Different exams for boys and girls

[OrigamiYoda]

www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/jun/18/boys-girls-different-gcse-course

What do you think ?

yes I think we are in danger of creating another two-tier system like O levels (i.e. no coursework) and CSEs (i.e. coursework). That is why articles like the Guardian one are worrying, because it will disadvantage thousands of children if they allow that to happen.

I think there is a lot mixed up here

The overall reduction in difficulty of the syllabus is not the fault of exams, nor is the reduction in difficulty of the exams themselves.

Whether the subjects have got easier, and adjusting that, is one are to look at.

Whetehr the methods of examination are appropriate, leave room open for bad practice, are unfair on those without keen parents etc etc and whether they are fit for purpose from the POV of empoyers/FE providers, is a different question.

Then there is the fact that the better schools are moving away from GCSE anyway, and so we are already in a 2tier situation which is not good for anyone (well anyone expect the privileged few, of course it is excellent news for them).

"The overall reduction in difficulty of the syllabus is not the fault of coursework, nor is the reduction in difficulty of the exams themselves."

whoops

I agree ISNT that some subjects need to be 'project' based (from inception to completion). My son is doing a foundation course in art next year, and, this is designed to develop ideas for a final project, in much the same way as his art and his graphics A levels.

I don't really understand how exams can be seen as 'the only' realistic way of testing, as they depend on a good memory and an organised brain. I've got a great short term memory and got excellent O level results (before anything was allegedly dumbed down ), but ask me anything about those subjects two days later.....

However, I can see the problem with tutors, etc, helping with the coursework and don't have an answer for that one!

Also, as regards 'dumbing down', isn't it just that the marking system has made it more likely to get higher grades? When my son did GCSEs, I thought the content of academic courses was very similar to the O levels I took xxx years ago.

Remember Labour and Blair's propaganda theme tune "things can only get better". They worked night and day to make sure that "things could only get better" and they proudly stood at the despatch box quoting their figures to us, year on year the percentages getting 'A' grades increased. We were in the world of Alice in Wonderland and the mad hatters were running the tea party, but they were eating all the tea and biscuits whilst we had bread and water. Gove is determined to shoo the meddlesome bunch away and restore order.

It says you can choose which course to take. Sounds great to me.

You really have gone purple prose mad since the election claig...

"The new government is fantastic so far." Oh yeah? What have they done that's so brilliant? As far as I can see, they've got that bizarre priority about protecting accused rapists (and that's really important in the middle of a financial crisis?), they've seriously considered raiding the free school meals budget - for children who get them now, not the proposed extension - to fund their 'free' schools, and had the chief sec to the treasury resign because he stole 90k from the taxpayer despite being a millionaire.

What are these amazing achievements, then?

Well yes claig I said earlier that it is in politicians interests (of all colours) to show that standards are "improving" in education.

I would be interested to see wheteher the results were improving, or static, or declining, pre-labour.

yes I know the political threads started me off. But never mind the prose, it is the content that is true

Is it?

I'd love to see some stats

edam, very importantly they are repealing Labour's anti-freedom measures and restoring many of our civil liberties. In addition our pensioners will no long be fined by the bin Stasi for performing bin crimes. They are removing many laws and regulations introduced by Labour. They are freeing up schools and allowing free schools to be set up which I think will increase standards. The mad hatters' grip on education will be reduced and political correctness will flee like a vampire faced with a cross and a clove of garlic.

coursework can be worth anywhere between 30% and 100% of the fianal mark depending on the subject and the exam board.

the problem with assessing the standards of GCSEs against "O" levels is like comparing chalk to cheese they are two very different things.

Also remember that in order to maintain the "O" level standards the bell curve was moved every year so that only a small percentage got the highest marks, an A grade for one year could be much better or worse than the previous or next year.

GCSE results have risen for 19 years in a row and A levels for 25 years in a row - don't think labour were in power for that long....so Claig you are talking a bit rubbish

Oho

Thanks blackduck

Edam, well said.

Blackduck you are right, I think GCSEs may even have been introduced by Thatcher, I am not sure. The mad hatters have planned these things for years and even the Tories are politically correct, just not as much as the progressives. They have all played a part in the decline of our system, but the progressives have progressed the decline without a doubt. So far it looks like Gove may actually want to reverse the juggernaut.

I was good at exams. I have a great memory and did better in exams than people who were obviously cleverer than me
Was shit at coursework because I'm a procrastinator.
I loved the rush and 'competition' of an exam.

sorry Claig - I don't follow, or belive your reasoning and anyway isn't it this government that is spouting the 'progressive' line? I really fear for our education system under this government as I don't believe the policies it is currently rushing through are well thoughtout or in the best interests of the nations (and I mean ALL) children...

it is mainly Labour and the LibDems who use the "progressive" tag. Labour is using it to renew their image in a hope that the public will forget what they are really like, just like they used the term "New Labour" instead of Labour, and according to David Miliband should now use the term "Next Labour" to hide the term "New Labour". Soon they will have to drop the term Labour completely and just use the term "New" or more truthfully "Naff". I think that Gove's policies will be to free education from the control of big state mad hatter progressive planners and to give a greater say to headteachers and commercial organisations. I think that this will lead to an increase in standards and I think the fact that the coursework issue is increasingly under the spotlight is evidence of that.

The desire of successive governments to show a year on year improvement in results, has nothing to to with "PC", and everything to do with political gain.

I don't see how it can be argued that it is "PC" to drive standards down

I get the accusation of "PC" about coursework (whether I agree with it or not is another matter), but that is a separate thing to politicians wanting to show their policies in teh best light.

I think giving commercial organisations a say in our children's education is dangerous, they are 'commercial' for a reason. I just don't buy this give the people control rubbish - actually no, what most of us want is a decent local school, not to have to set up one with funding from MacDonalds.....
As for your rebranding rant like the Tories haven't done that too....

I think that PC is only the smiley face on a progressive agenda. I don't think that PC is what it pretends to be and I believe that dumbing down is part of its agenda.

I think that commercial organisations are accountable and their success is determined by their results. If McDonalds sponsored a school, it would give the school more money and provided they had a good headteacher and teachers and followed a good curriculum then I think it would benefit the children. McDonald's have their own university to trian their staff. Large organisations like Ford etc. have good training schools and are interested in developing their staff. I think allowing commercial organisations to run schools will only improve standards and benefit children and the country. I don't think that government are the only people capable of providing education. Government must set the standards and curriculum, but schools and companies could have flexibility in providing the service.

this sort of thing?

ISNT the progressives are very righteous in their campaign against McDonalds but are surprisingly quiet about aspartame and nutrasweet in children's food and drinks, as well as the whole issue of GM food. I don't think McDonalds is quite the ogre it is painted to be. Persnickety has just made an excellent point on one of the political threads

"Am sick and tired of being told I can't put a chocolate biscuit in the children's lunch by the same people who are feeding all the other children nutrasweet EVERY DAY."

This is spot on and applies just as much to McDonalds whatever the progressive liars may say.