2012 LCers - UCD introduce bonus points for maths

pathway33

http://www.ucd.ie/news/2010/09SEP10/170910-UCD-Academic-Council-introduces-bonus-points-for-maths-for-4-year-trial.html

Luno

Hope other colleges follow!

spurious

UCD believes that the introduction of bonus points will be successful only if

* the Minister takes measures to ensure that all second level students have equal access to quality mathematics teaching and that all schools are able to support students who wish to study mathematics at higher level;


There's the rub.
That would mean reversing the cuts of the last decade.
Bottom line

---

> Money.

soccymonster

I am piiiiiiiiiissed.

Especially with them using it the year when Project Maths comes in.
Bleeeeeehh.

randylonghorn

In fairness, reading that, there's some thought gone into it and some interesting points raised, rather than just "Oh, UCD will give ye bonus points for Higher Maths, aren't we awesome!"

thetonynator

Don't know whether to post or . . .i used to think i was good at maths, but 3 weeks into 5th year doing honours i'm not so sure . . .



I think maybe???

randylonghorn

Emo!


>_>

<_<

AnneElizabeth

So annoying that this wasn't brought in years ago.
I'm 1 year too early and even if I repeated I'd have to learn a whole new course first.
And I'm 1 year too early for the better Irish course as well. Damn you Dept of Education xD

spurious

It was in years ago, lots of years ago.
Before the ark, it used to be 5 points for a HL A, but 7 if it was in HL Maths.

Chuchoter

How many extra points and for which courses? I now have a reason to keep HL maths :cool:

Bob the Builder

spurious wrote: »

UCD believes that the introduction of bonus points will be successful only if

* the Minister takes measures to ensure that all second level students have equal access to quality mathematics teaching and that all schools are able to support students who wish to study mathematics at higher level;


There's the rub.
That would mean reversing the cuts of the last decade.
Bottom line

---

> Money.

However, I would be careful when saying that it's all about money. The Celtic Tiger taught us that it was all about money. The recession has since taught us that it's all about value for money. You can put in all the money you want and publish colourful textbooks and all that sort of stuff, but unless there's quality of learning, then there is little advantage in investing more money.

If they want people to do better in maths in school, then they have to completely reshape the course. And to be quite honest, I don't think even the introduction of Project Maths is going to do much, but what I do like about project maths, is the way the Dept. of Education have actually experimented with interactive learning and hopefully good things are to come...

randylonghorn

Bob the Builder wrote: »

You can put in all the money you want and publish colourful textbooks and all that sort of stuff, but unless there's quality of learning, then there is little advantage in investing more money.

I think spurious is talking more about things like numbers of maths teachers / teacher-student ratio and smaller classes / schools being in a position to provide a separate HL stream even when they have a small number who want to do it.

She's never struck me as the type to be impressed by a glossy textbook cover tbh! :pac:

thetonynator

randylonghorn wrote: »

I think spurious is talking more about things like numbers of maths teachers / teacher-student ratio and smaller classes / schools being in a position to provide a separate HL stream even when they have a small number who want to do it.

She's never struck me as the type to be impressed by a glossy textbook cover tbh! :pac:

3 classes of 5 in our school doing HL . .. although a lot will drop down . .


Ots really good though because they can stream it properly .. .anyone who got an a in junior cert is in one class (24 of us) and then there are two equal classes which will be split in november into a higher and lower . . .


And two lower classes which are level . .

spurious

You're lucky to have 5 classes in your year - it means there is room to play with staff.

In a school with only two LC classes, or even just the one, where all levels have to be catered for, there the fun begins.

It costs the same amount to have a HL English class for 20 kids as it does a HL Maths class for 4 - which is more justified? It will all boil down to money.

Staff who retire at the moment are not being replaced. It's only going to get worse.

Chuchoter

spurious wrote: »

You're lucky to have 5 classes in your year - it means there is room to play with staff.

In a school with only two LC classes, or even just the one, where all levels have to be catered for, there the fun begins.

It costs the same amount to have a HL English class for 20 kids as it does a HL Maths class for 4 - which is more justified? It will all boil down to money.

Staff who retire at the moment are not being replaced. It's only going to get worse.

Why are maths classes so expensive? :S

HQvhs

crayolastereo wrote: »

Why are maths classes so expensive? :S

They're not. But HL maths classes tend to be smaller due to less demand, so they cost more per student because whether a class has 20 students or 4 students, the teacher still gets paid the same.

thetonynator

crayolastereo wrote: »

Why are maths classes so expensive? :S

Teachers are paid the same no matter how many students are in the class.

Edit: HQvhs answered!!