DD given a Case Study on Friday which is due on Monday

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2Girlsmum
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Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:41 pm

DD given a Case Study on Friday which is due on Monday

Post by 2Girlsmum »

My daughter was upset today, because she was told yesterday to prepare a case study on Carbon Capture and Storage (which they haven't studied yet) for Monday. It was initially supposed to be in a week after discussion, and I know at least one classmate can't do it this weekend because they are away. She's in Y10, and it's our first experience of the. Surely they should give more classroom preparation and time to do it?
southbucks3
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Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: DD given a Case Study on Friday which is due on Monday

Post by southbucks3 »

It does seem a bit mean, but they have access to the word wide web, presumably even if they are away.
My son (year9)is having to do more next day tests and next day research honework, I think it is all paving the way for independent learning.
Try not to help her, just let her do the research, use the books, internet or vle and get on with it, see what grade she gets, if she gets a poor grade she needs help with fast, efficient research techniques, they are all in the same boat. Doubtless some parents will intervene, but that won't help in the long run, it's not a terribly complicated subject that the teacher has chosen, there is method in their madness.
My boy certainly needs to get better at independent research, he goes off on tangents and starts reading "interesting" stuff, a bad habit for the future and a waste of time for the present. He can read "interesting" stuff when he doesn't have homework.
KB
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Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: DD given a Case Study on Friday which is due on Monday

Post by KB »

If parents take a year 10 child away for a whole weekend then they must be aware that there is likeky to be homework set to be done from Friday for Monday and to make provision for this. There are places that don't have internet :) but if there is a real problem then no doubt a letter from parents would obtain an extra day to do the work.

It doesn't seem a particularly tough thing to set over a weekend. Schools have been warned about setting internet reliant homework overnight but even those without access should be able to get to a library over the course of a weekend.

I think I'd be less hands off than southbucks3 suggests but I take the point not to take over. I'd leave them fir 10 minutes or so to have a trawl and then get them to outline a plan of action which you can talk through if its not great. Once they have a plan I'd check every so often they are on track.

Presumably the teacher will provide guidance once the work is marked so they can pick up on any major points they have missed. I'd treat it as a learning opportunity rather than get too worried about it.
Hope your Sunday isn't too stressful.
2Girlsmum
Posts: 1034
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:41 pm

Re: DD given a Case Study on Friday which is due on Monday

Post by 2Girlsmum »

Her friend is at a wedding in Scotland, so lots of time without Internet access unfortunately, due to travel time and event.

She hasn't been given a case study which goes towards a gcse before, so it might be anxiety about how many pages, how it should look etc. I know they are all getting a little worried about the seriousness of gcse exams (maybe partly due to memories of 11+ exams??) But she is doing Ok. Her grade sheet on Friday was all projected A/A* apart from PE (don't ask why she chose it! ) and French which are currently B's.
mystery
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Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: DD given a Case Study on Friday which is due on Monday

Post by mystery »

What happened in the end? Was this a piece of work that mattered towards a final grade in some subject or other? How long does a " case study ' have to be?

The wiki article on carbon capture and storage is pretty hard going. Did she find some approachable material on the topic? Or did the teacher simply mean find out about the carbon cycle? Why is it a "case study"?

I hope it went Ok. I do sympathise.

Now that the Internet exists it has become a justification for doling out some pretty complicated homework assignments with a very short deadline and not having to provide an appropriate textbook. I don't think that much of pure internet research for a project like this.

Maybe the best thing is to teach your daughter to do something quick and acceptable in thus situation and focus time more on tasks that will help her to raise her grades.

Can't the child attending the wedding in Scotland ask for more time?

Think I am going to make a very bad secondary school mother!
2Girlsmum
Posts: 1034
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:41 pm

Re: DD given a Case Study on Friday which is due on Monday

Post by 2Girlsmum »

Thanks for asking:)

It turned out (after speaking to another family) that she was meant to do research for the case study, not the actual case study itself. I think that she was a bit anxious about the start of real GCSE marks. Her English assessment results (worth 10% of the final exam) were given back this week, and she was given an A*. She also gained an A* in her History, and this has really helped her confidence levels.....I hadn't thought too much about it before, but I think she now realises that school will be much more focused and pressurised from now on, and is readjusting to the idea.
southbucks3
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Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: DD given a Case Study on Friday which is due on Monday

Post by southbucks3 »

I had no idea they still included coursework in the gcse results, do they for all subjects, I thought they had to do everything exam related at school, to make sure it was the child's own work etc, how can they possibly include homework as part of the final result when we help them so much? I spent an hour explaining some physics homework to my lad last week. :twisted: hated every minute, but he finally sussed it!
I guess I will have to brush up on my exam admin knowledge for next year, feel a bit naive.
When are they planning in making gcse exam only then?
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: DD given a Case Study on Friday which is due on Monday

Post by Guest55 »

Homework can be preparation for a piece on 'controlled assessment' but the actual task is meant to be in class ie 'controlled'. Any mark will be provisional as I explained.

The rules are quite strict ....
KS10
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Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:39 am

Re: DD given a Case Study on Friday which is due on Monday

Post by KS10 »

Now that the Internet exists it has become a justification for doling out some pretty complicated homework assignments with a very short deadline and not having to provide an appropriate textbook.
So true!

Without wanting to give too much away, I work in a school where a small number don't have access to a computer/the internet at home and not all teachers are sympathetic. I frequently hear them being told to use the library or to go to homework club, which isn't always possible when the weather is bad and the library becomes popular or if they are unable to stay after school. I know not everything can be stress-free 100% of the time, but I do feel that some pieces of homework aren't properly thought out and, as a result, there is unnecessary stress. I think it's something to do with teachers having far too much to do, but please don't ask me why teachers are so busy, mystery, as I opted out of teaching a couple of years ago.
Think I am going to make a very bad secondary school mother!
I'm going to suggest to my DC's school that they have a week at least once a term, preferably once every half term, when no hwk is set. Not sure if this is possible at GCSE, but certainly at KS3 this would give everyone a much needed break and would give those who need it time to catch up. Hey, there might even be some time to read over what was covered in class. If there are any flaws in this argument, I'm not sure I want to know :lol:.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: DD given a Case Study on Friday which is due on Monday

Post by Guest55 »

http://www.edexcel.com/iwantto/Document ... 201314.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This explains more about controlled assessments.

KS10 - I think if we stopped homework for a week we'd get parental complaints!
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