Posted on 03/31/2007 11:05:53 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
Elements of the existing ancient history exam will now be merged into a new classical civilisation A-level to be taught from September 2008. But Tory education spokesman Boris Johnson, who is also an author and TV presenter on classical civilisation, said: "You can't just subsume the study of ancient history into the study of classical civilisation. "You might as well say that you can learn English history by studying English language and –literature... A spokesperson for the board said: "OCR is committed to enabling –students to study classics and we are the only awarding body still offering a comprehensive suite of A-levels in this field. "It is designed to allow classics to flourish over the next decade, meeting the needs of schools and colleges." The new A-level includes units on "city life in Roman Italy", "archaeology and the classical world" and "Roman society and thought".
(Excerpt) Read more at express.co.uk ...
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Academic quits over exam failuresA university academic has quit his job after his decision to fail students on his course was overruled.
BBC
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Professor Paul Buckland from Bournemouth University claimed exams were re-marked so students would pass.
He said: "If we're going to go along with a system whereby students are passed automatically, we might as well sell the degrees on eBay."
The University admitted "procedures had not been followed" and an external examiner was now rechecking the papers.
'Quality graduates'
Prof Buckland said that of the 16 students who had originally failed the exams, 13 were given pass grades after their marks were reviewed by the University.
A professor of environmental archaeology, he said: "This is sad because Bournemouth is very good at taking students who are otherwise disadvantaged with poor A-Level results and turning out quality graduates at the end of it."
In response to Prof Buckland's claims Bournemouth University carried out an inquiry.
At the rate things are disappearing from history courses, the Daily Express will have to ditch its logo soon.
Details of the Classical Civ course here:
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/AS_ALevelGCE14-19ClassicsCivilisation.html
"This specification provides the opportunity for a holistic study of Classical Sources in their contexts. It is flexible, creative, fair and accessible. It reflects the reality of Classics in the Classroom and Classics teaching today."
http://www.ocr.org.uk/14-19/alevels/AS_ALevelGCE14-19ClassicsCivilisation/units.html
There is some merit in this. Since students don't usually contribute one iota toward increase of knowledge in the world until they graduate and begin their own research, they might as well buy out and begin their research that much sooner. If their scholarship is worth a pile of elephant dump, having a degree or not won't matter.
I think degrees are already available online...
Glad it's flexible, creative, fair and accessible. Too bad it's probably got nothing in it to access or flex.
Indeed they are, including Harvard if you can get in. The secret is that an appropriate degree must be from an accredited institution so the credentials will be honored in the peer-reviewed journals, which is where science and philosophy are actually done and where they reside. An independent student can publish his own stuff on his own and go on Coast to hawk his work, but he will likely be bypassed forever by the credentialed historians, and then what would be the point?
A full library and an open mind is a feast fit for king and philosopher alike.
The truth will be advanced wherever the fog is lifted.
Apothegmaticians agree that science is a search for the obvious.
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