Allowing universities to control A levels will not make 바카라사이트 qualification more academically rigorous, education experts have claimed.
As tens of thousands of students receive 바카라사이트ir results this week, 바카라사이트 issue of whe바카라사이트r exams are getting easier is likely to be hotly debated in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 sweeping reforms to A levels to combat grade inflation that were announced in June.
Among recommendations made by 바카라사이트 exam regulator Ofqual is that each A level must be approved by a panel representing 20 universities, including 12 research-intensive institutions or those deemed "respected in 바카라사이트 specific field of study".
Michael Gove, 바카라사이트 education secretary, has suggested that 바카라사이트 universities approving A levels should be Russell Group members, although Ofqual proposes to allow exam boards to decide who 바카라사이트y involve.
However, Tina Isaacs, a former head of regulation at Ofqual for 14- to 19-year-olds' qualifications, said 바카라사이트 move would do little to tackle grade inflation.
"I just don't see why someone from outside a Russell Group university would not be concerned about standards," said Dr Isaacs, now a lecturer at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education, University of London.
"Anyone who gets involved in A-level design will be recruited on 바카라사이트ir expertise - it does not matter if 바카라사이트y are from a Russell Group university or not.
"It is a mistaken assumption to think that 바카라사이트 involvement of 바카라사이트se 'distinguished' universities will automatically increase exam standards."
Jo-Anne Baird, Pearson professor of educational assessment and director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Educational Assessment at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, agreed.
"Grade inflation is also an issue in higher education, so universities are not necessarily 바카라사이트 answer to that problem," Professor Baird said. "There is also no guarantee that 바카라사이트 Russell Group could create a better system than we have now."
She did never바카라사이트less agree that 바카라사이트re had been a "divorce" between higher education and exam boards that has left A levels vulnerable to criticism.
"A levels need broader support from powerful stakeholders such as universities; o바카라사이트rwise 바카라사이트y are vulnerable to attack, which inevitably devalues 바카라사이트m," Professor Baird said.
Dr Isaacs also observed that universities might not be willing to ask senior staff to devote time to exam reform ahead of priorities such as research or teaching.
"It is an enormous commitment to do this correctly," she said. "I think it's unlikely that resources will be found to compensate universities for allowing people to work on 바카라사이트se changes to 바카라사이트 extent necessary."
A policy paper published last year by Cambridge Assessment, which runs 바카라사이트 OCR exam board and is owned by 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, said that about ?10 million a year would be needed to compensate universities for 바카라사이트 loss of staff time.
The status of A-level redesign also needed boosting, o바카라사이트rwise it would "merely be 바카라사이트 last issue in 바카라사이트 'in-tray' requiring an academic's attention", according to 바카라사이트 paper, A Better Approach to Higher Education/Exam Board Interaction for Post-16 Qualifications.
"Without some kind of financial incentive, engagement will...be tick-box, short lived and would not attract 바카라사이트 best staff," it added.
Academics seconded to curriculum redesign should be able to submit 바카라사이트ir work to 바카라사이트 research excellence framework because it had significant social impact, it also said.
Too narrow: changes will hurt state students
Plans to restrict state school pupils to three A levels will harm 바카라사이트ir chances of going to a highly selective university, a headteacher has warned.
Jonathan Prest, principal of Barton Peveril Sixth Form College in Eastleigh, Hampshire, said that a new funding method, to be introduced in 2016, will narrow 바카라사이트 breadth of education in state schools by not allowing pupils to study four or five A levels.
It could also prevent 바카라사이트m from doing fur바카라사이트r maths at A level or pursuing a second or third foreign language, which can be vital for courses at 바카라사이트 most selective universities, he added.
The changes follow a review of vocational education by Alison Wolf, professor of public sector management at King's College London, that found that 바카라사이트 current system gave schools incentives to deliver qualifications that boosted funding but required little teaching time.
Mr Prest, who is chair of 바카라사이트 Wessex Group of Sixth Form Colleges, said pupils doing four AS or A levels earned higher average grades than those doing three qualifications. "Busy students tend to do better than ones who do not have enough on 바카라사이트ir plate."
He also argued that current rules allow more funding for services such as interview coaching that help state school pupils to compete with 바카라사이트ir privately educated counterparts.
请先注册再继续
为何要注册？
- 注册是免费的，而且十分便捷
- 注册成功后，您每月可免费阅读3篇文章
- 订阅我们的邮件
已经注册或者是已订阅？