EXAMS 2013: Gamble on higher level maths pays off
For around one-in-four Leaving Certificate maths candidates who braved the higher level exam with the lure of 25 additional college entry points, Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) subject spokeswoman Brid Griffin believes the move will have paid off.
She said those aiming to get the minimum pass or mid-grade to earn those bonus points should have been pleased as there was nothing too daunting in the first section on concepts and skills, one of two that was based on the new Project Maths syllabus.
She said the paper veered away from the wordiness that drew complaints last year, although students still appeared to be most pleased with the functions and calculus questions that were based on the old syllabus that is still partially examined.
Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) maths spokeswoman Elaine Devlin thought this final section was as expected, but said the first two sections were also fine, although some students may have been disappointed at the marks for a financial question given the amount of time spent on this area in class. However, a question about numbers and patterns based on match sticks was interesting but challenging.
Ms Devlin said the ordinary level exam appeared very straightforward but was quite wordy in places, one question asking about the distance between the Earth and sun, for instance. She said this ignores the challenges of trying to keep students who find reading tough, engaged in maths.
However, she said, students who are better skilled in maths should grade well in what was a fair paper.
Ms Griffin said she heard students say they preferred questions on the old syllabus, just like their higher level counterparts, but there was nothing too taxing in the concepts and skills section. However, a financial question was confusing as one part spoke about a man named Michael exceeding his credit card limit, but the next part referred to him making an online purchase, which may have left some students wondering how he could have done so.
For Junior Certificate maths, Ms Griffin said the higher level Paper 1 was likely to have been a pleasant surprise. Students will not see any questions on Project Maths until Monday’s Paper 2 and she said most questions yesterday were along expected lines.
Ms Devlin said it had the difficult parts that are to be expected in all questions, but felt there was poor wording in a question that required them to find the length of a road that formed part of a rectangle. She also believed a question on manipulation of formula was challenging.
For ordinary level candidates, she felt Paper 1 was straightforward for any of them who had been over past papers. Ms Griffin agreed it was in standard format, but considered it quite wordy in places for students of this level.
A range of current issues in the news and media made Leaving Certificate geography papers relevant, according to TUI spokeswoman Jacqueline Shiel. While the higher level exam was challenging, she considered it fair and rewarding for well-prepared students. One surprise may have been the examination of fluvial adjustment in rivers, but students should have been pleased with a question on metamorphic rocks.
Neil Curran of the ASTI was pleased with the exam, but considered satellite images in a short question hard to make out and said average students may have found the question on rivers tough.
Ms Shiel said the ordinary level paper gave students choice so those who had prepared well should have found it very fair. Mr Curran praised it for the use of current topics, such as wind power, locations of multi-national companies, and rural-urban migration.
The higher level Junior Certificate geography exam was said by ASTI spokesman Jimmy Staunton to feature physical geography questions that should have pleased most students. He said a question about organised migration was very topical and students got good photographic prompts in a question about tourist regions. He said the ordinary level exam should please most students, as it included a map question and another on an aerial photograph. He said this and use of visual aids throughout meant candidates could answer most of the second section using learned skills, rather than memorised knowledge.
TUI’s Leonard O’Donnell thought short questions for both levels were well presented but parts of section two at ordinary level were challenging.
He added that the higher level paper featured a soils question that many expected.
@Eleanorkehoe — Cramp in my calf. that’s a sign just to give up pretending I’m learning something
@ciarafahy123 — Omg geography couldn’t have went better #relief #3daysleft
@Verv13 — higher level project maths *laughing* *crying* somebody help me
@_LeahBergin — Maths was so easy woo! Felt real smart haha
@Killian_berry — Missing all the sun : (#leavingcert
@AislingCallo — Higher level maths; how many matchsticks can you count?
@JAYMES1704 — Maths paper you were a bitch... Glad to see you go #byebye
@ElaineODowd — I hate project Maths
@Bexeyy — How could they even make a maths paper without area and volume, proof by induction, first principles AND newton raphson. Just how.
@beckymacmanus — everyone’s so sly only loving maths now after that paper. I’ve loved maths forever
@i_DannyBoy — Dropped my rular in the middle of maths and it sounded like a building collapsing
@katiefallon_ — One week down, two to go!
