Do you believe that we should have a unified and single curriculum nationwide for high schools? This is referring specifically to Canada, although input from any country is more than welcome. Thanks.
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Poll
Should we have a unified curriculum nationwide?
| Yes | 75% | 75% - 15 | ||||
| No | 25% | 25% - 5 | ||||
| I'm done school. | 0% | 0% - 0 | ||||
| Total: 20 | ||||||
You don't already?
Nope. We have more or less the same subjects, but I'm taling about a curriculum which would be EXACTLY the same everywhere--no school- or province-specific classes, for instance.
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I don't understand.TSI wrote:
Nope. We have more or less the same subjects, but I'm taling about a curriculum which would be EXACTLY the same everywhere--no school- or province-specific classes, for instance.
I think everything should be standardised. I hate how we had different Exam Boards (for different schools) for GCSE/A Levels. Some guys on Edexcel, some on OCR for Science etc.. it was bollocks. Why do things like Exams need to be privatised and shit anyway?
This country. They privatise the wrong things.
This country. They privatise the wrong things.
Well, right now, given that each province controls its educational system, we have 10 different curricula, with other different ones for private schools and IB schools, and aboriginal schools. (this, btw, is research for the canadian national debate championship next week--so thanks for the help.) I'm proposing that we unify the curricula of ALL schools to the same level and content.DrunkFace wrote:
I don't understand.TSI wrote:
Nope. We have more or less the same subjects, but I'm taling about a curriculum which would be EXACTLY the same everywhere--no school- or province-specific classes, for instance.
Pro--more unity, allows for structured learning or when switching schools, facilitates transition. Also, means that quality is not as random as it is now.
Con--we have too many diffrenet groups with different needs, and either it'll be a lowest-common-denominator thing or a midrange one which will knock some kids out.
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?Mek-Stizzle wrote:
I think everything should be standardised. I hate how we had different Exam Boards (for different schools) for GCSE/A Levels. Some guys on Edexcel, some on OCR for Science etc.. it was bollocks. Why do things like Exams need to be privatised and shit anyway?
This country. They privatise the wrong things.
All the exam boards write the exams based upon the same national curriculum. I don't get the relevance of your point.
There's talk about a standardised curriculum within Australia in the near future. I think it would be a good idea, and the teachers are also pressing for it, because it means testing is much easier and marks can be compared between schools, regions, states and nationwide.
At the moment those in Queensland will finish highschool a year earlier than those in the other states because they are allowed in start primary school at an earlier age, which doesn't make much sense. A single system would work much easier.
At the moment those in Queensland will finish highschool a year earlier than those in the other states because they are allowed in start primary school at an earlier age, which doesn't make much sense. A single system would work much easier.
They still all focus on different aspects of the subject. Like, an Edexcel exam on the same subject will be different (and even have some different parts of the subject) compared to an OCR one. I forgot the specific terminology which is making it hard to explain, but yeah whilst they all base it on the same curriculum. I don't see the need to have different Exam Boards for different schools. It should just be standardised for the whole country. I think it's like that in the USA.Bertster7 wrote:
?Mek-Stizzle wrote:
I think everything should be standardised. I hate how we had different Exam Boards (for different schools) for GCSE/A Levels. Some guys on Edexcel, some on OCR for Science etc.. it was bollocks. Why do things like Exams need to be privatised and shit anyway?
This country. They privatise the wrong things.
All the exam boards write the exams based upon the same national curriculum. I don't get the relevance of your point.
Aye, exams would be a big part of it, as would a unified marking scheme. But what about those in sp. ed or ESL?
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I think so, because all these states are doing the Intelligent Design bullshit.
Bertster7 wrote:
You don't already?
I'm not sure about nationwide curriculum, but in the US, I think we should at least have a standard state-wide curriculum. This week I just finished taking the WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning [No Child Left Behind test thing]) and I can tell you that it was a complete failure. The questions on the test are submitted by teachers from all over the state, and because they all teach different things, I hadn't learned about half the stuff on there. Its a good thing they realized it was messed up so bad and removed the science WASL as a graduation requirement. For instance, for one of the longer essay-type questions, I was supposed to design a habitat in which a plant could grow and live for 60 days in outerspace. I had to take into account zero-gravity, it had to be self sustaining, and it had to be able to survive traveling in a rocket. Having never learned anything about space ships or even outerspace other than the order of the planets at school, I had no idea what kind of habitat would survive rocket blastoff. If they are going to have state wide testing, they should at least have the same state wide curriculum.
Last edited by Home (2008-04-20 11:39:13)
I don't believe in a unified curriculum, but unified testing would be nice. The US already has the SAT and ACT but I think it would be a good idea to have more periodic testing done by the government, and not by a private organization.
thanks for the *food*.pierro wrote:
Pros
-You don't have intelligent design being taught in segregated classes in Arkansas
-Removes subjectivity and allows for "fairness" among schools: university admission is easier etc...
Cons
-Encourages writing to a rubric as opposed to writing well (standardized English doesn't work out too well
-Squashes enthusiasm in teachers/students as they are forced to teach to the test
-A lot will fall through the cracks in a unified school system in terms of courses, ways to do assignments etc...
-How can you be teaching the same thing and force schools and students to buy the same materials etc... in beverly hills and compton and expect it to end well?
-Doesn't allow for specialized schools, school vouchers etc...
-Allows for "cheating" especially among teachers (see Freakonomics)
-Doing well and doing well on standardized tests isn't easy
-Schools which are deviating from the norm and doing well will be punished
Good luck on the debate, hope this doesn't come too late (as a side note...how are you getting internet?)
The debate's next friday, you tool. I'm in ottawa now--fulford was pwned yesterday.
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If you think all the exams are of the same level of difficulty your kidding yourself, some of the exams are so easy compared with other boards.Bertster7 wrote:
?Mek-Stizzle wrote:
I think everything should be standardised. I hate how we had different Exam Boards (for different schools) for GCSE/A Levels. Some guys on Edexcel, some on OCR for Science etc.. it was bollocks. Why do things like Exams need to be privatised and shit anyway?
This country. They privatise the wrong things.
All the exam boards write the exams based upon the same national curriculum. I don't get the relevance of your point.
Not to mention Btechs or whatever they are called are fucking piss, easier than an A-level and yet are worth four a-levels, this is coming from my friends who did btechs.
Yep, like OCR language is waaay harder than EDEXEL.Vilham wrote:
If you think all the exams are of the same level of difficulty your kidding yourself, some of the exams are so easy compared with other boards.Bertster7 wrote:
?Mek-Stizzle wrote:
I think everything should be standardised. I hate how we had different Exam Boards (for different schools) for GCSE/A Levels. Some guys on Edexcel, some on OCR for Science etc.. it was bollocks. Why do things like Exams need to be privatised and shit anyway?
This country. They privatise the wrong things.
All the exam boards write the exams based upon the same national curriculum. I don't get the relevance of your point.
Not to mention Btechs or whatever they are called are fucking piss, easier than an A-level and yet are worth four a-levels, this is coming from my friends who did btechs.
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Well btechs are actually crap, ask any employer what they'd rather have, someone with 4 alevels or someone with a btec (no we're not talking tesco checkout boys here).Vilham wrote:
If you think all the exams are of the same level of difficulty your kidding yourself, some of the exams are so easy compared with other boards.Bertster7 wrote:
?Mek-Stizzle wrote:
I think everything should be standardised. I hate how we had different Exam Boards (for different schools) for GCSE/A Levels. Some guys on Edexcel, some on OCR for Science etc.. it was bollocks. Why do things like Exams need to be privatised and shit anyway?
This country. They privatise the wrong things.
All the exam boards write the exams based upon the same national curriculum. I don't get the relevance of your point.
Not to mention Btechs or whatever they are called are fucking piss, easier than an A-level and yet are worth four a-levels, this is coming from my friends who did btechs.
And yes exam boards have got to be the worst system ever, some of them are a lot harder but at the end of the day are worth no more than other boards.