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Original poster

Examiner being indiscreet on social media - report?

21 replies

EvilTwins · 28/04/2018 10:59

I am in a few Facebook groups for the subject I teach. Yesterday and today, someone who has said she is an examiner for one of the external units has been being really indiscreet. She’s made some comments which directly contradict information given by the subject head at the board, and when challenged has been defensive and insisted that what she’s said is what they were told at examiner training. She also said that this particular unit was ridiculous and that she only signed up to examine for it because she didn’t get how to teach it. As someone delivering this unit to my 6th form cohort, this doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence about the quality, and personal standards, of the examiners. Should I report this person to the board?

OP posts:

Cynderella · 28/04/2018 11:11

I would say no.

But that's because I am not keen on the idea of too much censorship of social media.

If her marking is not to standard, there are systems that should sift her out. I don't mark now, but I certainly found that the experience of marking clarified some of the misunderstandings I had. Hopefully, that will be the case here.

Original poster

EvilTwins · 28/04/2018 11:15

What about the fact that she’s telling people things that contradict info given out by the subject head at the board though? The unit in question requires students to choose specific things to write about. She has said categorically that X is unacceptable but the subject head has said X is fine.

OP posts:

LadyLance · 28/04/2018 12:04

I think you should report (with screenshots), or at least query what she has said with the exam board. If she is giving advice that could potentially impact students in a negative way, then I think the exam board do need to know. To me, it's not about the standard of marking- I agree that might be picked up on- it's more that if a teacher follows her advice and it's wrong/misleading, there's no comeback for anyone and students might be disadvantaged.

I don't think this is "censorship"- to me, that's about reporting someone for having a political or personal opinion that's irrelevant to their job.

Everyone should know that everything said on social media (even in closed groups) is essentially public and can be used against you. It's up to the exam board to decide if she has crossed a line or not, but I think it's a good idea to make them aware.

Original poster

EvilTwins · 28/04/2018 12:30

That's my feeling LadyLance The unit in question has caused problems in the past because it's quite ambiguous anyway so this really doesn't help! Selfishly, several of my students are writing about X, after I checked with the board that it would be OK and I don't want their work to be marked by someone who things that X is unacceptable - hoping she's the only one!

OP posts:

IrisAtwood · 28/04/2018 12:32

I agree with LadyLance.

scotchpie · 28/04/2018 12:33

So do I, surely she shouldn't be saying anything on Social media

GeekyWombat · 28/04/2018 12:36

Selfishly, several of my students are writing about X, after I checked with the board that it would be OK and I don't want their work to be marked by someone who things that X is unacceptable - hoping she's the only one!

This is absolutely why you should be querying it. It's not telling tales or anything, it's clarifying a very important position.

MyOtherUserNameIsAUnicorn · 28/04/2018 14:45

Absolutely bring it to the attention of the board. I've had to complain about exam marking every year for the last five years. There aren't always things that sift out the bad ones!

Icantbelieve · 28/04/2018 16:03

There’s generally something in the contract about keeping marking confidential which I assume to mean not talking about it on social media

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 28/04/2018 17:06

"Selfishly, several of my students are writing about X, after I checked with the board that it would be OK and I don't want their work to be marked by someone who things that X is unacceptable - hoping she's the only one!"

That doesn't sound selfish to me at all, @EvilTwins - it sounds as if you care about your students and want them to have the best possible chance at the subject. I am not a teacher, but am the child of teachers and the parent of a student teacher, and in my opinion, you would be right to raise this with the exam board.

Ishouldntbesolucky · 28/04/2018 17:16

Yes, raise it with the exam board. If I were you I'd feel happier having it in writing that X is definitely acceptable.

Plus, exam boards seem to be really cracking down on social media use. Examiners are not supposed to mention anything related to the exam board they mark for.

Original poster

EvilTwins · 28/04/2018 17:26

Thanks everyone. I've emailed them. Hopefully I'll get the clarification I need about the specific issue - that's the priority.

OP posts:

bunbunny · 28/04/2018 17:30

Absolutely - screenshot it and get advice from the board. I would even go so far as to say explicitly state that it contradicts the advice that you had been given and as such please could they confirm in writing that X is fine because you have students that are doing X and do not want them to be penalised.

I would also be appalled by the fact an examiner is publicly stating that they don't get how to teach something - because if they don't then they sure as hell shouldn't be examining in it!

Original poster

EvilTwins · 28/04/2018 17:44

I would also be appalled by the fact an examiner is publicly stating that they don't get how to teach something - because if they don't then they sure as hell shouldn't be examining in it!

My thoughts exactly! I know it's naive, but I would like to think that examiners were experts rather than novices. I do know that's not how it works though - wishful thinking, given how poorly exam marking pays, and how much time it takes.

OP posts:

CaptainHarville · 28/04/2018 17:48

This isn't BTEC Applied Science is it by any chance? Because if it is and relates to Unit 2 or 12 or 4 I would love to hear about it.

Original poster

EvilTwins · 28/04/2018 17:50

No - Level 3 Performing Arts. Unit 1.

OP posts:

bunbunny · 28/04/2018 18:00

Even though you know that's not how it works in reality - I don't think it hurts to point it out to the examining board when an examiner is flaunting their ignorance quite so publicly!

cricketballs3 · 29/04/2018 06:03

At the training they do tell you not to say you are a marker/SV on social media (I'm different subject).

However in terms of the marking it may be on the last assessment X could have been incorrect for that question which maybe is why they are saying that but could be appropriate for this question/assessment

cricketballs3 · 29/04/2018 07:00

As for the "She also said that this particular unit was ridiculous and that she only signed up to examine for it because she didn’t get how to teach it"

Not so much that I don't know how to teach a topic/unit but I started marking to get the inside info so to speak as specs and marking schemes can only tell you so much

GlueSticks · 30/04/2018 15:44

Examiners are not supposed to mention anything related to the exam board they mark for.

This. It is incredibly unprofessional and has just added another layer of stress to you and any other teachers / students who read what she has written. Being an examiner is a role which is currently (IMO) massively undervalued and therefore many examiners do not behave as professionally as they should. If you cannot maintain confidentiality you should not be an examiner.

Absolutely query it with the exam board - you need to know categorically that X is okay for your students to write about.

I know it's naive, but I would like to think that examiners were experts rather than novices.

Examiners become experts in the exam they are marking after the exam has been sat by students. Many still know the mark schemes for their particular exam years after marking it, as well as common mistakes, and have good understanding of the reasoning behind specific answers being allowed or not. Examining is a different skill to teaching, though they do feed in to each other.

GrimSqueaker · 01/05/2018 10:05

We always had really tight contracts about not discussing the marking process on social media (I used to do KS2 tests - don't anymore - I hate on-screen marking). I've PMed people after the scripts were back at schools and they were struggling to work out how the hell a certain mark's been awarded before to clarify it a bit (on those delightful questions where it's like 1 line in the mark scheme but about 3 pages of A4 notes and examples and clarifications after marker training day) but nowt worse than that.

I may still swear a lot at the mention of Garnet and Citronella though - worst reading paper to endure ever. Think most exam markers have THAT question or THAT paper that drove them completely and totally insane... it was that duo wafting around whining for rain, followed by the fucking trainer reviews that were my two worst-evers.

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