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Thursday, 14 August 2008

On A-Levels

Congratulations to all those with straight As at A-Level.

When I did A-Levels, many years ago, only about three people got straight As out of hundreds at my Sixth Form College. It was about the same the year before, and also the year after.

We must have been a very stupid generation.
By Jack of Kent at 09:39
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1 comment:

Ben Murphy said...

Why are Michael Phelps' times so much better than those of Mark Spitz?

I can think of three possibilities:

(1) Perhaps Spitz was part of a slow generation.

(2) One can point to advances in swim-suits, in pool design (deeper, and a system to absorb any waves), and advances in technique (e.g. Phelps' 'fifth stroke': his ability to accelerate while under water). Coaches look at what other athletes are doing, take what works, and try to imitate it. Teachers know that they will be judged by their results, and students that they must not fall behind their fellow students. The difference is that in the Olympics, when times get faster, the standard for a gold medal increases. Spitz's record-breaking times of 1972 would not qualify him for the Olympics today. If A-level examiners do not periodically raise the bar, one would expect the number of A's to increase. Examiners are supposed to preserve the same standards, but if they do this, that makes the examinations less competitive. I remember one examiner arguing that standards had been preserved in one humanities subject, because they were still asking the same questions: that, as you know, is a golden opportunity for teachers.

(3)Or perhaps it was just that moustache that slowed him down.

14 August 2008 15:59

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