tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1254315679163990153.post1323206647117680311..comments2023-09-09T09:36:50.321+01:00Comments on Systems Thinking for Demanding Change: Hard scienceRichard Veryardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04499123397533975655noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1254315679163990153.post-50791867524492990702009-04-07T18:11:00.000+01:002009-04-07T18:11:00.000+01:00Having looked through several more GCSE science pa...Having looked through several more GCSE science papers, I can divide the questions into four categories.<BR/><BR/>1. Easy. My younger son (primary school) can do lots of these. Example: what do you use for looking at the stars (microscope, telescope, X-ray or synthesizer)?<BR/><BR/>2. Reasonable. My older son (secondary school) can do these.<BR/><BR/>3. Confused/confusing. I can't do these myself, because they are poorly worded, ambiguous, or plain wrong. For example, I found a question on the difference between analogue and digital radio, where none of the possible answers was strictly correct. (However, I have a pretty good idea which answer the examiners thought was correct.)<BR/><BR/>4. Completely ridiculous. See above.Richard Veryardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04499123397533975655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1254315679163990153.post-40842642273971526092009-03-30T19:42:00.000+01:002009-03-30T19:42:00.000+01:00Scribe: B if you're a politican. In fact, best to ...Scribe: <I>B if you're a politican. In fact, best to tell *everybody* the thieves are coming</I><BR/><BR/>Ys, that way you can use the threat to clamp down on civil libeties!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1254315679163990153.post-72981046037902130842009-03-30T13:47:00.000+01:002009-03-30T13:47:00.000+01:00Based on Scribe's answer, it would seem that a phy...Based on Scribe's answer, it would seem that a physics GCSE qualifies you to be a member of the political establishment rather than a "real" scientist.<BR/><BR/>So that's Cabalamat's answer repeated at a higher logical level. The education system produces the qualifications that the political establishment expects, rather than the ones that might be "correct" (in the sense of corresponding with some old-fashioned notion of what these subjects are supposed to be about).Richard Veryardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04499123397533975655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1254315679163990153.post-91938708892280074422009-03-30T13:35:00.000+01:002009-03-30T13:35:00.000+01:00Working out what some idiot examiner thinks is the...Working out what some idiot examiner thinks is the right answer is a lot harder and more time-consuming than just producing the correct answer. Students who aren't aware that bacteria have genes have an advantage over students who are, because they don't have to stop and think.Richard Veryardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04499123397533975655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1254315679163990153.post-78207833993343834562009-03-30T13:32:00.000+01:002009-03-30T13:32:00.000+01:00Cabalamat's answer is the correct one. Empathic/So...Cabalamat's answer is the correct one. Empathic/Social intelligence (understanding what people want) is far more likely to win you points than actually thinking about the question.<BR/><BR/>Having said that, the correct answer is:<BR/><BR/>A if you're a social scientist. Or journalist.<BR/><BR/>C if you're looking to revive your economy through intergalatic military technology.<BR/><BR/>B if you're a politican. In fact, best to tell *everybody* the thieves are coming, and that the thieves could well be your neighbours, friends, or offspring.Scribehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08757616056135886893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1254315679163990153.post-84349144548485344632009-03-30T13:21:00.000+01:002009-03-30T13:21:00.000+01:00You're right. I think anyone with any sense would ...You're right. I think anyone with any sense would just look as far as "what is the answer they expect" rather than "what is correct". I recently saw a GCSE biology question which implied that bacteria and mitochondria don't have genes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com