This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/education/8480563.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Facebook campaign against A-level | Facebook campaign against A-level |
(10 minutes later) | |
Thousands of A-level pupils have launched a campaign on Facebook against an exam paper which they claim included unfair questions. | Thousands of A-level pupils have launched a campaign on Facebook against an exam paper which they claim included unfair questions. |
The AQA biology paper taken on Monday has prompted an instant online protest - with allegations that questions did not match what pupils had studied. | The AQA biology paper taken on Monday has prompted an instant online protest - with allegations that questions did not match what pupils had studied. |
"I've spent six months working hard... and only one out of the eight questions had any relevance," writes one student. | "I've spent six months working hard... and only one out of the eight questions had any relevance," writes one student. |
The exam board says it is aware of the concerns and is considering a response. | The exam board says it is aware of the concerns and is considering a response. |
Students have been sending angry messages about a paper which they have labelled a "disgrace" - including fears that this could damage their applications for degree courses. | Students have been sending angry messages about a paper which they have labelled a "disgrace" - including fears that this could damage their applications for degree courses. |
'Robbed' | 'Robbed' |
They are calling for markers to recognise that there were problems with the paper - and claim that pupils thought initially that they were facing a different exam subject. | They are calling for markers to recognise that there were problems with the paper - and claim that pupils thought initially that they were facing a different exam subject. |
"We all feel we've been robbed of our time (during lessons and revising) and our university places," says one pupil. | "We all feel we've been robbed of our time (during lessons and revising) and our university places," says one pupil. |
However there are also comments from pupils who say they had no disagreement with the questions - and that "everyone should stop whining because nothing can be done now". | However there are also comments from pupils who say they had no disagreement with the questions - and that "everyone should stop whining because nothing can be done now". |
The social networking protest, which has gathered more than 2,700 members, has been prompted by an individual A-level paper - unit 4 of the biology exam. | |
Many of the protests make their points in strong language - and include doctored images making fun of the exam paper. | Many of the protests make their points in strong language - and include doctored images making fun of the exam paper. |
They make claims that there has been a mismatch between what they had been taught and the content of the questions they found on the exam paper. | They make claims that there has been a mismatch between what they had been taught and the content of the questions they found on the exam paper. |
There were also some more restrained messages directed at the exam board. | There were also some more restrained messages directed at the exam board. |
"I am hugely disappointed because your examination was highly unsatisfactory; has not included a significant amount of the current specification and gave questions which were not akin to the specimen papers provided, and other questions of such an obscure nature, that it was extremely difficult to decipher what was necessary to gain the marks." | "I am hugely disappointed because your examination was highly unsatisfactory; has not included a significant amount of the current specification and gave questions which were not akin to the specimen papers provided, and other questions of such an obscure nature, that it was extremely difficult to decipher what was necessary to gain the marks." |
A spokeswoman for the AQA exam board said they had not previously seen such an online protest about an exam - and they were considering a response. | A spokeswoman for the AQA exam board said they had not previously seen such an online protest about an exam - and they were considering a response. |