GCSE biology

Col555

Member
Location
Cumbria
I haven’t got the full story but apparently the in todays GCSE biology exam, one of the questions was based around something like explain why a plant based diet was better than meat based diet.
Not sure if anyone has the full story or question and obviously there won’t be photos of the question, but I’ll leave it for discussion…how can this allowed as a life changing exam question?
 

DaveGrohl

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cumbria
Dreadful isn’t it? Maybe they’re looking for candidates who have actually done some proper research and can argue against the silly premise of the question?
 

maxxum5120

Member
Location
S W LANCASHIRE
Asked daughter when she arrived home how it had gone and it was first thing she mentioned. They had form time a few weeks ago, where they where educated on the benefits of a dairy free diet, told her if it happened again she should walk out, glad she didnt do it today though
 

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
I haven’t got the full story but apparently the in todays GCSE biology exam, one of the questions was based around something like explain why a plant based diet was better than meat based diet.
Not sure if anyone has the full story or question and obviously there won’t be photos of the question, but I’ll leave it for discussion…how can this allowed as a life changing exam question?
Better in what way? From a health point of view, impact on the environment, land use, or a combination of everything?

I have no idea what the answer is as I didn't do GCSE biology.

Perhaps if we find out what the question actually was, someone could give the answer?
 

DaveGrohl

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cumbria
Better in what way? From a health point of view, impact on the environment, land use, or a combination of everything?

I have no idea what the answer is as I didn't do GCSE biology.

Perhaps if we find out what the question actually was, someone could give the answer?
That’s one of the reasons I hated essay based education. They ask a vague question and it’s your job to waffle on endlessly so that you appear to display knowledge through the medium of volume of words. Providing a short sharp accurate answer isn’t rewarded outside of the scientific subjects.
 

DaveGrohl

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cumbria
It would be interesting to see how the question was actually worded. Nothing wrong in discussing the relative merits (?) of each. Education, after all, is meant to teach us how to think, not just collect facts.
Theoretically yes, that is what is supposed to happen as you move up the education ladder. GCSE level though, not so much. It’s all about regurgitating what your teacher has told you.
 

ladycrofter

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Highland
Former biology teacher here: A basic but very poorly worded question. The answer they are looking for is that in ascensing every step in the food chain, there's ten-fold loss in energy. This is fact, not politics. It starts with plankton, then krill, and goes up to apex preditor. So you can feed ( in theory) 10X more people with plants then you can by feeling the plants to animals, and then feeding the animals to people.
1652866226865.png
 
Former biology teacher here: A basic but very poorly worded question. The answer they are looking for is that in ascensing every step in the food chain, there's ten-fold loss in energy. This is fact, not politics. It starts with plankton, then krill, and goes up to apex preditor. So you can feed ( in theory) 10X more people with plants then you can by feeling the plants to animals, and then feeding the animals to people.
View attachment 1036920

Except the North Koreans have to eat grass at times and its not very tasty
 

SteveHants

Member
Livestock Farmer
That’s one of the reasons I hated essay based education. They ask a vague question and it’s your job to waffle on endlessly so that you appear to display knowledge through the medium of volume of words. Providing a short sharp accurate answer isn’t rewarded outside of the scientific subjects.
GCSE biology isn't essay based.
 
I haven’t got the full story but apparently the in todays GCSE biology exam, one of the questions was based around something like explain why a plant based diet was better than meat based diet.
Not sure if anyone has the full story or question and obviously there won’t be photos of the question, but I’ll leave it for discussion…how can this allowed as a life changing exam question?

This question about energy transfer in the food chain has been in GCSE biology for years, I remember the content of my GCSE exams quite well. The question itself is just carp.
 

DaveGrohl

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cumbria
Former biology teacher here: A basic but very poorly worded question. The answer they are looking for is that in ascensing every step in the food chain, there's ten-fold loss in energy. This is fact, not politics. It starts with plankton, then krill, and goes up to apex preditor. So you can feed ( in theory) 10X more people with plants then you can by feeling the plants to animals, and then feeding the animals to people.
View attachment 1036920
Erm, looking at that, I'm nonethewiser as to what the actual question is? Thanks for posting that though.
 

ladycrofter

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Highland
Erm, looking at that, I'm nonethewiser as to what the actual question is? Thanks for posting that though.
Life is very inefficient. In theory you can feed 100 people with grain. Or feed the grain to cattle and the cattle feed only 10 people.
Of course real life is more complicated! Grain is grown in some places in a very insustainable way, and livestock can produce high quality protein from virtually nothing e.g. hill sheep. But the principle is scientifically sound and I think widely abused by vegan etc people who don't want to tire themselves out actually educating themselves about the real world.
 
That’s one of the reasons I hated essay based education. They ask a vague question and it’s your job to waffle on endlessly so that you appear to display knowledge through the medium of volume of words. Providing a short sharp accurate answer isn’t rewarded outside of the scientific subjects.

Essay based education has some merits, it allows the student to demonstrate their understanding of content and apply it in their own way and at their own pace.

Multiple choice exams seem to be laid out to make automatic marking possible.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.9%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,292
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top