dumbing down GCSEs (again)

[AndrewT]

What I do know is that my 12 year old son who is in year 7 gets a bucket load more homework than I did at his age......I don't buy into this dumbing down theory......I think they work harder.

They may do more homework, but are they actually learning anything useful? Or is it just something to do so they can get a grade and get a piece of paper at the end?

Universities and employers will tell you - kids coming out of school know less and less every year. Many university maths courses now spend much of the first year teaching stuff that used to be in A-levels.

[Jon MW]

...Many university maths courses now spend much of the first year teaching stuff that used to be in A-levels.

But in GCSE's and A-levels they learn some topics which only ever used to be taught once you got to University.

There is some evidence of some dumbing down in GCSE's and A-levels but I don't think it's particularly about what gets taught, and how much of it gets taught.

The problem more seems to be with the testing side of it. Like getting rid of the Oral exam in a languages GCSE - it doesn't mean that less gets taught but it does mean that it gets easier to pass.

Similarly revision time has been greatly increased. This wouldn't be bad if they were reinforcing what had already been learned to enable a deeper understanding of the subject, but they're not, the extra time is taken on exam technique. i.e. how to pass the exam rather than understand the subject.

The education system just gets worse and worse, and now it seems we're caught in a bit of vicious circle. It's got so bad because it's been meddled with so much over the decades, but without further meddling it won't get any better. It's a shame that politics has such a bad habit of getting in the way of good education.

[Snatiramas]

Similarly revision time has been greatly increased. This wouldn't be bad if they were reinforcing what had already been learned to enable a deeper understanding of the subject, but they're not, the extra time is taken on exam technique. i.e. how to pass the exam rather than understand the subject.


No different in the good grammar schools 28 years ago except that you could no work for a whole year.....cram for 2 weeks and still get a C grade O level..........and please do not tell me it was not possible.........

Rose coloured glasses........the bigger problem that I see is not in the exam process but the lack of respect generally for teachers both by pupils and more importantly parents. Until all parents realise that they have a duty to support teachers and schools as regards discipline then the slide in education and society has to continue.

[kinboshi]

No different in the good grammar schools 28 years ago except that you could no work for a whole year.....cram for 2 weeks and still get a C grade O level..........and please do not tell me it was not possible.........

Rose coloured glasses........the bigger problem that I see is not in the exam process but the lack of respect generally for teachers both by pupils and more importantly parents. Until all parents realise that they have a duty to support teachers and schools as regards discipline then the slide in education and society has to continue.

I keep on agreeing with you.  I'm getting concerned.  Soon I'll develop a liking for outrageous shoes...

[boldie]

No different in the good grammar schools 28 years ago except that you could no work for a whole year.....cram for 2 weeks and still get a C grade O level..........and please do not tell me it was not possible.........

Rose coloured glasses........the bigger problem that I see is not in the exam process but the lack of respect generally for teachers both by pupils and more importantly parents. Until all parents realise that they have a duty to support teachers and schools as regards discipline then the slide in education and society has to continue.

I keep on agreeing with you.  I'm getting concerned.  Soon I'll develop a liking for outrageous shoes...

well you already support an under achieving/over rated team ..and you're both Welsh

[Jon MW]

...
No different in the good grammar schools 28 years ago except that you could no work for a whole year.....cram for 2 weeks and still get a C grade O level..........and please do not tell me it was not possible.........
...

Talented pupils then could coast and cram and past, just as they could now. But the talented pupils now who aren't coasting and want to learn more are being denied the opportunity because they have all this extra time for revision of topics that they already understand.

The pupils just below this level are being denied the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding because the time is being used to ensure that they will just pass the exams.

The pupils who have no chance of passing aren't really losing out because they still won't pass, but they will spend their whole school life being tested and failing - so that sets up their self esteem well.

As I suggested, I don't think there is much difference in the standard being taught. But I do think the over testing going on now is starting to erode the standard - and that the potential of a lot of those currently at school won't be fully reached because of it.

[kinboshi]

It could be worse:

http://www.thediplomat.ro/reports_1207.php

The Romanian state, whether it intends or not, offers pupils a unique perspective on the world, the religious one, without any critical scientific or philosophical offset.