Poorly designed Math questions misconstrued as tricky

[livewith_vanilla]

Augmum:

live_with vanilla,

Yes, Science is another exam paper whereby the pupils can be frustrated
when the questions are ambigorous, subjective and poorly setted with possibly of more than 1 answer.

Hereby, wishing u all the best in yr COMING PSLE

Thank you.

snowman.697:

Yes, i had the misconception that rubber floats for 3 years (from an exam paper which my teacher did not go through) until i made a mistake for my science prelim and lost 2 marks....

I'm still under the impression rubber floats,until I read this. :shock:

ksi:

livewith_vanilla:

I decided to draw the two set-ups using iron nails and ignored the steel nail.I just drew and didn't care if I was wrong cause I was left with around 5 minutes or so.
I got my marks for that drawing question, but as I was absent on the day they gave out the paper, I didn't know if there was an error or what.
Its over now.The setter even had the nerve to say the paper was easy and I think called the class he was invigilating as not smart enough or something like that. Turns out, I think his own class failed the booklet B. T_T

So that means the steel nails were not necessary, was it deliberate or error? hmmm...I am curious about the learning objective. I suppose with so much on hand to do for PSLE, as long as you get the marks, your curiosity has been curbed. Did you get full marks for that drawing or partial?

i got full marks.

Actually, the question had two parts.The first part wanted us to draw two set-ups to test if the number of coils affected the strength of the iron nail(something about electromagnets).

We were given 10 paper clips, one iron nail,one steel nail,batteries and wires.

We were suppose to draw two set-ups. But what got me confuse is that two iron nails were needed and there was only one iron nail.I changed my drawing thrice and finished on the dot.
That paper was definitely stressful. I know my friends are secretly cursing the setter because the paper was tough(okay), and the questions were extremely lengthy(not okay).

But since Prelims is already over, its time to focus on PSLE~!

[ruyu]

livewith_vanilla:

Augmum:

live_with vanilla,

Yes, Science is another exam paper whereby the pupils can be frustrated
when the questions are ambigorous, subjective and poorly setted with possibly of more than 1 answer.

Hereby, wishing u all the best in yr COMING PSLE

Thank you.

snowman.697:

Yes, i had the misconception that rubber floats for 3 years (from an exam paper which my teacher did not go through) until i made a mistake for my science prelim and lost 2 marks....

I'm still under the impression rubber floats,until I read this. :shock:

ksi:

[quote=\"livewith_vanilla\"]I decided to draw the two set-ups using iron nails and ignored the steel nail.I just drew and didn't care if I was wrong cause I was left with around 5 minutes or so.
I got my marks for that drawing question, but as I was absent on the day they gave out the paper, I didn't know if there was an error or what.
Its over now.The setter even had the nerve to say the paper was easy and I think called the class he was invigilating as not smart enough or something like that. Turns out, I think his own class failed the booklet B. T_T

So that means the steel nails were not necessary, was it deliberate or error? hmmm...I am curious about the learning objective. I suppose with so much on hand to do for PSLE, as long as you get the marks, your curiosity has been curbed. Did you get full marks for that drawing or partial?

i got full marks.

Actually, the question had two parts.The first part wanted us to draw two set-ups to test if the number of coils affected the strength of the iron nail(something about electromagnets).

We were given 10 paper clips, one iron nail,one steel nail,batteries and wires.

We were suppose to draw two set-ups. But what got me confuse is that two iron nails were needed and there was only one iron nail.I changed my drawing thrice and finished on the dot.
That paper was definitely stressful. I know my friends are secretly cursing the setter because the paper was tough(okay), and the questions were extremely lengthy(not okay).

But since Prelims is already over, its time to focus on PSLE~![/quote]Quite some time since i posted will be back after PSLE. Just to clear your questions, natural rubber is slightly denser than water so it will sink. yeah i have to go KSP see you soon!

[Augmum]

mrswongtuition:

Different schools have different SOPs for setting exam papers.


In my current school, the process is like this:
1. Teacher sets the weightage and topics covered for particular test (according to time spent on each topic during lessons), also known as TOS. This also includes how many marks go to MCQ, Short Answer & Open Ended sections and how many marks allocated to Knowledge (just recall knowledge will do), Thinking Skills, Application, etc. Usually TOS must tally with the SOW (Scheme of Work - syllabus planned).
2. Teacher will pass the TOS (Table of Specifications) to HOD/VP/P (depends on which CA/SA it is) for approval.
3. Once TOS approved, teacher will set exam paper.
4. Once exam paper set with answer scheme, 1st round of vetting by colleague in same department, teaching same subject/level.
5. 2nd round of vetting by HOD. For CA/SA, usually there's a 3rd round of vetting by VP/P.
6. Once papers are vetted & corrected, there's another round of vetting by exam committee (made up of teachers & HODs from different departments). Then sent to the printing lady.
This committee ensures a few things:
a) No 'doubtful' questions
b) All papers are printed correctly without any blank or missing pages
c) No. of scripts are counted properly for each class
d) Attend to any last minute changes in the exam paper (if students spotted mistakes, this committee will disseminate the 'correction' within 10minutes to all classes taking that paper).
e) Plan invigilation timetable.

To allow the printing lady to continue with printing, we need at least 3 signatures on the 'form' to ensure that the paper has been properly vetted. Tedious! And I have to start setting SA2 papers in JUNE that same year to ensure that there's no 'last minute rush'.

I was part of the exam committee and in this school, I've only seen 2 mistakes that needed to be corrected during the exams. The rest were corrected before printing was done.

In my previous school, the process is also similar but the exam committee are all HODs, no teachers involved. & the P vets ALL exam papers.

So, such mistakes can actually be 'caught' early if there's a strict process of vetting like in my school. However, in most schools, the SOP isn't there or isn't strictly adhered to, resulting in many mistakes.

Teachers are human, we also make mistakes. Even with many rounds of checking, we will still make mistakes occasionally.
I think parents & students are understanding about the mistakes if the right course of actions is taken after realising the mistake (teacher apologise, arrange re-test, etc).

Maybe we should get parents to contribute some question and see how they fair in setting exam papers.

if the mistakes are just simply typo error or something in similar....
that' s excusable...BUT but....
if mistakes made due to trying to design a \"challenging or creative question\"
instead it mismatched the concepts or misinterpretation of concepts
being a profesional educator whom we entrust our kids to them...
is something very wrong and we just couldn't accept the question as it was and keep quiet abt it.........

[snowman.022851697]

>Vanilla: rubber floats because of surface tension. If you put a piece of rubber heavy enough into the water it will sink b/c the surface tension is too little. Also, you will find that if you push the rubber down it sinks

[livewith_vanilla]

snowman.697:

>Vanilla: rubber floats because of surface tension. If you put a piece of rubber heavy enough into the water it will sink b/c the surface tension is too little. Also, you will find that if you push the rubber down it sinks

Thanks to snowman.697 and ruyu!

Haven't heard from ruyu in ages. Hopefully you will be active after the PSLE!

Jiayous everyone!

[verykiasu2010]

we have been doing PSLE exams for decades, why still lacking in quality control over exam questions ?


they should have whole bank of perfect questions available anytime, notwithstanding changing syllabus

why should this be any different from any other professional exams ?

does MOE has another two spare sets of exams papers on standby in case of need ?

[verykiasu2010]

it has now come to the necessity of telling the kids how to handle unreasonable questions … and they need to know that teachers are not perfect

[corneyAmber]

Augmum:

if the mistakes are just simply typo error or something in similar....

that' s excusable...BUT but....
if mistakes made due to trying to design a \"challenging or creative question\"
instead it mismatched the concepts or misinterpretation of concepts
being a profesional educator whom we entrust our kids to them...
is something very wrong and we just couldn't accept the question as it was and keep quiet abt it.........

:hi5: augmum!! You said it perfectly!

[corneyAmber]

verykiasu2010:

we have been doing PSLE exams for decades, why still lacking in quality control over exam questions ?


they should have whole bank of perfect questions available anytime, notwithstanding changing syllabus

why should this be any different from any other professional exams ?

does MOE has another two spare sets of exams papers on standby in case of need ?

vks2010, at this point we are not sure if this happens in PSLE questions. We only know of this from school's exam paper. Certainly we hope that quality assurance is applied everywhere as these are unnecessary headaches for the children.

[corneyAmber]

verykiasu2010:

it has now come to the necessity of telling the kids how to handle unreasonable questions ........ and they need to know that teachers are not perfect

I will put it in another way clearer for the children to handle:

\"If in doubt of any question, do not hesitate to ask during the exams. It is better to ask a wrong question then to leave a wrong question set \"un-ask\". Asking a wrong question costs nothing, answering a wrongly set question costs them marks!!\"

Sorry this is the kiasu part of me talking... :lol: :lol: :lol: