May 07 2010
Recently i have been working on compiling and collecting resources about GCSE/IGCSE examinations. So I’ve created an e-book by using Wikipedia Book Creator to help people those preparing for GCSE/IGCSE exams.
Here is the quick link to download this e-book:
Oct 11 2009
1 – Gather real-world data
Put a shout out to your Twitter network for them to tell you (and your students) something. This makes learning based on up-to-date information and real people (with a real story behind it!)
2 -Monitor the “Buzzwords”
First…Use twitterfall.com
Type in a keyword (“communism”, “appeasement”, “poverty” – whatever)
Then watch the results come pouring in using twitterfall!
Then…use twittermap.com which allows you to GeoTag users and their posts. You therefore get an idea of where certain topics are being discussed most…
3 – Summarise topics/views as tweets
First…Use historicaltweets.com
This gives some great ideas about how famous people might summarise their ideas/experiences as “Tweets” in 140 characters max!
Then…students do the same!
Produce a Tweet dialogue between two opposing characters (e.g. King Harold and William the Conqueror) about a key issue… Summarize a topic/concept/viewpoint as a tweet; each student should be given a different one to focus on.
4 – Really simple one – tweetstory
First…Choose your theme (Genre – Fairy Tale, Sports Story, Adventure etc.)
Give it a standard story opener and tweet this to your network. Ask network to continue the story in tweets, collaborating with the previous tweets and following them via twitterfall.com or a #tag.
Then…students follow via twitterfall, choose the best ones and edit them into a coherent story. (Great for editing skills, story structure etc.)
5 – Collate classroom views
Homework (or netbooks or ICT room):
First…set up new twitter account with name of topic or question.
EG: Students discussing current economic climate might be: SaveOrSpend
Ask pupils to tweet @SaveOrSpend which they think is the wisest thing to do with your hard earned cash, or Government taxes. Any topic that has an open question to ask..
Then the twitter account collates the classes tweets in a web page…Instant collaborative web page with contributors’ identities included.
6 - Let parents follow what you are up to
Set up a new Twitter account for your class – you will possibly want to ‘protect’ your updates. Invite parents to ‘follow’ you, and they can see what the class are up to from any computer (home, work, internet cafe…) at any time of the day or night. They might even tweet back now and again!
7 – Find out where people are
Put up a tweet asking people to give you their location.
Class first estimate distance from school, then use an atlas to gauge distance.
Then using Google Earth – can place mark where they are and find out distances.
Retweet results!
Benefits:
Gives class an immediate set of places and distances to research.
Interested to find out where people are and who they are!
8 – Short but sweet
Give children individually the twitter 140 characters rule – they have to write story introduction, character description or whole story.
Results can then be posted onto twitter or via blogs
In groups tell children they are to play pass it on – but must do this in only twitter ‘speak’ 140 characters.
They then add to it around the group and can be shared in same way!
9 – Twitter Poll
How do adult opinions differ from the views of the class?
Use a twitter poll to collect and graph opinions about a controversial issue.
10 – Word Morph
Student stuck trying to find a new or interesting word? Is the student’s writing clique or lacking descriptive language?
Use twitter to send out a word and have your network give the students synonym and other meanings, thereby testing the literacy strength of your PLN. Or have classrooms connect during writing workshops. Then have the students help each other create Wordle clouds of a word and the words that are synonyms, antonyms, and examples to foster stronger and more descriptive writing. The Wordle clouds become help posters during writing for the rest of the year.
11 - Come together
Find someone in another class, school, country who is interested in the same topic you are. Following each other on Twitter, share information, resources and ideas. Help each other find answers or even suggest questions.
Example – Rain Forest
- Primary class, primary teacher, class from special school, teacher (special), secondary class, secondary teacher and subject expert all linked via Twitter.
- Sharing resources/learning with others is easy and context specific.
- Primary/special pupils can tweet questions to secondary pupils who can either answer from prior knowledge or investigate. Subject expert able to make sure all is correct.
- Twitter quiz set by secondary pupils as plenary activity for special/primary pupils.
12 – Point of View and Character Development
Based on a novel or short story…
After a study of point of view and character development
Students become a character and create a twitter account ex: @janeeyre, @rochester. Students use their study of that character to create conversations around key events in the plot. Would be even more interesting to focus on events and situations that are omitted from the text, but referred to, so the students are creating their own fiction based on their knowledge of the writer, the time period, and the characters.
13 – GeoTweets
- Following in the footsteps of Tip #1 and #7.
- Introduce your class to the features of Google Earth by asking your Twitter network for a small piece of location info.
- Challenge your class to find the teachers who have replied.
- Try to gather some evidence that you have found them – name on football pitch, distinct shape of building – something to prove they have been found.
- Reply with this info.
- Use different Google Earth layers of information to help with the search.
- Gives a great real purpose to the use of Google Earth
14 – Global Assembly
- Ask you Twitter network to comment on local or national issues for a class or whole school assembly.
- In the past I have asked mine to comment on the question, “What does WATER means to them?” and “What does a new term mean to you?”
- With a global, if somewhat still limited, perspective we were able to talk about how world climate differences can influence such a commodity.
- Ask you network to comment on the issue you are discussing and to ensure they provide where they are.
15 – Word Play
Anagrams – post 8 letters and see how many new words can be formed?
- “What does it mean?”
- Use twtpoll.com to post definitions.
- Who can guess the correct meaning?
Post a Word and Guess…
- Synonyms?
- Antonyms?
- Homonyms?
16 – Twiddeo
Use http://betatwiddeo.com to upload videos from mobile phones to a twitter tag or account on a field trip or day out to the museum etc.
17 – Communicate with experts
There are loads of experts on Twitter these days, and some are willing to talk to the kids. Find an author, a scientist, a local historian…
NASA has many twitter streams, as do NASA Fellows (teachers who work on NASA projects.) They’re Twitter-friendly!
18 – Use a Twitter widget for instant webpage updates
Teachers are often locked into using particular website builders.
Adding a Twitter badge means being able to add instant web updates any time, anywhere.
These updates can be viewed by everyone who visits your website–even parents who’ve never heard of Twitter.
19 – Monitor the learning process
While they work on assignments, stimulate your students to tweet and reply about:
- stuff they learn
- difficulties they face
- tips they want to share
- great resources they find
In this way, Twitter replaces the students logbook.
It’s useful to the students: they become aware of their own learning process + it’s a way of collaborative learning. It’s useful to the teacher: each students learning process becomes visible and can be evaluated.
20 – How Probable?
When learning about probability and the language of chance in mathematics, use your Twitter network to offer a real world response to your questions.
- “What are the chances you will see a deer today?”
- “What are the chances it will snow where you are?”
- With a variety of people in different locations you will hopefully have a variety of different responses.
- I have used this successfully for a few years now in my maths lessons, and the different language used in replies provides a great teaching opportunity. From “50/50″ to “Buckley’s Mate” !
- Twitter replies could then be captured, added to a IWB notebook and placed on a probability scale or indeed a map of the origin, sparking further discussion about how this affects the probability of different events.
21 – Twalter-egos
Following a discussion with @tonycassidy on Enquiry in Geography, we thought about creating a fictional alter-ego in Twitter who would develop as a ‘character’ who had a back story. After this had been developed, they could be ‘introduced’ to classes, who could follow, and do activities based on past tweets. Created 3 characters. The most developed is @pensionerfrank. My farming character is being followed by Farmer’s Weekly. Blog post with details HERE.
22 – Scavenger Hunt
- Have students find websites, pictures, or other online documents that fit a certain criteria related to your subject area.(For example, if you are studying China, you could have students locate a map of China before PRC was formed or a narrative account of the Tiananmen Square incident.)
- Students then post links to Twitter, and once a resource has been posted, it can not be posted by another student/group.
- This could be used in conjunction with teaching research skills & information literacy and/or as a method for collecting resources.
23 – Track with Twitter
Twitter is the most brilliant trip-tracker. I used it last year on a 100km charity walk, so that those supporting and sponsoring could follow our journey, and am using it again for a school trip: twitter.com/hadrianswall09
It updates instantly, works from a mobile phone, and can also upload photographs that are geotagged, so parents of those pupils can be part of the trip, the rest of the school can watch developments, and those on the trip have a brilliant record of what they got up to!
24 – Teach bite-sized info
Twitter is perfect for teaching info which can be learned in any order and taught in small amounts.
Set up a Twitter account dedicated to teaching just one topic – No class interaction, no links, just pure information.
This could raise your profile as an expert in your field. Your students could be your class or anyone anywhere. Plus, they can follow you for life.
Examples / ideas for dedicated education Tweets:
- Medical terminology
- Advanced English words
- Shakespeare quotes
- @Frenchmot
- Preschool activities
- DIY tips
- @Cookbook
- Study tips
- Geography
- Gardening
- Singing
- Historical facts
- Trivia
- Whatever you know!
25 – Twitter as a Research Diary
If you are a researcher, you may use twitter as a research diary for your daily classroom findings through:
- sharing
- reflecting
- engaging
- inquiring
- reporting
By getting back to your tweets, you will definitely find invaluable accumulated materials, links, notes, and reflections that could contribute to your final research report. Invite your colleagues, other experts, or even your supervisors to check your progress of ‘what you are doing’ and to offer you instant advice & feedback if possible.
26 – Historical Figures
Invite your students or classes to generate a Twitter account for a historical figure.
For example Samuel Pepys has an account and has been explaining his experiences during the London fires. A hauntingly effective way of gaining insight.
This concept could be applied to any time period.
- What would an Egyptian Vizier report during the construction of the pyramids?
- A nobleman within the court of Henry VIII?
- Children during evacuation?
Historical recount published on the same date in history would be very powerful.
27 – Students tweeting current news events
Students use twitter to report real time ICT news events. As part of their A level coursework they have to assess the impact of ICT on society.
A teacher account – MrAICTTweetNews is followed but students who set up an account specifically for tweeting news accounts. They have to tweet at least once during a 7 day period, ensuring that no other pupil has tweeted the same topic. As they complete their coursework they review previous tweets.
Note: You can download this tips in a presentation file from here: http://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dhn2vcv5_118cfb8msf8 and thanks to Tom Barrett and all other contributors for this great share!
Oct 10 2009
You may not be able to travel halfway round the world and spend three years in another country at this stage of your life, but that doesn’t mean you wont be able to gain an internationally respected UK education. Every year, more than 200,000 students study for UK qualifications in their own country, either by attending a local college or university where UK qualifications are taught, or by distance learning, using the internet, email, CD-ROMs and other audiovisual material to study in their own time. This allows you to study in the way that suits your lifestyle and your budget. It means that you don’t have to leave your job, or disrupt your family, or spend a long time away from your own country. It also means that you improve your job prospects, immerse yourself in modern and innovative learning techniques and give yourself a fabulous start to whatever career or further study you decide to go on to next.
You’ll gain recognised and respected qualifications
UK qualifications, including A-levels, BTECs, HNDs, degrees from UK universities and professional qualifications are respected all over the world. All UK qualifications have to meet rigorous standards, and this applies just as much to ones you study in your own country as those you’d take in the UK. You’ll be expected to meet the same standards as students studying in the UK and your work will be checked regularly to make sure that this is the case. Your UK qualification is a mark of quality, proving to future employers that you’re up to whatever task they set.
Your institution will really support you
UK colleges and universities have a long history of providing education to students based overseas. Virtually all UK universities are involved in some form of overseas delivery of their qualifications, and they may have twinning arrangements with institutions in your own country, who will let you use their facilities, libraries and other resources.
It’s fantastic value
Of course, the biggest advantage of studying for a UK qualification in your own country is the cost. Many students are unable to come to the UK for their studies because they can’t afford to leave their job, because they have a family to support, or because the cost of living in the UK is much higher than in their own country. If you’re in this position it doesn’t mean you’ll lose out. You will still benefit from top-rate support throughout your study. You’ll have access to lecturers and tutors by email and telephone and will be able to chat to other students and share your experiences with them, via internet chatrooms. It’ll be the next best thing to campus life.
Make the best use of your time
If you choose to study in your own country, you’ll be able to plan your own timetable, fitting your studies around your other commitments. If you’re a busy manager, working full time, you may prefer a course that involves little or no contact with teaching staff, so that you work entirely at your own pace, or you may prefer a part-time course that’s delivered through a local college, where you can meet lecturers and tutors face-to-face to discuss your studies. If you don’t have other commitments, you may prefer to go into college every day, giving you virtually the same experience that you’d have if you were a student in the UK.
Gain the skills and qualities employers want
UK qualifications let employers know at a glance that you’ve got the skills they’re looking for, putting you on the right track for a great job and a great salary. This applies to qualifications studied in your own country, as well as ones you gained in the UK. A degree from a UK institution will let employers know that you’re capable of independent thought, able to undertake research and analysis and that you’re prepared to work hard. In fact, the resourcefulness required to track down your own research materials when you’re not a few minutes’ walk away from the university library can be a real feather in your cap when you’re looking for a job.
Practise your English
You might not have to speak English every day, but your language skills are bound to improve during your studies as you’ll be communicating with UK academics over the telephone or by email. Presenting your essays and research in English will have a great effect on your written communication skills and you’ll be amazed at how much you pick up about UK teaching methods and culture. You may also have access to the online language resources your institution would make available to students in the UK, as well. All of this means that you’ll finish your course with a good understanding of UK language and culture that will give you a good start in your search for a new or improved international career.
Original article can be found here: http://www.flyingcolours.org.uk/teachers/advantages/index.html
Sep 26 2009
About two thirds of GCSE exams taken at independent schools this year gained at least an A grade, compared with only one in five in the state sector.
The increase in the proportion of top marks at private schools comes as a growing number of independent head teachers abandon GCSEs in favour of more rigorous exams, casting doubt on their usefulness.
Westminster School, London, which leads this year’s independent schools table with 98.1 per cent of all grades at either A or A*, will offer ten subjects as International GCSEs (IGCSE) in the next academic year.
“Pupils taking more rigorous IGCSE exams have found them more intellectually stimulating and enjoyable, so they do even better in them [than in GCSEs]” said Stephen Spurr, the headmaster of Westminster.
The IGCSE contains no coursework element and is similar to a traditional O level. It is favoured by all of this year’s Top Ten independent schools but is still not recognised by the Government. Dr Spurr said the GCSE syllabus for some subjects, particularly science, is not challenging enough for pupils at the £19,000-a-year school.
“We want them to have reached a level of scientific understanding which is going to help them make informed scientific decisions in the future, even if they are not taking it at A level,” he said. “The GCSE doesn’t allow for that — for the academic level of pupils at Westminster it is too low.”
Read More: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article6822700.ece
Aug 11 2009
Last year i prepared some kind of HTML competition for the IT day in my school. Students liked it. So this year i prepared a new one again and decided to make it available online. Your students can also participate in this competition. There are 20 levels and students need to find a way to go to the next level. They need to look into the source code and find the passwords or hints. This will improve students html and javascript skills.
You can play it here: http://gcse-ict.net/competition/
P.S: haskertest.net was my inspiration 
Jul 21 2009
Here, I want to quickly illustrate how to create, huge(up to 20 meters), awesome looking, rasterized wall posters using previously mentioned Rasterbator. It’s free and easy to use piece of software and the whole procedure won’t take you more then 5-10 min(not incl. poster printing and putting it on your wall). Enjoy!
IMPORTANT: This procedure uses considerable amount of ink and if you don’t set printing setting to a moderate level it will kill your cartridge.
Steps:
1. Get Rasterbator: You can either download it from here or use its web version. Although, keep in mind that online version puts some restrictions on output size and resolution
2. Run rasterbator and select source image
3. Select paper size and alignment: The rasterbated image will be automatically split onto several pages, so you need specify the format of each unit paper(A4, A3 etc) and its alignment(horizontal or vertical). If you plan to print poster yourself then make sure to select paper format supported by your printer(ex; A4)
4. Define output size: Output size is defined by the amount of papers to be used for image width or height. For instance, you can tell rasterbator to produce a poster with a width equivalent to 12 horizontally-aligned A4 papers(see poster below).
5. Set rasterbation options: Specify color and resolution settings
6. Select output directory and press Press ‘Rasterbate!’
7. Done: Print it and put it on your wall
Here is another way to create any size wall posters from any size images:
1. Go to http://www.blockposters.com/
2. Upload an image from your computer.
3. Choose how many sheets wide you would like your poster to be once printed.
4. Download your poster! That’s it!
Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/howto-free-and-huge-custom-poster-for-your-wall/
Jul 20 2009
What do I do now?
There’s no need to panic, you have lots of choices. Don’t rush into a decision – think carefully and talk to your parents and teachers about your options.
Can I resit?
You can resit English and Maths GCSES in November, but you can’t do the rest until the summer. You can’t resit any SQAs until the following year, but you can appeal your result if you did better in your prelim exams – this will not automatically improve your grade though. If you only need to resit a few, you might be able to do it alongside AS levels, Highers or BTECS.
Have an honest chat with your teachers before resitting. Many people do much better when they resit, but if your teacher doesn’t think you can improve it might not be worth it. It can also be lonely if all your mates are going on to do other things.
Can I still do AS levels?
It depends how low your grades are. Talk to the college that offered you a place and ask if they’ll accept you with lower grades. If they say no, contact other colleges to see if you can study there instead. Alternatively, consider taking a vocational course as they have lower entry requirements.
What about Scottish Highers?
You can’t usually take a subject at Higher with less than a grade 2. If you got grade 3-4 you will be able to study at Intermediate 2 level and then progress to Higher. If you got grade 5-7, you will be able to take Intermediate 1 level.
If you really think that you’re capable of taking a higher level than your SQA results will allow, talk to the college that offered you a place and ask if they’ll accept you at the level you want with lower grades.
Alternatively, consider taking a vocational course as they have lower entry requirements.
What vocational courses can I do?
BTECs, SVQs and OCR Nationals are a mix of theory and practical work based around a career you’re interested in. They often have an element of work experience too. There are hundreds to choose from and some are accepted by universities.
Can I get a job?
Yes, but find out if your results will get you the sort of job you want. If not, can you work your way up? If you have the right attitude and personality many employers will offer you training. An alternative is an apprenticeship, which will let you learn while you earn.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/default.stm
Jul 19 2009
More exam results are about to come out, as arguments continue over the merits of the latest changes to qualifications in the UK. But do you know your Highers from your Higher Diplomas and your extended projects from your Extended Diplomas? Your IB Diploma from your Pre-U?
If not, read on …
GCSEs
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is the main qualification taken by secondary school pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, usually as two-year courses between the ages of 14 and 16.
Syllabuses are being changed from 2009 except for GCSEs in English, English literature, ICT and maths which will start in 2010. GCSEs are examined through a mixture of coursework as well as module and final exams.
GCSEs are graded from A* down to G. Education ministers in England set targets for the number of pupils attaining the equivalent of at least five GCSEs at grade C or above, including English and maths – which is also a typical requirement for progression to further education or going into employment.
AS-levels
The Advanced Subsidiary General Certificate of Education first half of an A-level and a qualification in its own right. It is usually made up of three modules and taken in the lower sixth form year or, sometimes, alongside GCSEs.
A-levels
General Certificate of Education Usually taken over two years following GCSEs, and made up of an AS-level and an A2. The A2, also usually made up of three modules, is the second half of the A-level but unlike the AS-level is not a qualification in its own right. A-levels, graded from A down to E, are the main qualification for university entry. Students generally take four AS-levels then three A-levels.
From September 2008 many A-levels will involve four papers rather than six. Other changes include the introduction of a top A* grade to distinguish those attaining more than 90% in their exams, and an optional extended project.
Diplomas
New qualifications combining applied and theoretical learning related mainly to different employment sectors, being introduced for the 14 to 19 age group in England only from September 2008.
They are available at three levels: Foundation, Higher (nothing to do with Scottish Highers) and Advanced. Diplomas are a mixture of existing qualifications and new ones designed in collaboration with employers. They have three parts: principal learning, generic learning including work experience, and additional and specialist learning.
A Foundation Diploma will be equivalent to five GCSEs at the lower grades, D to G. A Higher Diploma will be equivalent to seven GCSEs at grade A* to C. An Advanced Diploma will be equivalent to three and a half A-levels. There will also be a Progression Diploma worth two and a half A-levels for those who cannot complete a whole advanced Diploma. Extended Diplomas at each level are intended to stretch the most capable learners. An extended project will be mandatory at advanced level in both extended and ordinary Diplomas.
Standard Grades
These have been the main qualifications taken by secondary school pupils in Scotland, usually as two-year courses between the ages of 14 and 16, with exams at the end of the second year. They are offered at three levels of study to cover a range of abilities: Foundation (Grades 5 and 6), General (Grades 3 and 4) and Credit (Grades 1 and 2). You need Credits to continue into further education.
Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 2
Replacements for Standard Grades under Scotland’s National Qualifications framework.
Intermediate 1 is roughly equivalent to Standard Grade – General and is graded A, B, C or D. Intermediate 2 is roughly equivalent to Standard Grade – Credit, and is graded A, B, C or D. They usually consist of three subject-related units assessed by teachers, plus an external assessment involving coursework or an exam.
Highers and Advanced Highers
Scottish school leaving and university entrance qualifications, taken in the fifth and sixth years of secondary schooling. Graded from A down to D, they usually involve three subject-related units assessed by teachers, plus an external assessment involving coursework or an exam.
Scottish Baccalaureates
The Scottish Government has announced the introduction of a Scottish Science Baccalaureate and a Scottish Language Baccalaureate for pupils in the fifth and sixth years of secondary education. These will be available from August 2009.
The government says the Scottish Bac will be based on a coherent group of subjects at Higher and Advanced Higher level and involve an interdisciplinary project intended to broaden learners’ experience.
Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma
Involves core learning and key skills plus working with others, an individual investigation and other optional qualifications such as two A-levels, NVQ Level 3 or a BTec National Certificate.
The Welsh Bac was first awarded in 2004 and, four years later, had 1,857 entries, of whom 89% completed the programme.
English Baccalaureate
Developed by the AQA exam board for teaching from September 2008 in about 100 schools and colleges. The English Bac will be taken on top of three A-levels and include extended essay, 100 hours of personal development activity and an AS-level in critical thinking, citizenship or general studies.
International Baccalaureate
Taken usually in the sixth form years or S5/S6 in Scotland and suitable for university entry, the IB involves six main subjects chosen from literature, a second language, individuals and societies, experimental sciences, mathematics and computer sciences and the arts.
There are also three compulsory sections: a 4,000-word essay on a topic of the student’s interest, theory of knowledge, and creativity, action, service. The IB is offered by some state and independent schools in the UK instead of A-levels as a broader option.
BTecs
Vocational qualifications at different levels offered by the exam board Edexcel. Lower level BTecs are increasingly offered in schools as well as colleges. BTec First Certificates and Diplomas are equivalent to two or four higher grade GCSEs, while BTec National Certificates and Diplomas are equivalent to two and four A-levels.
Pre-U
Recently accredited and available for teaching from September 2008, the Pre-U has been developed by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) as a university entry qualification likened to a more “traditional A-level”.
Students aiming for the Cambridge Pre-U Diploma study at least three principal subjects from a choice of 26, complete an independent research report and a “global perspectives” portfolio. It does not have a modular structure and emphasises “digging deeper” into a subject – with exams at the end of two years of study.
And …
There are many other qualifications, such as the Diploma in Digital Applications (Dida) taken in many schools in place of an information technology GCSE, which counts as equivalent to four GCSEs in the school league tables in England.
A complete list of qualifications accredited by the regulators in England (Ofqual), Wales (DCells) and Northern Ireland (Ccea) is available at the so-called National Database of Accreditation Qualifications. Scotland’s qualifications are listed separately at the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
But …
IGCSE
The exam-based International GCSEs were designed for overseas centres where coursework could not be externally checked. Now they are being taken up increasingly by schools in the independent sector in England, which tend to regard them as more stretching. State schools are not able to enter their pupils for IGCSEs as they receive funding only for approved exams – and these have not been accredited by the regulator, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, which says they do not assess the content of the national curriculum. IGCSEs are not taken into account in the school league tables.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/7559868.stm
Jul 19 2009
Is the IGCSE a harder qualification?
The answer to this perhaps depends on whether you regard exams as harder than coursework or modular qualifications. Manchester Grammar said the proportion of students gaining A grades in their Year 11 exams had risen since the IGCSE was introduced. In 2006 the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, which assesses the strength of various qualifications, said the IGCSE was “not suitable for assessing what pupils in England learn”. It said the IGCSE did not meet the subject criteria because of the “major differences” between it and the GCSE. For example, the QCA noted that there was significantly less prescribed reading for English in the IGCSE, no speaking test for French, and no non-calculator exam in maths. It said the ordinary GCSE was more closely bound to the programme of 11-16 learning and so could be said to assess this better.
Does the IGCSE place more emphasis on international affairs?
The IGCSE essentially has to be more flexible, because it is available in more than 100 countries. It does not have to adhere to the English national curriculum. It might well be taken by a pupil at an English school in a foreign country. It does not include the compulsory study of Shakespeare, for instance, though his works would still be an option in an IGCSE.
How popular is the IGCSE?
Numerous independent schools have moved towards IGCSEs in recent years, though only four now offer them exclusively. In 2008 there were 40,000 IGCSE exam entries, according to the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents most of the bigger institutions – a leap from 15,000 in 2007. The ISC says it believes just under half of private schools offered the IGCSE in at least one subject. But the vast majority of independent schools are still offering ordinary GCSEs, at least for most subjects.
Can pupils in state schools sit the IGCSE?
State school pupils do not sit the IGCSE currently because although they have been approved by Ofqual, the government has not approved them for state school funding. Ofqual monitors qualifications in England on behalf of the government, working closely with its equivalents elsewhere in the UK. It can approve qualifications, but it is up to England’s Department for Children, Schools and Families to decide which it will fund state schools to offer. State schools must adhere to the national curriculum, and given that the QCA raised concerns about the IGCSE in that respect, it seems unlikely the DCSF will change its stance. The DCSF keeps a list of all qualifications it does fund, called the Section 96 List, and the IGCSE is not on it. The Conservatives say the GCSE has been “devalued”. They are urging the government to permit state schools to offer the IGCSE and “allow all students to take high quality international exams”.
Isn’t this adding to the “alphabet soup” of qualifications?
There are certainly more of them: Diplomas combining practical and theoretical learning are the latest to be made available. Just to add to the confusion, one exam board syllabus calls the IGCSE by another name. Two exam boards currently award it – Edexcel and the University of Cambridge International Exams. Since the GCSE has to follow the national curriculum, and the international GCSE does not, the University of Cambridge International Exams has opted to call its version the “Cambridge International Certificate” instead.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/7924496.stm
Jul 19 2009
Pupils are being rewarded for writing obscenities in their GCSE English examinations even when it has nothing to do with the question.
One pupil who wrote “f*** off” was given marks for accurate spelling and conveying a meaning successfully.
His paper was marked by Peter Buckroyd, a chief examiner who has instructed fellow examiners to mark in the same way. He told trainee examiners recently to adhere strictly to the mark scheme, to the extent that pupils who wrote only expletives on their papers should be awarded points.
Mr Buckroyd, chief examiner of English for the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA), an examination board, said that he had given the pupil two marks, out of a possible 27, for the expletive.
To gain minimum marks in English, students must demonstrate “some simple sequencing of ideas” and “some words in appropriate order”. The phrase had achieved this, according to Mr Buckroyd.
The chief examiner, who is responsible for standards in exams taken by 780,000 candidates and for training for 3,000 examiners, told The Times: “It would be wicked to give it zero, because it does show some very basic skills we are looking for – like conveying some meaning and some spelling.
“It’s better than someone that doesn’t write anything at all. It shows more skills than somebody who leaves the page blank.”
Mr Buckroyd says that he uses the example to teach examiners the finer points of marking. “It elucidates some useful points – it shows some nominal skills but no relevance to the task.”
He also acknowledged that the language was inappropriate – but added that using the construction “different to” would also be inappropriate language.
The choice phrase, given in answer to the question “Describe the room you’re sitting in”, on a 2006 GCSE paper, was not punctuated. “If it had had an exclamation mark it would have got a little bit more because it would have been showing a little bit of skill,” Mr Buckroyd said, “We are trying to give higher marks to the students who show more skills.”
The AQA, which as the largest of the three examination boards awards half the full-course GCSEs and 43 per cent of A levels, distanced itself from Mr Buckroyd’s comments, saying: “If a candidate’s script contains, for example, obscenities, examiners are instructed to contact AQA’s offices, which will advise them in accordance with Joint Council for Qualification guidelines. Expletives in a script would either be disregarded, or sanctioned.”
Ofqual, the Government’s examinations regulator, refused to condemn Mr Buckroyd’s approach. “We think it’s important that candidates are able to use appropriate language in a variety of situations but it’s for awarding bodies to develop their mark scheme and for their markers to award marks in line with that scheme,” it said.
Other examining bodies said that their marking schemes would not reward such language. Edexel said: “If the question was ‘Use a piece of Anglo-Saxon English’, they may get a mark, but if they had just written ‘f*** off’, they may get sanctioned. If it was graphic or violent they may get no mark for that paper.”
The Joint Council for Qualifications, which represents exam boards, said that examiners were required to report instances of “inappropriate, offensive or obscene material” in exam scripts, and the awarding body must investigate. “If malpractice is identified, the awarding body will decide on the appropriate sanction, which could include loss of marks or even disqualification,” a spokesman said.
Nick Gibb, the Shadow Schools Secretary, said of Mr Buckroyd’s strategy: “It’s taking the desire for uniformity and consistency to absurd lengths.”
Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article4237491.ece