I certainly see the problem of teaching to the exam, I remember how much of my RE GCSE lessons consisted of "learn this quote, learn that quote, you will need them in the exam", with little focus on actually understanding the point.
I'm not really sure on your point about memory though, surely if you can't remember something then you don't really know/understand it?
If any more course work were to be included it would need to be much less teacher led, as currently it's ridiculous how little of it you have to do yourself in many subjects.

My primary school (I left 34 yrs ago) involved little tests every single week, general knowledge mainly. Secondary school was no different, regular tests that were quick to mark by teachers in class while we were doing other stuff. The onus was on the pupil to learn things outside of school & the teachers didn't complain of work overload - and we had classes of around 25 then.

Originally Posted by LA

Okay,

So I often have this debate with people, but Britain requires educational reform. We rely heavily upon exams that are poor measures of student intelligence and can be passed by good technique and memory. They are unrealistic in terms of work and utterly pointless as teachers can teach to the exam.

Exams should be drastically reduced in usage. However, what would we replace it with?

Discuss.

(I will post my view later )

I eduction system, where your overall mark is based solely on exams is outdated.

What is needed is exams and assessments throughout the year that differ greatly from exams.

Originally Posted by Kiwi 1691

I eduction system, where your overall mark is based solely on exams is outdated.

What is needed is exams and assessments throughout the year that differ greatly from exams.

I think the point of having exams is retention of knowledge and the ability to use it in time constraints, which is necessary in life after school in many cases. There are few areas of business or other expertise that doesn't require almost instant recall If testing in schools is made too simple because some pupils struggle to retain or use information then overall standards will suffer. We've already seen the basics suffer, reading, writing, maths, because too much time (imv) is given to making sure everyone moves at the same pace and doesn't suffer disappointment or rejection or failure. (an enormous generalization there, I know, but that's my view of school from an outsiders view)

The best change to education in the UK was the introduction of the Nat Curriculum. I didn't have that luxury when I changed schools the year before my final year. So 6 mths written new work had to be crammed into a month before 4th yr exams. I also missed 2 weeks due to an accident & I didn't know at the time that I was dyslexic - so my entire school life was pretty much screwed. The NC would have made a vast difference to my final results.

Originally Posted by JacquesMagique

I certainly see the problem of teaching to the exam, I remember how much of my RE GCSE lessons consisted of "learn this quote, learn that quote, you will need them in the exam", with little focus on actually understanding the point.
I'm not really sure on your point about memory though, surely if you can't remember something then you don't really know/understand it?
If any more course work were to be included it would need to be much less teacher led, as currently it's ridiculous how little of it you have to do yourself in many subjects.

No I disagree entirely and have a good example.
Mathematics is a difficult subject. Surely the emphasis should be on your knowledge of the formula and how it operates, not just remembering the formula?

If exams provide the formula and emphasis the use of the formula for marks, that is more sensible than just remembering it.

I am unsure about replacing exams with coursework. Coursework is too open.

What we must remember is, that a lot of countries who do better than us, don't have this huge emphasis on exams.

I've only had a quick search, but this extract from a "Times" article 2 years ago shows how Britain has been slipping further and further down the international league tables when it comes to educational standards, and I've got no reason to think that anything has changed, except for the worse, since then :-

"Britain’s young workers are among the lowest achievers at GCSE or equivalent in a league table of countries published today.

The results show that Britain has plummeted to 22nd of 29 countries, from 14th place 40 years ago, despite its pupils attaining ever-higher grades. They raise fears that an underclass is emerging, increasingly unsuited to the job market as manual work declines and competition grows from abroad.

While 97 per cent of South Korean students were awarded the equivalent of five good GCSEs, only 73 per cent of British exam candidates achieved the same results. They were surpassed by those educated in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Scandinavian countries and much of Western Europe."

Originally Posted by LA

Mathematics is a difficult subject. Surely the emphasis should be on your knowledge of the formula and how it operates, not just remembering the formula?

If exams provide the formula and emphasis the use of the formula for marks, that is more sensible than just remembering it.

Yeah you are right that application of knowledge is an important skill, and as far as I remember this is something which is supported by the mark schemes. And I don't know about A-level but I know that GCSE maths exams included a formula sheet for those formulas which were more complex.

I am unsure about replacing exams with coursework. Coursework is too open.

What do you mean by that?

What we must remember is, that a lot of countries who do better than us, don't have this huge emphasis on exams.

What other forms of assessment do they use?

Originally Posted by JacquesMagique

What other forms of assessment do they use?

Do they ever use teacher lead assessment anywhere - I know it was a popular idea a few years ago as it would compensate someway for those pupils who performed poorly under exam conditions and was therefore more of a reflection on the students actual capabilities not just there ability to perform under pressure. Haven't heard of it being used since they reintroduced the 11+ in Kent though.

Originally Posted by JacquesMagique

Yeah you are right that application of knowledge is an important skill, and as far as I remember this is something which is supported by the mark schemes. And I don't know about A-level but I know that GCSE maths exams included a formula sheet for those formulas which were more complex.

My GCSE maths paper didn't have a formula sheet -_-

What do you mean by that?

Easy to cheat

What other forms of assessment do they use?

There are many different kinds of assessment. I know that at least one Scandinavian country doesn't even use exams (for official results at least) until they are 17. In Denmark, they are introducing the internet for exams...

The fact is, Midas rightly pointed out, our education system is seriously flawed. IT needs to be reformed taking into account modern advances in technology.

What I am a huge fan of, even though it is very similar to coursework, is the Extended Project. A proper research project. I am a fan of projects and specialisation.

Say you are doing biology and want to do a project... Why get a child that isn't good with plants, to do work on plants? Why not allow that child to specialise and do a project on the Brain - An area he/she is particularly good at and excels beyond all others?

Getting children do work hard on areas they do not do well is not always the answer and sometimes causes greater problems for the other subjects where they excel.

Anyway, we need reform, we need to loosen the education system. Personally, we should look into Scandinavian countries and look at how they do it, look at other western countries and establish a system which is based on the best aspects of those systems.