Why did the A-level algorithm say no?
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Re: Why did the A-level algorithm say no?
#2So is "controversial" the same as unfair or bad? Journalists often use "controversial" to discredit something that is not in accordance to their ideology. Controversial politicians (which politician isn't controversial?), controversial university professors, controversial speeches, controversial thoughts...
Re: Why did the A-level algorithm say no?
#3Do teachers recommend a grade, or a score? If they only recommend grades, how did the algorithm pick which students to change the grades for?
Re: Why did the A-level algorithm say no?
#4Well, there were no exams proper. The algorithm gives a mark for the A-levels.
Re: Why did the A-level algorithm say no?
#5Do teachers recommend a grade, or a score? If they only recommend grades, how did the algorithm pick which students to change the grades for?
I believe they recommend a grade, and rank the students within each recommended grade.
Re: Why did the A-level algorithm say no?
#6Do teachers recommend a grade, or a score? If they only recommend grades, how did the algorithm pick which students to change the grades for?
The algorithm took the teachers' recommended grades and used them only to rank the students at that school. The actual grades were calculated based on past years' performance for each school. So if you were the top performer at a low-ranking school, your grade would be in line with top performers at that school in previous years.
Re: Why did the A-level algorithm say no?
#7So is "controversial" the same as unfair or bad? Journalists often use "controversial" to discredit something that is not in accordance to their ideology. Controversial politicians (which politician isn't controversial?), controversial university professors, controversial speeches, controversial thoughts...
It's controversial in the sense that a bunch of people are protesting about it. Whether it's actually unfair or bad is unknown.
Fairness is a complicated thing. A lot of it is based on feeling and relative status, rather than some objective measure of well-being. One person might find it deeply unfair that another person has a lot of money, relatively speaking. But take that money away and redistribute it equally between the two and now the latter person may find the situation unfair.
Re: Why did the A-level algorithm say no?
#8So is "controversial" the same as unfair or bad? Journalists often use "controversial" to discredit something that is not in accordance to their ideology. Controversial politicians (which politician isn't controversial?), controversial university professors, controversial speeches, controversial thoughts...
It's controversial in the sense that a bunch of people are protesting about it. Whether it's actually unfair or bad is unknown. Fairness is a complicated thing. A lot of it is based on feeling and relative status, rather than some objective measure of well-being. One person might find it deeply unfair that another person has a lot of money, relatively speaking. But take that money away and redistribute it equally bet…
If what is written here is true then it's way beyond 'unfair' and on towards mathemtically nonsensicle: https://twitter.com/alexhern/status/1294200553661227008
It is claimed that in any class where the chance of someone failing is judged to be > 0%, even if it is a tiny fraction of a percentage point, then the algorithm requires that someone in the class MUST be given a failing grade, even if it the weakest student in a very high performing class.
Re: Why did the A-level algorithm say no?
#9So is "controversial" the same as unfair or bad? Journalists often use "controversial" to discredit something that is not in accordance to their ideology. Controversial politicians (which politician isn't controversial?), controversial university professors, controversial speeches, controversial thoughts...
In this case, yes it is.
Low-performing students at private schools are having their estimated Cs and Ds bumped up to As. Stellar students at schools in poor areas who got As in their mock exams and have teacher-predicted As are being awarded Ds instead.
Re: Why did the A-level algorithm say no?
#10Do teachers recommend a grade, or a score? If they only recommend grades, how did the algorithm pick which students to change the grades for?
I believe they recommend a grade, and rank the students within each recommended grade.
And then, after that, this algorithm nonsensically applies an enormous upward or downward adjustment depending on what someone decided was the quality (read: prevalent socioeconomic status) of the school they attend.