexcel. Also, I have to admit I dislike multiple choice questions immensly-- students should be made to show working and solutions.

 

[Astronuc]

they deserve a positive experience of science.

If the work hard at it!

Where do people come off thinking that education has to be easy?! Life isn't easy - it requires effort/work, and sometimes hard work.

 

[Gokul43201]

As long as this encourages more students to study science without artificially inflating grades (which, it seems it does) I'd be okay with it. But that example paper is terrible! It's one thing to dumb down the science, but another thing entirely, if the limiting case of dumbed down science becomes nonsense. Look at question 18, for instance. D is supposed to be the correct answer, when in fact, none of the given options is correct. These questions are designed to test your ability to retain some basic knowledge of science, but do not attempt at all to test your ability to think (I only went through the first 20-25 questions).

 

[BobG]

I like number 3. It reminds me of the 'Find x. Here it is!' joke.

 

[DeadWolfe]

I'm a little confused. What exactly is the GCSE?

 

[edward]

I'm a little confused. What exactly is the GCSE?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GCSE

The Brits are still ahead of the Americans. I think Americans have become spoiled. The average student would probably prefer that they leave out some of those complicated laws of physics, and allow miss South Carolina to teach sex ed if she can find the classroom.

 

[tacosareveryyum]

I like number 3. It reminds me of the 'Find x. Here it is!' joke.

I lol'd at that question!

 

[DeadWolfe]

Well, I understand it's a test British teenagers have to take, but what does it mean, and what does it determine?

 

[SticksandStones]

Question 3 is very poorly worded, and that entire test is horrible. I would be insulted if they handed me that test.

 

[qspeechc]

I personally feel exams should be made harder. This would make students work harder and/or those not scientifically minded not take the subject. Which are god things. When man first put people on the moon, maths was harder.

 

[mgb_phys]

Well, I understand it's a test British teenagers have to take, but what does it mean, and what does it determine?

It's a series of exams at 16 - used to be called O (ordinary) levels. In the UK you can then leave school at 16. Next step is A (advanced) level, taken at 18 and used as the entry requirement for university.

GCSE (geneal certificate secondary education?) were supposed to allow a wider range of marks to allow all students to have some result after leaving school. Under O level if you failed you had nothing to say you had ever finished school.

Unfortunately they then introduced league tables to show how schools were performing, so the whole thing degenerated into schools gaming the system, grade inflation, politics and spin. The victims of course being the kids.