Quote:Science contest to reveal pupils' loss of knowledge Jack Grimston
If you or your school would like to enter the Royal Society of Chemistry's Five Decade Challenge (follow the simple instructions).
One of Britain's most prestigious scientific bodies has launched a competition that it believes will expose the "disappearance of knowledge" from much of the school science curriculum.
In the contest organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry, pupils will sit a paper in which 1960s O-level questions will have been mixed with those from later decades, the most recent from a GCSE exam set in 2005.
Richard Pike, chief executive of the society, said he expected that only the very best pupils would be able to answer the earlier questions because of the reduction in the scientific knowledge that pupils are expected to have.
Related Links
Second-chance exam ?'dumbs down' GCSE
New GCSE: bite-sized exams and no coursework
The GCSE's failure
"It has moved from deep-thinking complex problem solving to discussion of topical subjects such as carbon dioxide emissions," said Pike. "Current GCSEs are about spoon-feeding, you virtually have the answers put in front of you."
Pike highlighted a question from a 2005 GCSE paper in which pupils were given the formula for calculating how much carbon dioxide is produced when octane, an ingredient in petrol, is burnt by an engine. They were then asked to calculate how much CO2 was produced by 114g of octane.
"A bright 16-year-old could do it in 10 seconds without having to think about chemistry," said Pike. "Some years ago you would have to derive that equation for yourself. Now they just give it to you."
The pupil winning next month's competition will receive £1,000 while nine runners-up will each collect £500. So far about 1,000 pupils have entered.
A study published at the end of last year by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development showed that Britain had fallen from fourth to 14th in international rankings for school science since 2000.
Question changes
1971 O-level question
A substance is readily soluble in hot water but almost insoluble in cold water. The same substance sublimes when heated. What would you expect to see if this substance were heated:
a) in a long dry tube
b) in an open evaporating tube?
2005 GCSE question
Polymers like polythene can be disposed of in landfill sites or by incineration.
Give one problem associated with each method of disposal...
Making the questions easy is the name of the game. Questions about evolution fit the bill for that goodstyle. Then they all pass, the little loves, and they all get to think they are scientists, and get a diploma with some fancy caligraphy impressed into some decent quality flattened out wood-pulp with pinked edgings, get a cap and gown (from $299.99), a video of the ceremony (from $39.99,) group photographs with various dignitaries ( from $9.99. Frames extra), photograph frames ($19.99 to how much is the little bugger worth to its proud Mom and Pop).
You see- it's hard work studying and to get the little monsters to do it, what with all the temptations the evolutionary process has landed them with, is very difficult without whacking them. So once whacking them is criminalised they have you by the shorts.
Hence you have to devise ways of making lazy, idle, good-for-nothings look good then you don't have to admit you are responsible for bringing up such specimens as it would reflect badly upon you and your neighbours would arch their brows when they passed you in the streets.
Evolution theory is perfect. Promotors of bringing it to the classroom, under the guise of providing a sound scientific education (asserted of course) are engaged in dumbing down the kids without anybody noticing because a dumbed down population is easier to manage and hypnotise with scientific mumbo-jumbo, and especially when it thinks it has a scentific intellectuality and thus a duty to defend science against its enemies who keep asking awkward questions about one thing and another.
, You know, birthday and Christmas gifts
