lunes, 30 de junio de 2008
viernes, 27 de junio de 2008
viernes, 6 de junio de 2008
Most teachers lack degree in their subject
Less than half of secondary school teachers have a degree in the subject they teach, according to a report commissioned by the government.
The proportion of lessons being taught by teachers with no relevant post A-level qualification has increased in the past five years by four percentage points to 21%.
Most damaging for ministers, who yesterday claimed this generation of teachers was the best-qualified ever, the report found schools in the most disadvantaged areas were least likely to have teachers with relevant qualifications. Across all state schools only 43% of teachers have a degree in the subject they teach.
The National Foundation for Educational Research surveyed more than 14,000 teachers in nearly 330 secondary schools in England. It also found there had been an overall 10 percentage point rise in the proportion of teachers with degrees in their specialist subjects.
viernes, 30 de mayo de 2008
Media studies GCSE gets Hollywood revamp
Media studies pupils could examine celebrities and Hollywood films under proposals to revamp the GCSE offered by the Oxford, Cambridge and RSA exams board (OCR).
From 2009, teenagers will be tested on their analysis and response to a short, previously unseen extract from an action adventure film.
Students will be assessed under exam conditions, and expected to apply their knowledge of techniques such as mise en scène, effects such as those created by the use of soundtrack or editing, and themes or roles within the genre.
The film extract is selected two years in advance, so students studying the new GCSE media studies qualification, taking their exams in 2010 could study and be examined on the blockbusters of today, such as Indiana Jones, which debuts at Cannes this week.
Bridget Jones, Madonna, Hollyoaks and Super Mario Brothers are also listed as possible examples for schools to use, though they are encouraged to develop their own.
The language used in the media and the representation of issues is studied, not actually the celebrity or content of the TV programme itself, OCR insists.
Parool Patel, former media regulator and British Academy of Film and Television Awards member, and now head of GCSE projects at OCR, said: "For example students are asked to look at the representation of race in Madonna's Like a Prayer video, or how men and women are represented in Bridget Jones's Diary".
"UK films make up 8.5% of global cinema takings and provide global career opportunities for media students," he said. "Films such as Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull are great examples of the action adventure genre."
He said the proposed qualification would provide students with a sound basis to understand key concepts and understand a broad range of media.
OCR has updated topics across its 43 GCSEs.
The changes are unveiled as rival exam board, Edexcel, said 20,000 pupils in 400 schools would take part in trials of science and maths mock tests ahead of taking their GCSEs this summer.
Under the scheme, pupils can sit up to 10 multiple choice-style online tests for each subject, which contain about 25 questions each and are designed to help assess pupils' grasp of concepts behind their GCSEs so they know where they need to improve.
The scheme, called ResultsPlus Progress, covers foundation maths, higher maths and science GCSEs, with another eight subjects set to be included from 2009.
Edexcel's managing director, Jerry Jarvis, defended the move but accepted that it was likely to lead to more allegations of schools drilling pupils for their exams.
He said the board would be accused of "teaching to the test", which the Commons schools select committee warned last week was distorting children's education.
A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, said: "The only tests which the department requires schools to take part in are key stage tests at 11 and 14, and then GCSEs or their equivalent, and beyond."
From 2009, teenagers will be tested on their analysis and response to a short, previously unseen extract from an action adventure film.
Students will be assessed under exam conditions, and expected to apply their knowledge of techniques such as mise en scène, effects such as those created by the use of soundtrack or editing, and themes or roles within the genre.
The film extract is selected two years in advance, so students studying the new GCSE media studies qualification, taking their exams in 2010 could study and be examined on the blockbusters of today, such as Indiana Jones, which debuts at Cannes this week.
Bridget Jones, Madonna, Hollyoaks and Super Mario Brothers are also listed as possible examples for schools to use, though they are encouraged to develop their own.
The language used in the media and the representation of issues is studied, not actually the celebrity or content of the TV programme itself, OCR insists.
Parool Patel, former media regulator and British Academy of Film and Television Awards member, and now head of GCSE projects at OCR, said: "For example students are asked to look at the representation of race in Madonna's Like a Prayer video, or how men and women are represented in Bridget Jones's Diary".
"UK films make up 8.5% of global cinema takings and provide global career opportunities for media students," he said. "Films such as Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull are great examples of the action adventure genre."
He said the proposed qualification would provide students with a sound basis to understand key concepts and understand a broad range of media.
OCR has updated topics across its 43 GCSEs.
The changes are unveiled as rival exam board, Edexcel, said 20,000 pupils in 400 schools would take part in trials of science and maths mock tests ahead of taking their GCSEs this summer.
Under the scheme, pupils can sit up to 10 multiple choice-style online tests for each subject, which contain about 25 questions each and are designed to help assess pupils' grasp of concepts behind their GCSEs so they know where they need to improve.
The scheme, called ResultsPlus Progress, covers foundation maths, higher maths and science GCSEs, with another eight subjects set to be included from 2009.
Edexcel's managing director, Jerry Jarvis, defended the move but accepted that it was likely to lead to more allegations of schools drilling pupils for their exams.
He said the board would be accused of "teaching to the test", which the Commons schools select committee warned last week was distorting children's education.
A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, said: "The only tests which the department requires schools to take part in are key stage tests at 11 and 14, and then GCSEs or their equivalent, and beyond."
lunes, 19 de mayo de 2008
FCE/CAE updated
The new versions of the handbooks for these examinations, which give a paper-by-paper overview, are now available to download from the FCE and CAE pages at: www.CambridgeESOL.org/exams
Detailed information on all the changes and the rationale behind them can be found in the review Bulletins which can be downloaded at the same time. As part of the update to the exams, the Statements of Results will also be enhanced to provide greater clarity. In addition to the grade awarded and the graphical profile showing the relative strengths and weaknesses of the candidate’s performance, the enhanced statements will show a standardised score out of 100 for the examination.
We are running a series of seminars around the world to outline the changes and what they mean for teachers and candidates. Dates and venues of the seminars can be found at: www.CambridgeESOL.org/support/seminars
If you would like to organise a seminar for your area, please contact us at: ESOLseminars@CambridgeESOL.org
Detailed information on all the changes and the rationale behind them can be found in the review Bulletins which can be downloaded at the same time. As part of the update to the exams, the Statements of Results will also be enhanced to provide greater clarity. In addition to the grade awarded and the graphical profile showing the relative strengths and weaknesses of the candidate’s performance, the enhanced statements will show a standardised score out of 100 for the examination.
We are running a series of seminars around the world to outline the changes and what they mean for teachers and candidates. Dates and venues of the seminars can be found at: www.CambridgeESOL.org/support/seminars
If you would like to organise a seminar for your area, please contact us at: ESOLseminars@CambridgeESOL.org
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