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Politics, politics, politics (so long and thanks for all the fish)

galeforce said:
it’s not just about coping with pressure, there are countless things that can ruin your day, a migraine, a period, a transport system failure, bad weather

I once sat an exam having found out the day before my mother had been diagnosed with cancer, the universe will fudge with you relentlessly, it doesn’t need to be a one shot deal

also, there are loads of jobs where dealing with pressure isn’t relevant, where, in fact, pressure is a stop on creativity, not everything is a production line
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Those things can all happen before or during important moments in the workplace too.

Coping is an important skill.
 
galeforce said:
yeah, and most places help with that coping by letting you take a break and get back to it later
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Depends on what it is that needs doing.

I've had moments in my career - especially in moments of brinkmanship with customers and/or suppliers where literally nobody but me could sensibly continue negotiations. They were time limited and incredibly important to the future of the business.

Sometimes the option to put those things off until feeling better just isn't there.
 
scaramanga said:
Depends on what it is that needs doing.

I've had moments in my career - especially in moments of brinkmanship with customers and/or suppliers where literally nobody but me could sensibly continue negotiations. They were time limited and incredibly important to the future of the business.

Sometimes the option to put those things off until feeling better just isn't there.
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could be confirmation bias, how many deals have you lost, or agreed on lesser terms than you’d hoped because you were not in the right frame of mind?
 
galeforce said:
it’s not just about coping with pressure, there are countless things that can ruin your day, a migraine, a period, a transport system failure, bad weather

I once sat an exam having found out the day before my mother had been diagnosed with cancer, the universe will fudge with you relentlessly, it doesn’t need to be a one shot deal

also, there are loads of jobs where dealing with pressure isn’t relevant, where, in fact, pressure is a stop on creativity, not everything is a production line
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fair point, but ultimately exams are needed for the reasons scara has mentioned. we can't just do away with exams because the odd person might have extenuating circumstances.

exams are great at testing not only an individuals ability to perform on the day, but also long-term acquired knowledge in a fair and impartial manner. coursework is a poor substitute, thats why you dont see the prestigious universities accept subjects/grades that are heavily coursework weighted.

basically, we cant do away with heavily exam weighted assessments because there is no better alternative.
 
P.D. said:
So what happens with people that defer uni for a year and potentially have inflated grades - doesn't that then disadvantage people sitting exams next year who will likely score lower and potentially lose a place to someone that may have benefitted this year? No ideal solution really but I can see this coming up next year.
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the government could pull out the old "more inflation to address the existing inflation" trick
 
galeforce said:
it’s not just about coping with pressure, there are countless things that can ruin your day, a migraine, a period, a transport system failure, bad weather

I once sat an exam having found out the day before my mother had been diagnosed with cancer, the universe will fudge with you relentlessly, it doesn’t need to be a one shot deal

also, there are loads of jobs where dealing with pressure isn’t relevant, where, in fact, pressure is a stop on creativity, not everything is a production line
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Every job carries pressures.

If exams were not relevant they would not exist surely. You make a relevant point about external factors but thats also life, you can't bunk off work for a head ache or a period and transport problems can be pre empted all in life and during an exam

And I think that's the point, getting up everyday to work 9-5 at Gregg's and bring up a family is a daily exam so sitting a few days with pressure of an academic exam is closer to life than what people may give credit
 
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Diamond Lights said:
Tory Defenders, Assemble!

Explain something to me, please, Dido Harding? I'll try to stick to facts:

1) Has no medical background
2) Was named head of NHS Track and Trace
3) Track and trace has been pretty poorly received by all accounts, no app (despite many nations having this and we spent millions on it - far more than Ireland who have a working app), and a failure to contact and trace around 25-33% of cases
4) Now in charge of NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH PROTECTION (please see point 1 again at this point)
5) Her Husband (Tory MP) just happens to sit on the board of a 'think tank' that has mooted privatising the NHS and also scrapping Public Health England (which has now happened as she's now the head of NIHP per point 4)

And er... you're all ok with this? You see no issues whatsoever with any of the above?

As i mentioned earlier per Chris Grayling, poor performance and failure gets rewarded here, and we all suffer, Labour, Lib Dem, Tory voters, you still want the best people in charge. And i dont' see that.
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Not here to defend anything but you know she's interim head right until a permanent chair can be found? Doesn't seem to be listed in the facts.
 
Wilheldiva said:
fair point, but ultimately exams are needed for the reasons scara has mentioned. we can't just do away with exams because the odd person might have extenuating circumstances.

exams are great at testing not only an individuals ability to perform on the day, but also long-term acquired knowledge in a fair and impartial manner. coursework is a poor substitute, thats why you dont see the prestigious universities accept subjects/grades that are heavily coursework weighted.

basically, we cant do away with heavily exam weighted assessments because there is no better alternative.
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I feel like coursework heavy would be better, you get to see what someone can do with time to think and express themselves.

The world is changing, we don’t need trained repeaters anymore, we’ve automated that, more automation will follow, we need to develop and inspire creative thinkers, knowledge in itself is irrelevant, the answer to every answered question is a google search away, it’s the path to knowledge that matters, the ability to quantify source, exams don’t measure that.

I remember doing a series of 4 hour exams for history A Level, two essays in each, I’d have written a far more entertaining and flowing piece over the course of a week with more detailed quotes and references, rather than a regurgitation of facts hammered into prose to box tick what the board was looking for.

There has to be a better alternative.
 
galeforce said:
I feel like coursework heavy would be better, you get to see what someone can do with time to think and express themselves.

The world is changing, we don’t need trained repeaters anymore, we’ve automated that, more automation will follow, we need to develop and inspire creative thinkers, knowledge in itself is irrelevant, the answer to every answered question is a google search away, it’s the path to knowledge that matters, the ability to quantify source, exams don’t measure that.

I remember doing a series of 4 hour exams for history A Level, two essays in each, I’d have written a far more entertaining and flowing piece over the course of a week with more detailed quotes and references, rather than a regurgitation of facts hammered into prose to box tick what the board was looking for.

There has to be a better alternative.
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Test issue is coursework inspires alot of repetitive production. Reinterpret what your reading in books rather than spontaneous genius
 
scaramanga said:
I'm saying that weak degrees in weak subjects are worthless.

Candidates who study good degrees at good universities are also worthless if they cannot use applied knowledge and cope under pressure.
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You said, "Exams demonstrate both applied knowledge and the ability to cope under pressure". But this does not apply to certain degrees? This isn't a multiple choice. Either exams demonstrate knowledge and ability to cope under pressure - or they don't. University exams are a step up from A level exams.
 
galeforce said:
could be confirmation bias, how many deals have you lost, or agreed on lesser terms than you’d hoped because you were not in the right frame of mind?
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None. Not sure if it's practice or if I'm just born that way but I don't have those days.

I've had personal issues but I compartmentalise them and deal with them when I have time.
 
SpurMeUp said:
You said, "Exams demonstrate both applied knowledge and the ability to cope under pressure". But this does not apply to certain degrees? This isn't a multiple choice. Either exams demonstrate knowledge and ability to cope under pressure - or they don't. University exams are a step up from A level exams.
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Exams in solid subjects do. Degrees that are just there to take up the extra students who aren't academic don't.
 
Wilheldiva said:
fair point, but ultimately exams are needed for the reasons scara has mentioned. we can't just do away with exams because the odd person might have extenuating circumstances.

exams are great at testing not only an individuals ability to perform on the day, but also long-term acquired knowledge in a fair and impartial manner. coursework is a poor substitute, thats why you dont see the prestigious universities accept subjects/grades that are heavily coursework weighted.

basically, we cant do away with heavily exam weighted assessments because there is no better alternative.
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Its a massively sweeping statement. Backed up with what evidence?

How is a PHD assessed? Not with an examination. But with a far more critical, in-depth appraisal by peers. In short a presentation and interview.

How many people are great at swatting and writing well - but throw them into an unknown situation and they crumble? Plenty of A-grade students don't cut it in certain tasks that require thinking outside the box. Exams test an individual's ability to prepare and write exams. It's not a bad system for assessing an individual, but it is far from comprehensive.
 
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scaramanga said:
None. Not sure if it's practice or if I'm just born that way but I don't have those days.

I've had personal issues but I compartmentalise them and deal with them when I have time.
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Family grief aside I would say it's flakey to use a period or transport issues to flunk an exam and as reasonable a boss I am if our clients were in town I would feel same if you missed a 4 o'clock meeting or under performed in said meeting for same excuse
 
scaramanga said:
Exams in solid subjects do. Degrees that are just there to take up the extra students who aren't academic don't.
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So you are revising your previous statement? Effectively, only some examinations demonstrate both applied knowledge and the ability to cope under pressure?
 
SpurMeUp said:
Its a massively sweeping statement. Backed up with what evidence?

How is a PHD assessed? Not with an examination. But with a far more critical, in-depth appraisal by peers. In short a presentation and interview.

How many people are great at swatting and writing well - but throw them into an unknown situation and they crumble? Plenty of A-grade students don't cut it in certain tasks that require thinking outside the box. Exams test an individual's ability to prepare and write exams. It's not a bad system for assessing an individual, but it is far from comprehensive.
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Give me a Surgeon that performs well under the heavy lights of pressure rather than a book worm
 
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