Poorly designed Math questions misconstrued as tricky

[livewith_vanilla]

ksi:

livewith_vanilla:

I know this is a topic abt poorly designed maths question, but I would like to share about my Science prelim paper.


The paper was too tough. I mean, in the real PSLE, there would be at least some EASY questions. But no, the whole paper was full of complicated questions.

To make the question seem tricky, the teacher set the questions like grandma story. One question was even repeated!

The booklet B was full of 2m questions and illogical ones too.

The question said 2 iron nails.

We had to draw some circuit.

But they provide us with ONE steel nail and ONE iron nail.

Couldn't clarify cause short of time.

half my class girls didn't finish the paper.
3/4 the class failed booklet B.

This is coming from the top class.

SA1 this year also similar.The science questions were more like puzzles instead.

Why did i say the paper was tough? reason being, my science teacher even admitted that the paper was of a higher standard than PSLE.and my science teacher is the HOD for Science.

So i really wonder the need for such grandmother story. if want to set tricky questions, is there a need to write stories for us?

Dear live with vanilla,

Sorry to hear what you have been through and for some areas, I think it is really not necessary. Why simulate unrealistic stress for kids?

I draw a clear line between setting a paper of higher standards ie beyond PSLE versus having errors in the paper. As a parent, I will NOT cry foul if a paper is tough and tough for all although I have another view of destroying confidence for the majority which is not the point discussed here.(another story)

Per what you say, if the paper stated 2 iron nails and asked a hypothetical question if changed to 1 steel nail and 1 iron nail, what was the outcome, then the question would be valid. However, if the same 2 iron nails were supposed to be referenced with respect to the grandma story, then that one would be an ERROR. I know under examination conditions it may be due to nervousness that it is not easy to think clearly, so all the more I would encourage you to raise your hand and ask.
Having no time would not be a good reason not to ask because:
(1) Perhaps after asking, you understand better, there will be more time to answer the questions
(2) If the question is not clear, you will be running in circles in your head and nothing will crystallise, wasting more time.
(3) Maybe there is an error in the question and not solvable?

I hope if you encounter this in PSLE, please put up one hand and continue reading or working with the other if you need to save time. To me, clarity is the fastest way to answer a question.

All the BEST for your PSLE!! :celebrate:

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

[Augmum]

autumnbronze:

IWhether the teacher is being pressurized or not, that is why the vetting of exam/test papers is a very fundamental process in the setting of assessment papers - the concept of a third (unbiased) party coming in to provide constructive feedback.


If poorly designed questions are allowed to be set without prior (strict) vetting, and I mean vetting the paper a couple of times because feedback has to be provided and the questions in the paper reconsidered/rephrased/changed etc ... and the paper usually goes/should go through several such cycles, before it is finally approved for printing, then something is wrong with the subject department concerned. I do believe this happens across the board in some educational institutions and yes, it could necessarily not be intentional too.

At least the HOD in Augmum's DD's sch admitted the mistake. By right, it was HER mistake for not being vigilant enough, more so because the teacher was inexperienced, which meant that she should have been provided with a mentor in the first place to guide her.

So if such a practice is becoming too prevalent, apart from ksi's good intentions to alert Maths teachers, perhaps the HODs should also be informed of this (like what Augmum did) and/or hopefully, they will be alerted via this thread too. After all, its the pupils who are/will be at the 'losing end' if this is not rectified.

Just sharing my humble 2 cents ....

Autumn, that’s right, the HOD shd have thoroughly checked the paper b4 her approval and proceed with the printing,
prob becos it was ONLY a CA2 paper, whereby the marks were not tabulated,
that's y she said that she overlooked it .
(but i wonder did she scan through it, couldn't believe that such questions can go \"undetected\")

[Augmum]

ksi:

Augmum:

ksi,

this new thread of yrs reminds me of one of my gal 's lower primary CA2 Maths test paper.
when the paper was returned, rather surprised that she had gotten 3 questions wrong,
usually for Maths, she often scored full marks....
(no wonder when i asked her, ehy gotten them wrong, she said \"dun know\")

upon \"closed study \"of the 3 Questions,
2 of which were really absurd and non-sensical and the other 1
which was a pattern continuation, could have more than 1 correct answer.

i rang up the HOD of Maths to clarify,
and u know what her reply was......
haha........her reply was the setter of this Maths paper was an inexperienced teacher
and she apologised for not spotting the mistakes made by her....... :!:
i was dumbfounded for a moment :roll:

Kudos to you Augmum for raising the issue to the HOD. I believe such constructive feedback will only help the teachers to be more vigilant and improve on quality. If our mission is to educate our children to have higher quality of work, we in turn should lead the way.

Just curious, how was the issue resolved? Did they re-take the test or the matter was left at that with an apology? I suppose if the test is not graded, it is a good learning experience for everyone but if it is graded, then some fair adjustments would be required.

Ksi, the issue was resolved with just a word of apology, nothing less……disappointing right?

The form teacher din even point out the mistakes to the class and acknowledged
that those questions were badly designed. (prob for face issue)
since CA2’s results were not tabulated unlike SA2 (but the results were still be printed on the report bk)
I just let the matter rest……. but the poor kids, they have learned the incorrect way….....

[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

[snowman.022851697]

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…

[autumnbronze]

Augmum:

Autumn, that’s right, the HOD shd have thoroughly checked the paper b4 her approval and proceed with the printing,
prob becos it was ONLY a CA2 paper, whereby the marks were not tabulated,
that's y she said that she overlooked it .
(but i wonder did she scan through it, couldn't believe that such questions can go \"undetected\")

*shudder*

[autumnbronze]

ksi:

:hi5: sista! I think we all agree we must be more ISO-certified in the exam process.

:hi5: to ya too ksi

[corneyAmber]

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?

[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.

[corneyAmber]

Thank you Mrs Wong for your insightful sharing. Much appreciated and kudos to the schools you hv taught for setting good examples.


We are not saying all schools or all teachers are the same.
The fact that we are highlighting the thread here is to help the teachers n schools concerned and there are no names specified. The intent is not to criticise anyone(any benefit to us? :?) However, if there are examples that are blatantly incorrect, we still have to point it out. We send our children to school to learn factually correct information and not to unlearn wrong info and be confused.

I do not see asking the parents to set the exam questions served any good purpose to help at all. If we do a good job, that jeopardizes the teaching profession. If we do a bad job, it is only because we are not doing it daily as a profession, GWIM?

If we join hands and improve the quality of exam questions set, ALL the children will stand to benefit. It also raises the profile of our education system quality in Singapore, isn't that a better win-win-win-win situation?