Tables turned on HSC students (SMH) (2 Viewers)

[Fluorescent]

EDIT: Oops, double post

But while I'm here, I might add that every single one of my exams so far has completely thrown me off (except paper 2 for english)

To everyone in years below me : past papers = pointless...They will set you up for failure

 

[verdades]

There's been a complete overreaction to the AOS question. I don't know what people get taught at other schools, but at my school we were always taught to use the minimum required amount of related texts. If they asked for at least one, then you used one. If they asked for at least two, then you used two. No more than what they asked and no less than what they sked.

I'd actually never heard about that one until the night before.
My teacher was always telling us two things:
1. if they ask for "one or more", they want two, as it shows a deeper understanding
2. Answer the question.

So I'd been assuming that in a "one or more", 2 would get higher marks than 1. My boyfriend told me the night before that it wasn't the case [his teacher being a marker, mine not].
But it simply said "one", anyway.


As to the article; nice. Pretty much true.
I suppose I feel kind of uncomfortable that they're overtly stalking the site for quotes to use, but yeah.
Some of the main exams, like English and maths [of all varieties] may actually be ranked better, with those who have both intelligence and hardwork, then hardwork [or memorising, if you will, in many cases], then intelligence, and then everyone else. Instead of just memorising > everyone else. That top group'll be split, making it two top groups, which I think is a good thing.

 

[jaymeee300791]

Summary: Dumb kids complaining that the essay question they revised at home wasn't in the test.

Conclusion: It's cool to be smart.

I sat that studies of religion exam and we never learnt in class what the question had asked us! we were told either a quiestion on ethics significant practice or significant person!
therefore DUMB KIDS COMPLAINING is a little rude. get your facts right before you make a summary and conclusion about a test you obviously have no idea about!

 

[verdades]

I sat that studies of religion exam and we never learnt in class what the question had asked us! we were told either a quiestion on ethics significant practice or significant person!
therefore DUMB KIDS COMPLAINING is a little rude. get your facts right before you make a summary and conclusion about a test you obviously have no idea about!

If you took a look around the forums here, you'll find that some people had absolutely no trouble answering any of the questions.
I don't do SoR, but even I found that obviously there were people able to think around the question and apply what they had learnt in class.

There should have been an "almost always" attached to what your teacher said. If that meant you revised a bit of the course instead of the entire course, then it is your fault. Ergo, you're a fool for only having studied a tiny bit, so complaining that you couldn't think around the question makes you sound dumb.
I do know intelligent people who got tripped up, but it'll all be scaled out, and anyone who wasn't intelligent enough to think around the question won't get a band six.

 

[P.T.F.E]

SOR was different you see, you could relate ur information to the question. The thing is the question, for islam, asked for info about muhammad which is not in the syllabus it actually says DO NOT STUDY MUHAHHAD. Also it was so broad that the time u are usually given to discuss one topic, 35mins is now suppose to sufficient enough to tlk about all three....? If they didnt want kids to use memory for the questions at least word it so it fits with the syllabus and we are aware of what it wants.

 

[m09]

In regards to English, of couse people are going to memorise parts of their essay! If you don't have access to the texts in front of you then there's no way you can answer a question on it unless you have memorised at least some aspects of the text to mention. There is nothing wrong with a rope learnt essay as long as it engages with the question; changing the format of the exam won't eliminate people who ignore the question.

 

[rowdyroddy]

 

[roar84eighty]

all the ppl who got quoted has no grammers

 

[random-1005]

EDIT: Oops, double post

But while I'm here, I might add that every single one of my exams so far has completely thrown me off (except paper 2 for english)

To everyone in years below me : past papers = pointless...They will set you up for failure

100% correct, or it would have if u did it from 2000-2008, now they are fukin with everyone, just got back from a chem test and i had seen no questions like them at all before, except esterification

 

[InaudibleMelody]

I agree with the article- They could of at least warned teachers about the changes.

But seriously guys, let's move on. It's over now. Complaining about it isn't going to get you full marks.

And no, I'm not one of the kids that found the SOR question easy. I thought it was stupid, and just wrote about everything I knew about Islam.

 

[Uncle]

This is the news I've always wanted to hear.

Those mindless fools who come into the exam anticipating and gambling upon whether their piece of garbage of a prepared essay fits into the question.

This is why those who actually come near or at the top of the state at least have some brains and creativity to earn the high marks they deserve.

LOL

 

[Stanman]

I actually studied ONE related text, how lucky i was to make that decision

Then again, i don't memorise essays. Still interested how a majority(rather) didn't relieve in the fact that it was in a sense "less" to write about.

 

[shady145]

I agree. I always write my essays on the spot... couldn't deal with memorising one.
Yeah, they should be prepared for anything, instead of relying on getting a predictable or easy paper.

+1
memorising doesnt fit the effort involved

 

[danal353]

james ruse students were told before the exam that it was one text by the supervisor. I did one, but how unfair is that for schools who are dragged down because a higher percentage of people did two...

 

[Monsterman]

I think the exam was alright. i had two related texts but used one cause i could develop more into the 1st text..

I lol'ed inside.. when i heard one of the people from my school said that they were going to use harry potter as the second related.. just goes to show how this exam has helped the.. people with less study

 

[tommykins]

I can understand the whole 'don't rely purely on memory' but I think board of studies forgets that not everyone is intelligent - the majority of people NEED memory otherwise they fail life

Yeah, society sucks doesn't it. Weed them out asap imo.

And they wonder why kids commit suicide and get super depressed over the HSC....With papers like that I see numbers doubling

Because they're weak? I hope the numbers do double, can't stand such idiots living in our society.

HSC being a CONTRIBUTION for depression or suicidal tendencies, I understand - but being suicidal/depresesd OVER the HSC. No empathy there.

 

[marcquelle]

james ruse students were told before the exam that it was one text by the supervisor. I did one, but how unfair is that for schools who are dragged down because a higher percentage of people did two...

I doubt that happened.


But who cares the board of studies are trying to change the exams to see which students are applying themselves diligently throughout the year instead of those who think they can memorise essays and fluke the exams. By changing the way they ask questions allows them to see if students can analyse a question and pick what information that is required, rather than seeing if a student can memorise an essay the night before, or hone a 'perfect essay' throughout the year.

Seriously build a bridge and get over it, the BOS is not stupid and they are changing the formats to TEST us not to screw us over, as many people think.

 

[ixswans]

I can't ever memorise anything properly, even quotes, so that's out.

I know heaps of people that memorise introductions or conclusions or topic sentences and lines of arguments but whole essays? Why not spend that effort actually understanding the content so you can maximise your marks.

 

[marcquelle]

I can't ever memorise anything properly, even quotes, so that's out.

I know heaps of people that memorise introductions or conclusions or topic sentences and lines of arguments but whole essays? Why not spend that effort actually understanding the content so you can maximise your marks.

exactly

 

[LordPc]

exactly

no, not exactly.

the key problem is not that students are memorising essays instead of learning content properly. thats the effect. what needs to be fixed is the cause, that being that the questions asked in the hsc (in trial hsc's and school assignment too) are far too predictable, so much so that students can memorise a few essays and with just a few minor changes can do extremely well on exams.

you can even argue that the poor quality of questions in the hsc is down to a poor english syllabus, which I would agree with too.

but my main point is we need to fix the cause, not the effect.
"When I burn my toast, I don't blame the bread" -Arj Barker