indeed. that is, IMO, one of the best defences for exams not getting easier. another case of government-mediated grade engineering.(Original post by bobndave)
Can I throw in a suggestion that perhaps its not the actual exams that are getting easier, but the grade boundaries are being lowered?
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- 30-08-2004 23:05
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- 30-08-2004 23:07
(Original post by Ben.S.)
Certainly grade boundaries are being lowered in subjects like maths at GCSE - A* is always around 80%, but the A boundary is currently around 60%! Other subjects, like food technology, maintain ridiculously high A* boundaries (~93%). English, on the other hand, can be marked pretty weirdly; so that you can't get a certain grade if you haven't set out a piece in the style THEY deem more suitable, regardless of content.
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- 30-08-2004 23:09
(Original post by timeofyourlife)
i'd say there is more pressure on students these days than a couple of decades ago. however, pressure and improvement in standards are not directly correlated.
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- 30-08-2004 23:16
(Original post by piginapoke)
That reminds me: Greek and Latin. Not saying that we should go back to teaching those subjects again, but if one has a good understanding of the roots of words, one can figure out what a lot of unfamiliar words mean without having to look them up. Vocabulary is important - the larger our vocab, the better we can express ourselves. Grammar and vocab on the menu, txt spk out! </rant> -
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- 30-08-2004 23:21
(Original post by piginapoke)
Latin is very handy, it helps your English as well as your foreign languages. -
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- 30-08-2004 23:22
(Original post by Ben.S.)
Are they not? I beg to differ. Do (alleged) improvements in standards not provide additional pressure for students taking exams?
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- 30-08-2004 23:23
(Original post by timeofyourlife)
why is it an unfair presumption?
i'd say there is more pressure on students these days than a couple of decades ago. however, pressure and improvement in standards are not directly correlated.
well it's not very nice to hear bad things about qualifications that were recently took, i admit.
quite.
GCSEs as a stand-alone qualification probably aren't (aside from minimum requirements for certain jobs). they're a 'gateway' qualification to better things. -
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- 30-08-2004 23:28
(Original post by timeofyourlife)
not with a direct correlation. also depends what you mean by standards; teaching or exams?
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- 30-08-2004 23:32
(Original post by Ben.S.)
Of course it's direct - yes, teaching standards are also altered by pressure; whether they are improved or not by being more exam focused is a matter of opinion. I meant the academic standard of exam candidates - there is increased pressure to do well, because more people seem to do well than ever before. Also, the pressure coming from the style of teaching (have people always had syllabus-specific revision aids?) forces up mean marks.
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- 30-08-2004 23:34
(Original post by contradiction)
You have a very similar posting style to someone else on here -
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- 30-08-2004 23:35
(Original post by timeofyourlife)
i think you misinterpreted my meaning of 'direct'. i suppose i should have said 'strong' if you're statistically minded.
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- 30-08-2004 23:37
(Original post by Vladek)
Perhaps if you could spell "them" correctly then you'd be in a position to comment -
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- 30-08-2004 23:39
(Original post by Ben.S.)
Strong would do fine - it was more a case of misusing the word, rather than misinterpretation!
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- 30-08-2004 23:43
(Original post by timeofyourlife)
cheek. and i did A-Level Stats. case closed on exam standards judging by my correlation terminology, i think
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- 30-08-2004 23:46
(Original post by Ben.S.)
It is made difficult by the fact that only one of the variables is tangible and quantifiable.
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- 30-08-2004 23:54
(Original post by timeofyourlife)
really? i thought both variables were pretty ambiguous.
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- 30-08-2004 23:58
(Original post by Ben.S.)
(judging by exam marks; which is probably the part you dispute)
Ben
(BTW, i've already established that your name is Ben)
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- 31-08-2004 00:00
(Original post by timeofyourlife)
correct.
(BTW, i've already established that your name is Ben)
Michael
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