Education, education, education

[Bagpuss]

I did agree when they proposed a standard national curriculum as I had fallen foul of the disparity of the various matriculation boards.
The school I attended set very high standards and generally chose the hardest board as they were also the best courses.As a consequence I did not do too well at 'O' level. This had a knock on effect in that I was turned down for a number of trainee positions becaus candidates with better results were considered.
When I finally got into a job I met one of these better candidates with straight 'A's. His final exams were at about the level we had taken at 3rd year.

There is not that much difference between the examining boards. Just face it you were thick!
Isn't it funny those who moan most about falling standards tend to have low levels of attainment?

[sasguru]

The problem with o and a levels these days is partially down to how they marked. In my day, the pass mark was set after the exam was set and a set percentage (40% i think) had to fail. This maintained the status as it meant that the bottom 40% could not get the qualification. This obviously had to be changed due to it being not 'fair'. Now we have A levels where the pass rate is 97%.

With a (perfectly) composed exam at the correct standard, the distribution of scores ought to be a normal distribution, ranging from 0 to 100% and with a mean of 50. So you don't have to fail a set %, it will happen anyway.

So current post modern thinking has abolished the Normal distribution. An astounding achievement

[threaded]

With a (perfectly) composed exam at the correct standard, the distribution of scores ought to be a normal distribution, ranging from 0 to 100% and with a mean of 50. So you don't have to fail a set %, it will happen anyway.

So current post modern thinking has abolished the Normal distribution. An astounding achievement

I thought you should get 4 peaks, a pair for boys and girls crossed wi' a pair for those who studied and those who didn't.

[sasguru]

I thought you should get 4 peaks, a pair for boys and girls crossed wi' a pair for those who studied and those who didn't.

If you plotted the marks for the 4 different groups you might get overlapping distributions, but why would you do that?

[DaveB]

If you plotted the marks for the 4 different groups you might get overlapping distributions, but why would you do that?

So the Govt can fiddle the figures and claim that Schools have had their best year ever as well as the NHS.

[Not So Wise]

The problem with o and a levels these days is partially down to how they marked. In my day, the pass mark was set after the exam was set and a set percentage (40% i think) had to fail. This maintained the status as it meant that the bottom 40% could not get the qualification. This obviously had to be changed due to it being not 'fair'. Now we have A levels where the pass rate is 97%.

Well honestly this change I agree with, say every student gets 97% or more on the exams, hardly fair nor right to just turn around and say "well sorry old chap but because scores overall were high, even though you got 98% on your exam you still failed" Exams and grades are not meant to be a competition but rather an honest evaluation of students skills/knowledge.(word bolded because i don't think system here is honest these days)

Though English systems always confused me, always preferred the Spanish system (where did bulk of my education) which basically worked on a marks out of 10 (based off percentage).

Sit down, be told you will need X out of 10 to pass. There was it none of this A,B,C from exams plus course work crap, That reminds me of the US system (where I did part of my education) which was basically
Turn up to majority of your class's and hand in your homework throughout the year? You passed
Sit your exams (with detailed helpful "hints" from teachers day before of what would be asked): Probably get an "A"
Get good score on your exams? Honors class for you next year young man

Till I went to the states was what you would call a B minus student (never had much interest in school no never really tried hard), went to the states after not being in an English speaking school for about 8 years got A+ in everything and never opened the books except night before the exam (till went to states never saw multiple choice on an exam either, where as there 95% of questions were multiple choice) and by second year they moved me Honors Class's across the board (most amusing one was English, could barely spell "Cat"..hell still a terrible speller, i would be done for without spell checker)

[Fleetwood]

classes

[Not So Wise]

classes

Complain to microsoft about their spell checker

[Fleetwood]

Did that really get through? There's a bug, then.... sorry, an "opportunity to pursue".