Literary prowess rewarded

**Mikkel** · 1st July 2008, 13:45

Originally Posted by jrandom

So you saw them again in spring, passed with flying colours, and are now a fully-qualified quantum mechanic?

Pretty much - business is slow though. It's a rather entangled matter though and it can be quite hard to keep a perspective of the entire equation at all times. Keeping track of all the relevant numbers is a bit like herding cats you know - but with added uncertainty. You never know if it's alive or dead - the business I mean, not the cat - that would be a cliche!

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Now we know where t go when our quantums break down.

Or if they should be in a undesirable state.

**Toaster** · 1st July 2008, 13:49

Originally Posted by jrandom

The Chief Examiner of the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance Examination Board is either a mind-numbingly awful bore, or a man possessing uncommon wit and nerve.

Or, more probably, a vanishingly rare and peculiarly British combination of the two.

Well said that man.

If it was indeed a PC approach to encourage the student, it reminds me of the NZCA system and its no-failures policy that merely sets up school graduates for failure in the real world. I can't see too many employees lasting long if they replied with an "f*** off" to their employers questions or requests.

What sort of grade is "deferred achievement" anyway?

**marioc** · 1st July 2008, 13:52

I think it is even viable to use text speak these days during exams.

**alanzs** · 1st July 2008, 16:07

Also in the last century, I wrote an answer in an advanced statistics course which I even then found amazingly bold. The extremely long, difficult question asked us to analyze a mass of data, relating to inventory control. Not sure of the correct answer, I wrote "Give me a job and I'll tell you." I received a "c+" on the paper and a "B" in that particular course.
The proffesor later said that he'd rather students be honest, than make up some answer which was not accurate.
Four years ago, I went to Auckland University to get a teaching degree after being in the workforce for 25 years and having a couple advanced degrees from a top university in the US. There were some people there that I wouldn't even want near my kids, let alone being their teacher.
If you failed a paper, you could re-do it until you got it right. I knew a bunch of people that regularly cheated in every possible way, on papers, in exams, always, every time. One person turned in the work of another student and was caught. She was able to do it again, orally, and passed. She now teaches primary school. Scary shit.

**Swoop** · 1st July 2008, 16:31

Originally Posted by gijoe1313

A shining star amongst the morass of mediocrity and yet she has not the talent of others in her cohort.

Oh goodness. Do they have you referring to a class of students as a "cohort" as well?
When it was pointed out that it consists of a large mob of Roman troops, our intelligensia refrained from the practice.

**Steam** · 1st July 2008, 16:56

If the state collapses, you'll have a coherent career I guess.

Originally Posted by Mikkel

Pretty much - business is slow though. It's a rather entangled matter though and it can be quite hard to keep a perspective of the entire equation at all times. Keeping track of all the relevant numbers is a bit like herding cats you know - but with added uncertainty. You never know if it's alive or dead - the business I mean, not the cat - that would be a cliche!

**Mikkel** · 1st July 2008, 17:08

Originally Posted by Steam

If the state collapses, you'll have a coherent career I guess.

Well, I wouldn't want to try and measure it...

**gijoe1313** · 1st July 2008, 18:28

Originally Posted by Swoop

Oh goodness. Do they have you referring to a class of students as a "cohort" as well?
When it was pointed out that it consists of a large mob of Roman troops, our intelligensia refrained from the practice.

Well referring to them as a melange of mistaken gene deviations wouldn't go down too favourably as well!

Or inexplicable lapses of prophylactic equipment discharges ...

Or expunged genitalia mucus membrane leftovers ...

Or resource depleting parasitical element of society ...

Or ... you get the general idea