Education as The Most Significant Aspect of Any Society - Essay Example

?Should GCSE Format be changed over the Next Few Years? Education is the most significant aspect of any society. An educated society reflects upon the education system of the society. The standard displayed and maintained in the educational system is hence displayed in the citizens. Governments ensure that a high quality in terms of education is maintained. If any doubts and criticism from the educational community or committees, regarding the standards of the system arise, reforms are introduced; so the education provided to the young minds is, up to date and of high quality. Recently, the education standards in the ‘General Certificate of Secondary Education’ have come under serious debate from educationists and people from the political circles, widely giving rise to the notion that the GCSE examination should altogether be abolished and replaced by another like the E-Bac. GCSE has recently been under heavy fire for leaving teenagers underprepared for University Education. The exam has been failing to train teenagers for the degree level of education (Shepherd, 2012). The gcse has been lagging behind in training students for higher education, especially in subjects like mathematics, geography, chemistry, biology, English and English Literature. GCSE has been found more focused on the results that the exams generate and not a broader prospect of education (Baker, 2012). The amount of course work has also been considerably reduced over the past decade. It has been reviewed by ofqual (regulator of qualification), that GCSE has been becoming increasingly easier over the past decade, which is suggestive of falling standards of Education (Shepherd, 2012). The study conducted by ofqual pointed out that most university teachers found that students coming out of schools lacked skills like, conducting research, resource finding, and referencing capabilities (Baker, 2012); and failed to focus on broader skills of organizing and analyzing information and also the interpretation of complex forms of data (Shepherd, 2012). A poll consisting of 633 Cambridge University academics; resulted in almost half the lecturers vote that the A-level exams were no longer preparing the students for studies at university level, they were of the opinion that the students coming to out of the GCSE did not possess necessary skills regarding critical thinking and writing, which were necessarily required for the degree courses (Shepherd, 2012). The poll also revealed that the lecturers teaching the degree level subjects of English, business studies, geography and psychology were unimpressed by the exam standard and wanted more open-ended questions and an independent study orientation (shepherd, 2012). MCQ’s restrict the student’s ability to learn and remember complex forms of data and information, as it focuses on testing the students for parts of information on topics. Many believe that with the passing years the MCQ content of the exams has been greatly increasing while the descriptive essay like questions in the exams have reduced considerably, which are the real indicators of the amount and level of learning. In the 2012 review by ofqual, it was put forth that as compared to 2001, in 2010 human geography exam had fewer questions that tested the scientific knowledge of the students; 2008 biology exam also had an increased number of short answers and MCQ’s as compared to the exam in 2003; the 2010 geography exam was testing the pupils on fewer topics as compared to the exam that was put forth in the year 2001; and for the subject of Chemistry 2008 exam also showed more GCSE level questions as compared to the year 2003 (Shepherd, 2012). The Education Secretary, Micheal Gove says that the system of GCSE was “for a different age and a different world” (BBC, 2012). Mr. Gove believes the GCSE system to be outdated and that new exam system like E-Bac could help raise the bar again. The education secretary believes that changes in education system are necessary so that there can be “truly rigorous exams, competitive with the best in the world, and making opportunity more equal for every child”. The English Baccalaureate will be one end of the year exam and having one board for taking the exam, thus eliminating different boards having their own marking standards in exams (BBC, 2012). The education secretary believes that when the boards “take a step back” from the education system and allow for the universities to set the exam and the course to be taught at schools, it will lead to betterment of the education system and betterment of exam standard (Shepherd, 2012). Gove believes that GCSE are getting easier as less and fewer essays comprise the exams and MCQ’S mostly constitute the paper. The education secretary believes that a proposition like, handing over the examination system to ofqual will make the exams “real and committed, not a tick-box exercise” (Shepherd, 2012). He believes that when an external source will monitor the course as well mark the exams, it will lead to bettering the standards of education. Many are of the opinion that the course covered by the GCSE has also been considerably reduced and the topics covered by the exam are not sufficient as well. Since the exams apply more MCQ approach rather than essay or descriptive one, only a select few topics can be covered by the exam paper, where as if essays were a more significant part of the exam paper, students could be tested for a large body of course work; also a broader understanding of the subject matter along with composition, and higher order critical skills could be assessed. The need to be more descriptive in their answers will enable the students to learn higher order skills like organizing and analyzing information, that could better represent the information they possess. The Chief Executive of the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance exam board, Andrew Hall, wants the A-levels to show more reliability as he believes that “they are too predictable” (Shepherds, 2012). Tony Higgins, Chief Executive of the ‘Universities and Colleges Admissions Services’, believes that the GCSE’s for the intelligent students are “as easy as falling off a log”, and also they did not bear relevance for the bright students (Dailymail, 2012). He commented that he was no longer assured of the exams to be a good predictor of performance, but also that, they should not be altogether replaced, rather improvements should be introduced to better the system as well the exams and their results. Mr. Higgins said that the “bright students” who are planning for University find the GCSE’s really easy and thus “should be toughened up”. He said that while there are students who find these exams to be extremely easy, at the same time there are those “who find them really tough” (Dailymail, 2012). The chief executive is of the view that ample research supported the issue that “O-Levels were a very good predictor of university performance, better than A-levels”, but he also said that there is no research evidence to show support for GCSE’s (Dailymail, 2012). Shadow education secretary, Stephen Twigg, believes that the GCSE’s are still serving their purpose and that any attempt at changing them to O-Levels would be “totally out of date” and “totally out of touch with modern Britain” (BBC, 2012). He has opined that the GCSE exam system is in accordance with the modern standards of education. Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, also shares Mr. Twiggs opinion and he also believes that the system currently in place should be reviewed and even changes should be introduced to bring it up to date and reduce and remove discrepancies, but replacing the system with something that was in the “1950s, which was suited to a very small part of the population”, would not be suitable (BBC, 2012). The Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFL) has also declared that the GCSE system is no longer serving its purpose and should be replaced; the IFL relayed that the schools abuse the system to make their league table position better as the schools encourage their pupils to attempt at the easier exams or to take exams through boards that offer easier examination (Roberts, 2012). The IFL is also of the opinion that; the GCSE should be replaced by a single board holding all the examination and in turn marking the exam papers, as this will lead to a single standard of marking and eliminate the good grades inflation (Roberts, 2012). Students in gcse’s are achieving higher and higher grades over the past 10 years, which should signal towards improving standards of education but conversely the teachers in universities have complained more and more about the falling standards of education and the students that they receive are not competent enough and un prepared to handle degree education. While many may be criticizing the exams, people like Chris Husbands, the Director of the Institute of Education, is of the opinion that it is not necessary that the only way to improve educational standards is to improve the exam results, rather “improving teaching and learning” will on its own improve the educational standards; as this will provide the students with the “knowledge skills and understanding that are going to prepare them for adult life” (Swain, 2012). The current system for education is more focused on getting higher grades and not on enhancing the learning capabilities of the pupils. As David Abulafia, a professor of Mediterranean History at the University of Cambridge believes that excellence and the best in a student or a person can only be brought out by proper education; it is a valuable process that demands concentration (Swain, 2012). Education should not be taken lightly, but the slow and continuous reduction in courses is leading to less knowledge and fallen educational standard but grade inflation. Anne Barnes, Senior English Examiner shows signs of distrust in the education system and thinks that the reason that students are achieving higher grades is that students are becoming more exam-oriented, saying “exams are important rather than education”; and at the same time considering it as a danger and threat to the education standards and system (Dailymail, 2012). Higher grades are no longer significant of better education, since higher grades and not standard education is a criterion for getting into universities, thus students are found focusing on the exam and preparing for better grades and not to learn and be educated. Students prepare for topics more likely to be a part of the exams and since the course has also been reduced, there doesn’t remain much margin of learning. Ofqual review in 2012 expressed that excessive removal of course work from the subject of geography had reduced the overall demand that the paper laid on the student in A-levels (Shepherd, 2012). The reduced demand that the paper exhibited could be contributed not only to the reduced course work but also the limited opportunities the exam displayed to test the students, as they simply needed to choose and tick the correct answers, allowing little room what so ever for show of abilities like reasoning, and the analyzing of crucial information. While the exams have been accused of under preparing the students for university education, they have also been found to allow little room for A-Grade students to demonstrate their higher order capabilities like organizing, analyzing and interpreting complex data (Shepherd, 2012). Anthony Seldon, head teacher at Wellington College sees fit that the system should be changed altogether, and shows amazement that a system with so many short comings and problems was allowed to linger around for so long, he believes that the system should be replaced by the E-bac, as it would be testing the students and their capabilities and not those of the teacher’s (BBC, 2012). When an exam or course work fails to allow students to show their true potential with regard to higher order skills and capabilities; they start lagging in those tendencies and immense lack of confidence in exhibiting such capabilities and skills can be seen, which is opinioned to be quite common recently in students opting for higher studies. The students opting for higher education lack the necessary background information on the relevant subject, as they have not covered enough course work, and a lot of work needs to be done on these students; since they are lacking in necessary critical thinking skills, three fifths out of the 633 academics surveyed said that the University had to provide catch up classes for students of first year under graduation (Shepherd, 2012). Where many are debating whether the GCSE’s are easy or not; there are also those who are voicing their thoughts on the issue that exam results have nothing to do with the actual examination set up, rather it is the education and teaching standards that need to improve. If the students are lacking certain educational tendencies and higher order capabilities, then it is the teachers who are to be blamed for and not the exams. Kevin Stannard, belonging to the Girl’s Day School Trust is of the opinion that tempering with the exam system is easy and does not signify anything in actuality, as this is does not do anything to help with raising educational standards and learning; he believes that if actual change is intended than the difference would be made by “improving teaching and learning in all schools” (BBC, 2012). Andrew Adonis, who was a minister for schools, also believes that where it is true that students might not be showing the best of their educational abilities, but it is also true that bringing back an outdated educational system will create a division of first grade and second grade students. Creating such divisions can be really harmful for students as they will have to be subjected to second-class education, qualification and in turn second-class prospects. He strongly believed that the amount of good GCSE’s obtained by students needed to rise, but in order to achieve that teaching and educational standard needed to improve (Tickle, 2012). Changing the whole examination system can be a tedious job and a hassle for the students. Grade inflation and demonstration of a lack of higher order learning skills is not of the students making, and they should not be made to suffer by changing the entire course and replacing it with something that has already been discarded decades ago. Had the older CSE system been able to cope with the rising standards of education, it would not have been discarded. It was replaced because it was lacking in training and educating pupils and did not come up to the marks of international educational system. GCSEs were introduced in its place to ensure the learning of today, a learning that is able to keep pace with the modern standards of research and education. Reforms should be introduced within the system and changes be made to the syllables, examination and marking criteria rather than replacing the system altogether. As Martin Johnson from the Association of Teachers and Lecturers says: “O-levels were abolished 25 years ago for a very good reason: they just tested memory and essay writing, which are not crucial skills for the majority of jobs or life today” (Harris &Groves, 2012). GCSEs were developed and introduced as a means of keeping pace with the growing demands of educational institutes. If University lecturers think that the students coming out of the current system are not demonstrating skills that ought to be part and parcel of university students, then the system needs change, for an exam cannot possibly train a student in 90 minutes, how to develop and exhibit these skills. These skills should be inculcated in a student during the learning process by teachers. The current system assesses the performance of the student throughout the year through modules and continual assessment, but laying the burden of assessment on one end of the year exam, like in E-Bac; it will be unfair for students, as performance in a single three hour exam will be regarded as performance indicator and decide their future. Changes in the exam system can make it fit for the modern standards and answerable to the criticism it is facing. A study on how ‘A-levels can prepare students better for the university’, was conducted over a period of 18 months. The study revealed that educationists were of the pinion that it can be achieved by limiting the number of times a student was allowed to re-sit his/her exams. Under one particular circumstance an adult student was permissible to re-take his A-level mathematics module 29 times (shepherd, 2012). The study also revealed that university Lecturers teaching the subjects of English, Geography, History, Psychology and Business studies; said that students would be better prepared for university degree courses if their A-level exams constituted more of open ended questions, requiring students to demonstrate their abilities and grasp on the subject; and also that independent study by the students should be encouraged (Shepherd, 2012). Thus the key does not lie in changing the system of education or education but reforms should be introduced into the system like many educationists believe. By incorporating changes in the course work, examination system and methodology, it can be made fit to meet the standards of the modern education, deemed necessary for the modern standards of being an educated individual. Chris Thomson, Principal of Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College, believes that all the problems result from focusing on qualification of the students rather than the education they receive. The system should promote education and not qualification. He believes that a change in the system will only make education more difficult for the students (Swain, 2012). References Baker, M. (2012), “A-level reforms: a good idea, badly presented”, The Guardian. Available at: www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/apr/16/a-levels-reform-universities (Last Accessed January 10, 2013). “GCSEs ‘too easy’ for intelligent pupils”, (2013), Daily Mail. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-133896/GCSEs-easy-intelligent-pupils.html (Last Accessed January 10, 2013). “GCSE replaced by ‘English Bac’ in key subjects”, (2012), BBC. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19626663 (Last Accessed January 10, 2013). Harris, S. & Groves, J. (2012), “The day Gove put rigour back into school exams: Out go GCSEs, in comes the tough new six-subject Baccalaureate”, Daily Mail. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2204270/English-Baccalaureate-Certificates-Out-GCSEs-comes-tough-new-subject-Baccalaureate.html (Last Accessed January 10, 2013). Roberts, C. (2012), “Amid reports that exam results have been downgraded, we ask should GCSEs be axed?”, Parent Dish. Available at: http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2012/08/23/amid-reports-that-exam-results-have-been-downgraded-we-ask-should-gcses-be-axed/ (Last Accessed January 10, 2013). Shepherd, J. (2012), “GCSE and A-Levels are Easier, Ofqual finds”, The Guardian. Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/may/01/gcse-alevels-easier-says-ofqual (Last Accessed January 10, 2013). Shepherd, J. (2012), “Michael Gove calls on watchdog to let universities set A-level examinations”, The Guardian. Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/apr/02/michael-gove-universities-a-level-examinations (Last Accessed January 10, 2013). Shepherd, J. (2012), “Universities express fears about Gove plan for lecturer-set A-levels”, The Guardian. Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/apr/03/gove-university-set-a-levels (Last Accessed January 10, 2013). Swain, H. (2012), “What are your hopes or fears for GCSE reform?”, The Guardian. Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/nov/26/multiple-choice-gcse-reform-consultation (Last Accessed January 10, 2013). Swain, H. (2012), “Do more ‘rigorous’ exams improve education?”, The Guardian. Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/sep/24/rigorous-exams-improve-education-ebcs (Last Accessed January 10, 2013). Tickle, L. (2012), “School exams: Is bringing back 0-levels a good idea?”, Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/jun/25/school-exams-replace-gcses-gove (Last Accessed January 10, 2013). Read More