Today's NCEA exams: Biology

By DITA DE BONI

The first-ever NCEA biology exam, to be held this afternoon, developed amid a hotbed of scientific discontent.

Almost 10,000 students will sit one or more papers within biology, covering subjects including the transfer of genetic information, the human digestive and skeletal system, how humans use and are affected by micro-organisms, and how plants are affected by environmental factors.

But in July, NCEA biology came under searching examination itself.

In a speech in Auckland, King's College science and technology teacher Martin Hanson attacked biology education in New Zealand as having hit "rock bottom".

He said NCEA biology had "nothing to test the able student".

The ensuing controversy about the subject attracted much comment from educators at all levels of the system, but has not turned the tide on NCEA.

Physics - another NCEA subject today, for almost 3400 students - has also been criticised, by no less than Trevor Castle, vice-president of the New Zealand Institute of Physics.

He questioned the "convoluted, complex assessment matrix" for each exam and described a sample question about skateboarding speed as being an exercise involving "very little physics".

This morning, physics students will have to put aside the controversy and address questions about the reflection and refraction of light, uni-directional motion, heat transfer and nuclear physics and electricity and magnetism.

Also today, 3489 year-13 students will sit accounting, 371 will sit German and 563 will take Te Reo Rangatira, or traditional Maori.

Students said most candidates in yesterday's geography exam finished early.

Katy Griffiths, a year 11 student at Rangitoto College, is one of the top 20 geography students in her school and found the exam "pretty good".

"I had been on the internet to practise the examples and so I didn't get a shock with any of the questions."

But she said that many of the NCEA exams contained confusing language and questions which she thought did not make much sense.

One example, in yesterday's exam, asked students to describe population changes for people over 60 years from 1886 to 2001 and "outline three issues associated with those changes".