http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7750717.stm
I meant to put this here before - apologies if it's already been posted.
Quote: "They (pupils) are not learning how to solve problems, use critical thinking or apply mathematics in science, its petition says."
I was always terrible at exams when I was a kid. The way they do them these days I reckon I'd do much better. That's progress for you ...
Last edited by Mulder; 28th November 2008 at 10:00 AM.
How do you think exams are done now Mulder?
I understand you don't have to remember so much stuff now - there is more in coursework assessment. We had one big 'all or nothing' exam. Apparently you can get an A* in chemistry without doing any calculations. Isn't there some multiple choice stuff now? I find that easier than inventing an answer out of nowhere. With multiple choice you have a better chance of being right if you have a vague idea what you're talking about. If only life was all multiple choice - so much easier!
Of course, I could be wrong! If anyone has recent experience of science GCSEs I'd be interested to know if these things are true.
Last edited by Mulder; 28th November 2008 at 03:45 PM.
For the most part, you're right, their are a series of multiple choice tests (there are 12 of these I think, which cover Biology, Physics and Chemistry, so, 4 for each discipline) 24 questions with 4 possible answers, I breezed these a few years back, often by process of elimination. I think these account for about 20% of a final grade.
Course work too is pretty easy, it is supposed to encourage a VERY basic knowledge of the scientific method but in my opinion fails, you are told the conclusions you should come to and why before you start any experiments.
The final test however, which is responsible for the bulk of a students final grade, I cannot imagine is a lot different from old O levels. Memorising what will happen if you add element A to element B, what are you likely to observe etc, this final exam really dragged my science grade down substantially (to a B from a predicted A*). Should have bloody revised more. As for calculations, yes they are few and far between but if memory serves, their are a few lingering in GCSE exam papers.
I largely agree with the BBC article though, their isn't enough emphasis on logic, critical thinking and the scientific method. Part of the problem when I was at school was that their was never a good balance between boring theory and practical pissing about, either their was too much theory and I wouldn't bother listening, or too much setting crap on fire from which there was little to learn. Except that jelly babies make great fireworks.
I think the exams of yore where harder because you had to remember all your facts and figures.
My biology exam consited of remembering the names and dates of the brillaint young men in a new field of discovery.
And the lessons where not complete until someone either colapsed from breathing the town gas from the bunston burner or turning green and spewing up after the rat or mrs ribbit disection.
Now it all seems to be a lot easier some exams even allow calculators in the exam...
Lost Thought
Is that something to do with the Spice Girls????the bunston burner
I am sure there must be someone reading this forum who knows a thing or two about exam reproducibility and accuracy.
I understand that MCQ has been shown to more accurately and reproducibly reflect the knowledge base of the candidate, but do not know how this was shown.
Further as I remember exams, one was given a one or two line starting question and had to produce 30 minutes of work per question. This requires not just knowledge and logic, but also retrievability of memories. This latter aspect is a very good party trick, as tested. I have no doubt that those who are good at this are better at thinking tangentially, as they are able to make associations from a huge bank of immediately retrievable knowledge, but many people with perfectly good logical brains are ill served if rewarded in exams only if they have conquered memory feats that do not come naturally to them.
Certainly looking at my children's science GCSE, A levels, they are just a tough as in my day, but the prompts to memory provides a level playing field for a larger proportion of students.
More to do with Victoria Bickham (nee Iddams), methinksQuote:
the bunston burner
Is that something to do with the Spice Girls?
Please forgive this tired and old brain as it was much abused by booze, wimin and song as a yooth so I miss membered a word that I have not used since XX years ago, Oh the shame of it............
A simple Bunsen burner consists of a mixing tube in which gas and air are mixed. The flame can be adjusted by opening or closing the adjustable air hole. A luminous flame (air hole completely closed) should never be used for heating because it deposits too much soot. If a small flame is required for gentle heating, the gas supply should be adjusted at the gas tap and the air hole half opened.
Bunsen burners should be lit with the air hole closed (although note that this is not the case for some piezo–electric lighters which require a gas/air mix). Students can usually be allowed to light their own Bunsen burners. They may use a splint lit from a central flame (or perhaps from a flame on each bench), matches, or various types of lighter as appropriate.
When lighted Bunsen burners are not being used, the air holes should be closed to give luminous flames which are easier to see, are less hot, and so are safer.
There are you happy now I'm crawling on my hands and knees for forgivness it was a mistake..................... stop picking on me...
By the way did you know that charlies books and papers are online to read for free at
http://darwin-online.org.uk/
Charles Darwin.
The Complete Works of Charles Darwin online.
Lost Thought begging on my knees...............
You know what, not to sound ratty but i sick to death with people pushing around this tired cliche. Im 21 and currently doing a masters degree in chemistry and so it can be assumed that i have fairly good experience with modern science teaching and i can say ive never felt like the exams were too easy, id say the level of teaching was perfectly adequet.
That fact that i managed to get to the point in my education that i am without having to do any additional study i think is a testament that education is the same as it ever was!!
Rant over =p
just finished my GCSEs this year, firstly there is no distinction in between chemistry, biology and physics. well... they are taught seperately, the exams are seperate but in the final results all are added up.Originally Posted by Mulder
and multiple choice is waaaaaay too easy (i got 100% in my fist test), but thats only for year 10 and when you get to year ten most students have to do a double GCSE or something similar, it gets a lot harder than the first year.
i wish they brought back all or nothing, i ace every test but can't do all that coursework.
PS: coursework is the biggest excuse to allow dumb people to pass, teachers tell you exactly what you have to do step by step there is no skill or work involved, just write what you are told to write.
*11just finished my GCSEs this year, firstly there is no distinction in between chemistry, biology and physics. well... they are taught seperately, the exams are seperate but in the final results all are added up.
and multiple choice is waaaaaay too easy (i got 100% in my fist test), but thats only for year 10 and when you get to year ten* most students have to do a double GCSE or something similar, it gets a lot harder than the first year.
i wish they brought back all or nothing, i ace every test but can't do all that coursework.
PS: coursework is the biggest excuse to allow dumb people to pass, teachers tell you exactly what you have to do step by step there is no skill or work involved, just write what you are told to write.
How true, how true.
I am in concurrence with mulder NewAthiest,
having also just finished my GCSEs I can say that the standard of the science ones, particularly if you take separate sciences, is still quite high.
The year 10 GCSE is very simple, but they get a lot harder.
The exam board I was on had 15% multiple choice, 30% internal testing 15% modular exams, 10% coursework and 40% final exam
The coursework is ridiculous.
The tests vary in difficulty from easy to actually quite hard.
The GCSE that i can say is becoming absurdly simple is maths.
Modular maths is the most easy math test i have ever seen - the hardest questions are basic right angle trig.
And even if the GCSEs are too easy, you catch up very quickly if you take A level or Equivalent.
Yeah id agree with that, did my maths GCSE about 6 years ago and i remember how stupidly easy the coursework was and how much it counted for. Students dont even do things like logs and standard deviation until A level now adays!!
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