Announcement from BOSTES/NESA - 2019 Syllabus Changes for Calculus courses (1 Viewer)

[tywebb]

There will be an announcement from BOSTES next Wednesday at the MANSW conference involving a significant change to the calculus courses.

There is no official word yet about what this might be.

But there is a rumour going around that it will be a formula sheet in HSC exams for ALL the courses (just like General get now).

I'll let you know more later.

 

[braintic]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

There will be an announcement from BOSTES next Wednesday at the MANSW conference involving a significant change to the calculus courses.

There is no official word yet about what this might be.

But there is a rumour going around that it will be a formula sheet in HSC exams for ALL the courses (just like General get now).

I'll let you know more later.

The formula sheet idea has been known for some time now. It gets mentioned regularly at in-service courses.
I suspect it might be something more significant than that.

 

[tywebb]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

Yeah. It's been talked about a lot. But no official word yet from BOSTES on the issue.

It might be other stuff, but most people who are going to the conference seem to think it is the formula sheet.

 

[tywebb]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

Maybe I'll write an exam with just 1 question.

And the question will be to prove all the formulas on the formula sheet!

 

[porcupinetree]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

There will be an announcement from BOSTES next Wednesday at the MANSW conference involving a significant change to the calculus courses.

There is no official word yet about what this might be.

But there is a rumour going around that it will be a formula sheet in HSC exams for ALL the courses (just like General get now).

I'll let you know more later.

Pleeeeaaase no. I guess they might just trying to stop the growing trend to undertake General Maths 2 instead of 2U (and above)?

 

[mreditor16]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

Oh wow, this will be interesting. Keep us posted, tywebb and braintic.

 

[iforgotmyname]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

PLease tell me their going to remove conics from 4unit and add in calculus into general

 

[WildestDreams]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

Ohh exciting!! It better be good change though.

 

[Speed6]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

Would Bostes' change come quickly?

 

[leehuan]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

PLease tell me their going to remove conics from 4unit and add in calculus into general

^
_______________
A formula sheet though eh? Reminds me of VCE.

 

[braintic]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

Other possibilities based on discussion that has gone on:

(1) Extension 1 does only one exam (as was the case when I was at school)

(2) The number of topics in each course to be reduced, with more emphasis placed on depth of understanding

(3) Common topics between 2 Unit Maths and General 2 maths, and common questions between their exams

(4) Statistics not to be included, contrary to the Australian curriculum

(5) 2 unit only students and Extension 1 students do different 2 unit courses (and different 2 unit exams)

(6) A PIP for the internal assessment

(7) Ext 2 students allowed to sit the 2 unit exam. I believe the aim is to give students a fallback if they don't do well at Ext 2 - I don't believe the aim is to allow students to count 6 units of maths towards their ATAR

(8) All courses should include real-life modelling applications

(9) A 4 unit course available in year 11

(10) A non-calculator section for all exams

(11) Technology more sophisticated than a scientific calculator should be permitted in exams

(12) A cap on the number of internal assessments


Note that these were only proposals from last October. I'm not sure how many were taken seriously.

 

[tywebb]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

Here are the published proposed changes from last year (on page 22 of http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.a...f_doc/senior-secondary-evaluation-2014-08.pdf )


Preliminary Mathematics 2 Unit

Approximately six topics focusing on areas of Mathematics such as real numbers, algebra, functions, graphs, geometry, trigonometry, differential calculus, sequences and series, and descriptive statistics.

A number of modelling topics focusing on applications of Mathematics from other topics in the Preliminary course and utilising techniques from other topics in the course and earlier courses, such as applications involving real functions and applications of series to finance.

HSC Mathematics 2 Unit

Approximately six topics focusing on areas of Mathematics such as differential calculus, integral calculus, probability, trigonometry, exponential and logarithmic functions, descriptive statistics, and random variables.

A number of modelling topics focusing on applications of Mathematics from other topics in the HSC course, and utilising techniques from other topics in the course and earlier courses, such as applications involving probability and finance, applications to the natural environment.

Preliminary Mathematics Extension 1

Approximately six topics focusing on areas of Mathematics such as circle geometry, further algebra, polynomials, functions, graphs, trigonometry, series, elementary difference equations, random variables, and the normal distribution.

HSC Mathematics Extension 1

Approximately six topics focusing on areas of Mathematics such as mathematical induction, binomial theorem, methods and applications of integration, further trigonometry, inverse functions and the inverse trigonometric functions, and further applications of calculus.

Mathematics Extension 2

Approximately eight topics focusing on areas of Mathematics such as further inequalities, complex numbers, polynomials, functions, graphs, vectors, integration techniques, volumes, modelling with functions and derivatives, mechanics, difference equations, and statistical inference.

 

[tywebb]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

There is a problem with it though. It is supposed to be that "the new syllabuses will support implementation of Australian curriculum content" according to this page: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/australian-curriculum/11-12-eng-maths-sci-hist.html

But the state ministers met last December and put a stop to the development of the senior national curriculum: http://4unitmaths.com/nc-y11-12shelved.pdf

Furthermore, to follow BOSTES syllabus development processes there would have to be more to it than just making an announcement at a conference.

There would have to be 4 phases: Syllabus Review, Writing Brief Development, Syllabus Development, Implementation in accordance with the syllabus development handbook at http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.a...ent/pdf_doc/syllabus-development-handbook.pdf. So far NONE of this has happened.

So whilst you might think there might be more significant announcements next Wednesday than just a formula sheet in exams, BOSTES is significantly constrained by their own policies and procedures as to what changes they can announce.

They may well announce a syllabus development process to begin. But that would be very early stages, not a finished product - and would have to digress AWAY from the national curriculum.

So realistically at this stage I think the most we can expect is just a formula sheet.

There may be other stuff though so as I said before I'll let you know later any more details in the announcement.

 

[leehuan]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

What I think about all of this:

Original point in post - 6/10
I kind of pride our curriculum for having high performing cohorts (especially in the more rigorous courses) without anything besides a table of standard integrals which isn't even necessary. But far too many people are choosing general these days, and one of the contributing factors is this. Because we need an increase in amount of students capable of handling calculus etc. this could work.

Extension 1 does one exam - 7/10
Lightens workload. But I feel Ext 1 should be pushed.

Topics reduced - 7/10
Having a diversity of topics in the maths courses allows students to appreciate more areas within mathematics, yet at the same time some could argue that the exams do assess this and that everywhere. Lesser topics allows a more in depth treatment of them and a stronger focus on them in the exams.

Common between 2U/Gen - 6/10
This depends on to what degree are they common. For anything <30% I'm probably for it, because that means when 2U students drop to general they aren't at a complete disadvantage. But 2U is supposed to examine much harder topics within maths so...

No statistics - 9/10
Biased perspective.

Different 2U exams for 2U/Ext 1 - 8/10
2U students complain about competing against people stronger all the time. If the Ext1-2U exam is ridiculously harder than the 2U-2U exam then this is pointless, but treating them as different cohorts gives 2U a better chance to show that they excel amongst their fellow 2U only candidates.

PIP - Is this the thing they do in Soc/Culture?

Ext 2 allowed to take 2U - 10/10
Ext 2 don't need to fear messing up their exams now. But this is only good provided its optional.

Real-life modelling - 8/10
Though I take interest in maths as a whole, I feel that if more treatment is given to why we learn this students can be more appreciative of how powerful maths can be in society. Real-life modelling beyond the hypothetical scenarios of applications of calculus is one way of achieving this. Except, would it be too hard at the HSC level?

4U Yr 11 - 6/10
You're...throwing the poor year 11's into the deep end immediately. This would only appeal to people like me who dead serious love maths and excel at it, and already know it as early as year 10

Non-calculator section - 6/10
Why?

Beyond the scientific calculator - No rating
This is ambiguous. Maths should force the students to interpret everything from a logical perspective, yet at the same time we love to punch numbers into all sorts of software and let them do the hard work for us. Not saying that that's all we do, but with that in mind I'm unsure about this.

Internal assessment cap - No rating
I'm not a teacher, none of my business

 

[tywebb]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

I cannot yet confirm this but there is a possibility that the announcement will be filmed and the video published online!

I know the official conference cameraman. It is none other than the esteemed Eddie Woo of wootube fame.

He has to get permission from BOSTES before it can happen though.

I will let you know if this will happen. I know he will be filming all the keynote presentations so hopefully the BOSTES announcement will get the approval for a film to be made too.

 

[leehuan]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

I cannot yet confirm this but there is a possibility that the announcement will be filmed and the video published online!

I know the official conference cameraman. It is none other than the esteemed Eddie Woo of wootube fame.

He has to get permission from BOSTES before it can happen though.

I will let you know if this will happen. I know he will be filming all the keynote presentations so hopefully the BOSTES announcement will get the approval for a film to be made too.

50/10

 

[astroman]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

Eddie

 

[BLIT2014]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

Pleeeeaaase no. I guess they might just trying to stop the growing trend to undertake General Maths 2 instead of 2U (and above)?

What's so bad about having a formula sheet?

 

[porcupinetree]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

What's so bad about having a formula sheet?

I just feel like it would encourage a lack of understanding regarding lots of the formulae/identities encountered in the calculus based courses. For example, lots of my friends who do general maths have mentioned that they have no idea where the (general maths) formulae come from, or how they are derived, or why they even work. Obviously it wouldn't be an identical scenario if >2U had a formula sheet, but nonetheless I don't think it'd be a helpful addition.

That being said, a formula sheet wouldn't be that bad - there are much worse things they could do.

 

[BLIT2014]

Re: Announcement from BOSTES - significant change to calculus courses

I just feel like it would encourage a lack of understanding regarding lots of the formulae/identities encountered in the calculus based courses. For example, lots of my friends who do general maths have mentioned that they have no idea where the (general maths) formulae come from, or how they are derived, or why they even work. Obviously it wouldn't be an identical scenario if >2U had a formula sheet, but nonetheless I don't think it'd be a helpful addition.

That being said, a formula sheet wouldn't be that bad - there are much worse things they could do.

Probably because General Mathematics isn't a proof based course, so they are unlikely to be really taught how they really worked or derived