20/07/2012
CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT AT A LEVEL
Charlie Stripp, MEI Chief executive
What is MEI doing?
• Further Pure with Technology
• Mathematics for All Post-16 – an MEI position
paper
• How might A level mathematics be improved –
an MEI discussion paper
• Development groups
Who are AS/A level Maths
and Further Maths for?
• All students who have achieved GCSE grade
C+ at GCSE?
• Students who intend to study STEM at
university and/or pursue a career with
significant use of maths?
• Aspiring engineers, scientists and
mathematicians?
• MEI’s post-16 position paper suggests four
level 3 mathematics pathways
What are the big issues?
• Who are AS/A level Maths and FM for?
• What are AS/A level Maths and FM for?
• Are AS/A level Maths and FM they fit for
purpose?
– Uptake
– Structure
– Content
– Assessment
What are AS/A level Maths
and Further Maths for?
• Aims of the current A level specification
• Do you agree with the current aims?
– If not, how/why would you change them?
1
20/07/2012
Uptake
Structure
• Current figures – Maths, Further Maths
• How many students should be doing AS/A
level Mathematics and Further Mathematics?
– These figures are based upon ACME’s
‘Mathematical Needs’ research:
‘We estimate that of those entering H.E. in any
one year, some 330 000 would benefit from
the experience of studying some mathematics
9including statistics) at a level beyond GCSE,
but fewer than 125 000 have done so'
MEI’s discussion paper ‘How might A level
mathematics be improved?’ includes an outline
structure for revised AS/A level Mathematics
qualifications, together with new qualifications to
give coherent level 3 pathways
Structure
Content
• Should the AS/A2 structure be retained?
• Should AS/A level Mathematics remain
modular?
• Should there continue to be options for applied
maths?
• Should AS/A level FM have a compulsory
core?
• Should AS marks count as heavily as A2 marks
when determining A level grades?
Content
AS level Further Mathematics
MEI is proposing a much wider uptake of AS
Further Maths as a qualification in its own right,
which could be taken over two years, alongside
AS/A level Mathematics, as well as being the first
year of a 2 year A level Further Maths course
•
•
•
•
Is the standard correct?
Is the content appropriate?
Should there be a common core?
Should there be any options?
AS level Mathematics
MEI is proposing a much wider uptake of AS
Maths as a qualification in its own right, which
could be taken over two years, as well as being
the first year of a 2 year A level Maths course.
•
•
•
•
Is the standard correct?
Is the current AS core content appropriate?
Should some statistics be compulsory?
Should there be any options?
Content
A2 Mathematics
University departments that ask for A level
Mathematics in their offers seem to believe the
content is basically correct
• Is the standard correct?
• What would you change?
• Should there be any options?
2
20/07/2012
Content
A2 Further Mathematics
Some university departments would like the
content to be more consistent between
specifications
•
•
•
•
Is the standard correct?
Is the content appropriate?
Should there be a common core?
Should there be any options?
Assessment
Why do we assess students?
A recent Ofqual survey report suggests three
reasons:
1. qualification
2. selection
3. programme evaluation
How does A level Maths fit into this?
Assessment
Assessment
Good assessment is a balance between validity –
assessing what you want students to learn – and
reliability – ensuring that grades are consistently
and accurately awarded.
‘Examination questions can often be highly
structured and predictable, which can lead to an
instrumental ‘learn the rules’ approach to teaching
and learning. This discourages deep
understanding and misrepresents mathematics as
a boring subject to be learned by rote. Most
seriously, this approach inhibits the development
of the mathematical thinking and problem solving
skills that are highly valued by universities and
employers.’
MEI, 2012
Assessment
Assessment
‘The quality of a qualification can be measured in
various ways and for us the key measure is validity
– that is, the extent to which the qualification gives
a true measure of learning..’
‘A greater variety of assessment instruments should be
used to increase the overall validity. This might
incorporate different forms of assessment, the better to
assess problem-solving skills and motivate improvements
in teaching and learning….
‘Our aims will be to promote coherence – for
example between the syllabus, teaching and
testing – and to increase validity.’
These could include consideration of a variety of elements
such as coursework, multiple choice, use of pre-release
material, comprehension, more questions with less
structure and a teacher-assessed portfolio.’
MEI, 2012
Ofqual coporate plan, 2012 - 2015
3
20/07/2012
Assessment
Assessment
Current A level Mathematics and Further
Mathematics grade profiles
A*
A
B
C
D
E
U
Maths
17.8
44.7
66.4
81.8
92.0
97.6
100
FM
27.5
57.7
79.0
89.5
95.3
98.3
100
‘A level grades should both reflect students’ achievement
and enable universities and employers to differentiate
effectively between them. This is a very complex issue,
requiring careful consideration across all subjects. It is
important to ensure that A levels in some subjects are not
‘easier’ than others; this could affect uptake.’
MEI, 2012
Does this enable universities to select students
effectively?
Assessment
• Is the A* grade fit for purpose?
‘The A* grade, awarded for scoring highly on standard
examination papers, rewards accuracy rather than
mathematical flair and can fail to identify many of the most
mathematically able….
…The A* grade should be awarded on a separate paper
with an emphasis on testing mathematical problem solving
skills, rather than the accurate application of standard
techniques to standard, structured questions.’
MEI, 2012
• We must try to take advantage of the
opportunity to make A level Mathematics
better
• Please contact me if you have further questions
or ideas
charlie.stripp@mei.org.uk
MEI’s proposed level 3
Mathematics pathways
MEI has identified four pathways for students who hope to
progress to employment or higher education in
1. a field involving little direct use of mathematics (~80K stds/year)
2. a field involving some direct application of mathematics
(~120K stds/year)
3. a STEM discipline with significant mathematical content (~100K
students/year)
4. a highly mathematical field (~30K students/year)
4
20/07/2012
Further Pure with Technology
A new unit A2 Further Mathematics unit, just accredited for the
current MEI specification, first teaching from September 2012
• Use of computer technology integrated into teaching, learning
and assessment
• Involves use of spreadsheets, a graphics package, a
programming language and a computer algebra system (CAS)
• Will inform greater integration of technology into new A level
specifications
• For more information contact tom.button@mei.org.uk
A separate paper for A*
• Questions with less structure?
• Multiple choice section with UKMT Senior
Challenge style questions?
• Use of pre-release material for
modelling/comprehension
• Should A level Further Mathematics be
assumed, or have its own A* paper?
• Should it be pass/fail or graded?
Why we assess
2. Selection
Individual results are used to predict which
applicants – all of whom might, in principle, be
sufficiently qualified – will be most successful in
a job or course of instruction
Why we assess
1. Qualification
Individual results are used to judge whether a
person is sufficiently qualified for a job, course of
instruction or role in life, i.e. whether or not they
are equipped to succeed in it
Why we assess
3. Programme evaluation
Aggregated results are used to evaluate the
success of educational programmes or
initiatives, nationally or locally.
5
20/07/2012
How should AS marks contribute to A level
grades?
‘The current modular structure, particularly the way in
which scores on AS units contribute to the overall A level
grade, encourages tactical re-sitting, which artificially
raises grades and wastes resources…..
Careful consideration should be given to reducing the
relative weighting of AS units compared to A2 units, or to
decoupling AS and A2 (this should apply across all A level
subjects).’
MEI, 2012
Assessment
Different modes of assessment to increase validity and
engagement:
‘…coursework, multiple choice, use of pre-release
material, comprehension, more questions with less
structure and a teacher-assessed portfolio.’
• What are your views on this?
6