On Thu, 19 May 2011 13:34:54 +0000, Simon Finnigan wrote:

I spent a few years tutoring and demonstrating degree level stuff at
uni, when doing my post-grad stuff. The difference in ability between
when I started the course myself, an when I stopped demonstrating 8
years later was amazing. I had to teach a group of radiology students
what the gradient of a line graph was, how to calculate it and what it
actually meant. These students had at least a good gcse grade, if not a
level, in maths and where doing a scientific degree. the grades these
days are a useless way of determining ability, which is a real shame. As
are the results of letting thousands of people leave the education
system thinking they're very intelligent when they are only average. Cue
disappointment at best, a wasted lifetime at worst.

We require GCSE maths at C. But then we teach it over again, plus part of
the A level, plus some other stuff (discrete maths). The only safe way.



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