Pupils sit 1976 exam; no improvement over 1976 grades - Polidicks

[quote=BBC News][b]Pupils are no better at maths now than they were 30 years ago - despite a rise in exam grades, a study suggests.[/b] Researchers asked 3,000 11 to 14-year- olds in England to sit maths exams taken by pupils in 1976, and compared their scores with the earlier results. Analysis suggested there was little difference between the two generations. But among pupils from the previous generation taking O-level maths, less than a quarter gained a C or above, compared to 55% in GCSEs last year. [b]'Teaching to the test'[/b] Dr Jeremy Hodgen, of King's College, London, who led the research team, suggested the disparity between unchanged ability and the increase in grades was partly down to schools' obsession with Sats results and league table positions. He said: "There's a great deal of teaching to the test, so that in trying to increase scores, schools develop an understandable focus on the test, so there's a narrowing of the curriculum." "When the results came in, I immediately thought 'oh shit, it really says theres no improvement. Im so fucked'" He also said mainstream schools today had a higher proportion of lower-achieving pupils, whereas in the 1970s many of these pupils would have been in special schools. The researchers found some differences in the abilities of the two groups of pupils in different areas of mathematics. Today's secondary school pupils were much more familiar with decimals than they were 30 years ago. On the other hand, fractions appeared to be much harder for today's pupils, the study suggested. Thirty years ago, pupils would sometimes convert decimals into fractions to solve a problem, but those taking the tests now did the reverse, researchers found. Schools Minister Diana Johnson said another independent report showed pupils in England making real progress in maths and that GCSE standards were rigorously monitored. "We do not think that research based on tests in a small number of specific topics taken in 11 schools by 11 to 14-year-olds is a good way to judge standards in the maths GCSE - an exam which tests the full breadth of the curriculum and that is taken by older pupils from all schools in the country," she said. "Improved mathematics attainment is down to pupils' hard work and excellent teaching. This is further reflected by the fact that more and more young people are going on to study mathematics and further mathematics at AS-level and A-level." The research was presented at the British Educational Research Association conference in Manchester on Saturday. Former Countdown television presenter Carol Vorderman, who is leading a Conservative task force into the subject, told BBC News that there was "no question" maths exams are easier than when she was at school. "I've spent a lot of the last month going round a lot of university maths departments and speaking to the professors and to the students... and the term grade inflation is a term which is referenced and it is used constantly," she said.[/quote] [url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8238759.stm[/url] What a shocker!

[quote]"When the results came in, I immediately thought 'oh shit, it really says theres no improvement. Im so fucked'"[/quote] Hey it doesn't really say that in the link!

That'll shut up the daily mail no end.

Maybe it's because they've been learning different things?

Yay qualification inflation, don't we all love that.

[quote]"When the results came in, I immediately thought 'oh shit, it really says theres no improvement. Im so fucked'"[/quote] That wasn't in the link, you liar! D:

But they won't have been taught the 1976 papers, they have been taught the 2009 papers.

[QUOTE=pie_is_good;17180333]Hey it doesn't really say that in the link![/QUOTE] Woah that was fast, good job.

there are more retards today then there were then

wouldn't "improving" mean making shit harder? What a stupid goal if that's the case. Imo improving education has nothing to do with raising the average grades but more about the qualitytime spend in a classroom.

Yeah, nowadays, instead of teaching them MATH, they're just taught the next math test.

[quote]Pupils are no better at maths now than they were 30 years ago - despite a rise in exam grades, a study suggests. [/quote] [quote]Pupils are no better at maths now than they were 30 years ago [/quote] [quote][b]better at maths[/b] [/quote] Sounds like irony.

[QUOTE=Ybbat;17180746]Sounds like irony.[/QUOTE] Why?

That is what is wrong with schools these days. They focus on testing only and nothing else, everything you learn it to prepare you for a fucking test that makes the school look better or provides them funding. They make students be fearful of being wrong and students are so fucking scrutinized it is ridiculous.

Why does this vaguely remind me of back to the future?

[QUOTE=Ybbat;17180746]Sounds like irony.[/QUOTE]You do know mathematics can be shortened to "maths" too, right?

How does this place them compared to the United States?

[QUOTE=Ybbat;17180746]Sounds like irony.[/QUOTE] Even more ironic is how the article says there has been no improvement in the course of 30 years, but 2009-1976=33 years.

[QUOTE=Killer900;17181018]You do know mathematics can be shortened to "maths" too, right?[/QUOTE] Don't you mean "math"?

[QUOTE=livelonger12;17181063]Don't you mean "math"?[/QUOTE] No.

[QUOTE=livelonger12;17181063]Don't you mean "math"?[/QUOTE]Ugh. :sigh:

[QUOTE=livelonger12;17181063]Don't you mean "math"?[/QUOTE] Maths is the British term, therefore it is the correct term because the British way of saying this is always right because we're British and cool like that. Yes I am being sarcastic. Well, kind of.

[QUOTE=livelonger12;17181063]Don't you mean "math"?[/QUOTE] oh dear

BBC = [b]British[/b] Broadcasting Corporation Therefore maths is correct.

Well, mathematics has been virtually the same for hundreds of years. It's not like learning about it more is going to change the way human brains work as a whole.

[QUOTE=Ybbat;17180746]Sounds like irony.[/QUOTE] If you mean what I think you mean I hope Alex Mercer consumes you.

I am amazed that this was NOT america. I was expecting to come in this thread reading about us and seeing a whole bunch of "Only in America!" replies.

[QUOTE=McSanchezV2;17180714]Yeah, nowadays, instead of teaching them MATH, they're just taught the next math test.[/QUOTE] A lot of schools these days do just this. they teach you the shit you'll need to pass your exam, and when you come to use stuff that you need in real life or in your job or whatever you don't know it because 'it wasn't in the test'.

[QUOTE=mysteryman;17181286]I am amazed that this was NOT america. I was expecting to come in this thread reading about us and seeing a whole bunch of "Only in America!" replies.[/QUOTE] I'm pretty sure it's the same around the globe. In non-third world countries that have a decent educational system at least.

[QUOTE=RichyZ;17181261]people use the word irony too much. this is just a mistake (or a rough estimate) , not irony. irony would be like, a landmine victim winning the superbowl or something.[/QUOTE] No, this is ironic. They're saying that the youth today is not better at math then the students 30 years ago were, but tested them 33 years later. They did their math wrong with the years and then say that other people suck at math. It's like me saying "U suk @ spelin".