NCEA Review -biggest change to the NZ education system for over 20 years

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#2692438 14-Apr-2021 09:12

mdooher:

Why give Chemistry a context like that? The purpose should be to give students a grounding in the scientific method and sufficient knowledge of chemistry to move on to higher levels.

Because 90% of the kids will have switched off if taught science theory first. I'll repeat - this is level 1 NCEA.

Context is everything - anyway much/most scientific discovery comes from curiosity after observation of some dynamic system. Most 14 year olds probably quite oblivious to interesting things they're seeing, until (hopefully) it's drawn to their attention.

Handsomedan

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#2692441 14-Apr-2021 09:13

mdooher:

Purpose

Students will explore chemicals and their reactions in the context of Papatūānuku, the environment and whenua. Remaining content to be developed.

This is the purpose statement. All the content will be developed around this statement If it doesn't relate to this purpose then it will fail moderation.

Why give Chemistry a context like that? The purpose should be to give students a grounding in the scientific method and sufficient knowledge of chemistry to move on to higher levels.

Have to agree here. Feels pretty woke and unscientific to me.

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#2692447 14-Apr-2021 09:18

Handsomedan:

mdooher:

Purpose

Students will explore chemicals and their reactions in the context of Papatūānuku, the environment and whenua.

Have to agree here. Feels pretty woke and unscientific to me.

If translated to English, exploring chemicals and their reactions in the context of the earth, the environment, and the land sounds far from "woke" - but actually very "based" and relevant.

Is the use of te reo triggering a few snowflakes here?

mdooher

Hmm, what to write...
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#2692450 14-Apr-2021 09:23

Fred99:

mdooher:

Why give Chemistry a context like that? The purpose should be to give students a grounding in the scientific method and sufficient knowledge of chemistry to move on to higher levels.

Because 90% of the kids will have switched off if taught science theory first. I'll repeat - this is level 1 NCEA.

Context is everything - anyway much/most scientific discovery comes from curiosity after observation of some dynamic system. Most 14 year olds probably quite oblivious to interesting things they're seeing, until (hopefully) it's drawn to their attention.

When I was 14 I was not interested in Chemistry either (Physics an entirely different story). But being forced to learn something I was not interested in turned out to be a great life lesson.

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Handsomedan

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#2692461 14-Apr-2021 09:30

Fred99:

mdooher:

Purpose

Students will explore chemicals and their reactions in the context of Papatūānuku, the environment and whenua.

If translated to English, exploring chemicals and their reactions in the context of the earth, the environment, and the land sounds far from "woke" - but actually very "based" and relevant.

Is the use of te reo triggering a few snowflakes here?

But this is the whole point...using Te Reo in this way, when the number of Te Reo speakers is so low IS woke and it lends an air of unscientific wokeness to the statement.

If it was written in English with a Maori translation (or the other way around) there wouldn't be any confusion or "snowflake" reactions.

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pom532

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#2692479 14-Apr-2021 09:48

Combining the level 1 business probably makes sense. Give people some broad knowledge that might be useful later. If you go to university, you start from the beginning anyways. Kind of like a first year of any BCom degree, you have to do a range of core papers.

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#2692481 14-Apr-2021 09:49

Handsomedan:

But this is the whole point...using Te Reo in this way, when the number of Te Reo speakers is so low IS woke and it lends an air of unscientific wokeness to the statement.

If it was written in English with a Maori translation (or the other way around) there wouldn't be any confusion or "snowflake" reactions.

Took me about two seconds to find the translation of Papatūānuku. I learned something new today.

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#2692600 14-Apr-2021 12:32

Jesus H Christ the inmates have taken over the asylum at MOE it seems.

I have never before in my life seen such a determined attempt by supposedly neutral government officials to destroy STEM education and replace it with airy fairy kumbaya singing wokeness.

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blackjack17

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#2692613 14-Apr-2021 12:53

These are the old science standards that will be replaced

Science

https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/assessment/search.do?query=Science&view=all&level=01

Biology

https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/assessment/search.do?query=Biology&view=all&level=01

Chemistry

https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/assessment/search.do?query=Chemistry&view=all&level=01

Physics

https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/assessment/search.do?query=Physics&view=all&level=01

Ag/Hort

https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/assessment/search.do?query=Agricultural+and+Horticultural+Science&view=all&level=01

An example of the changes

This is the existing bio standard looking at microorganisms

and the new (draft) microorganism standard

Other standards are less easy to compare.

Just remember that anyone can submit on these changes. These changes will impact upon the next generation of learners, your children and employees.

https://ncea.education.govt.nz/page/new_subject_content_for_ncea_level_1

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#2692656 14-Apr-2021 13:37

Jesus, there are some racist reactions going on here.

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#2692657 14-Apr-2021 13:37

Lias:

Jesus H Christ the inmates have taken over the asylum at MOE it seems.

I have never before in my life seen such a determined attempt by supposedly neutral government officials to destroy STEM education and replace it with airy fairy kumbaya singing wokeness.

I can only suggest that parent's should choose school's that offer the Cambridge system.

You are of course right. You can't hold out too much hope for the future of STEM in New Zealand.

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blackjack17

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#2692667 14-Apr-2021 13:55

surfisup1000:

Lias:

Jesus H Christ the inmates have taken over the asylum at MOE it seems.

I have never before in my life seen such a determined attempt by supposedly neutral government officials to destroy STEM education and replace it with airy fairy kumbaya singing wokeness.

I can only suggest that parent's should choose school's that offer the Cambridge system.

You are of course right. You can't hold out too much hope for the future of STEM in New Zealand.

The Cambridge system (or IB system) both have issues as well. I think what will likely happen is that schools (where they can) will drop level 1 and hope that the upcoming release of the level 2 standards offer a bit more scope to deliver a functional course.

I don't care about the language the standards are in but I am concerned about the reduction in content that will be available to teachers to deliver to students.

In biology we can currently offer physiology (both animal and plant), ecology, genetics and microorganisms. This will be reduced to genetics and microorganisms (plus some nature of science bio contexts). However the full standards have not been released yet.

I am concerned about incorporating 300 year old knowledge into modern science and we haven't seen any clear guidance what this may look like nor whether we shall receive appropriate professional development to make this work.

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surfisup1000

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#2692682 14-Apr-2021 14:26

blackjack17:

I don't care about the language the standards are in but I am concerned about the reduction in content that will be available to teachers to deliver to students.

I am concerned about incorporating 300 year old knowledge into modern science and we haven't seen any clear guidance what this may look like nor whether we shall receive appropriate professional development to make this work.

I think we are on the same page. I also don't care what language they use, although, they should ensure that translations are available so students can understand the work.

I don't think there is a reduction in content, more a change in content. As you say there is little guidance so far. But, after NCEA I don't have much confidence in New Zealand educators.

Lias

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#2692684 14-Apr-2021 14:27

surfisup1000:

I can only suggest that parent's should choose school's that offer the Cambridge system.

You are of course right. You can't hold out too much hope for the future of STEM in New Zealand.

Sadly there are very limited choices and all to many of those are private and outside the ability for most people to afford.

chevrolux

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#2692689 14-Apr-2021 14:41

freitasm: Jesus, there are some racist reactions going on here.

Yea... like just SAY you're racist 😅

Saying don't use words like "whenua", a well used word that kids will have learnt by high school, is the same as saying "i dOnT kNOw whAT kiA OrA meAnS. DonT uSe wITh me?!?!?"

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