Oxford University gives more time to pass exams for the sake of women.

[Rion]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2018/01/22/oxford-university-gives-women-time-pass-exams/

Oxford University exam times were increased in a bid to improve the low scores of women, it has emerged.

Students taking maths and computer science examinations in the summer of 2017 were given an extra 15 minutes to complete their papers, after dons ruled that "female candidates might be more likely to be adversely affected by time pressure". There was no change to the length or difficulty of the questions.

They increased time for everyone, but only because they thought women couldn't handle time pressure as well as men... which would be sexist behavior, imo.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I found some additional information on this one from another source:

https://www.bustle.com/p/oxford-is-...-exams-but-female-students-especially-7976512

According to Sarah Hart, a math professor at Birkbeck, University of London, women tend to double-check their answers more than men, which could be one reason they tend to perform better when given more time, she explained to the Sunday Times.

Undergraduates are now given 105 minutes to complete math and computer science exams, an increase from the usual 90 minutes. There was "no change in length or difficulty of questions," the spokesman said. The goal of the new regulations is to reduce "the undue effects of time pressure" for both genders. However, the university found that time constraints disproportionately affected women.

...and it seems to be based on the theory that women (as a whole) are more mentally more susceptible to feeling the pressure of time constraints than men.

Now, if they can, in fact, prove this or get the right studies behind this theory to corroborate that idea and elevate it from theory to a fact, then a measure like this might be a little more justified.

It wouldn't be the first time that a different set of rules were made to accommodate recognized biological difference between the two sexes. For example, it's not uncommon for males to have higher requirements for Phys Ed. class than females due to the provable physical differences between the two sexes. If they can prove that there is in fact a link between sex and mental susceptibility to time-related pressure, then a measure like this wouldn't be totally out of line.

They really should get the studies behind these theories hashed out first before they put procedural changes in place since, in recent times, efforts like this are simply used as fodder for people who are already prone to label every measure (with the goal of leveling the playing field) that they don't like as evidence of "an overly-PC culture".

 

[JackRT]

My late sister was a master at Oxford. I have to wonder what she would have thought of this.

 

[Gadarene]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2018/01/22/oxford-university-gives-women-time-pass-exams/

Oxford University exam times were increased in a bid to improve the low scores of women, it has emerged.

Students taking maths and computer science examinations in the summer of 2017 were given an extra 15 minutes to complete their papers, after dons ruled that "female candidates might be more likely to be adversely affected by time pressure". There was no change to the length or difficulty of the questions.

They increased time for everyone, but only because they thought women couldn't handle time pressure as well as men... which would be sexist behavior, imo.

Women are totally equal to men, once you give the poor little dears time to catch up to our manly superbrains.

“The lengthening of exams was welcomed by some female students. Antonia Siu, Undergraduate Representative of Oxford Women in Computer Science, said: "I am uneasy about schemes to favour one gender over another.”

I’m going to welcome them anyway, but I don’t like them - k

"But I am happy when people see gaps between groups of people who should not reasonably have such gaps - such as between genders, races or class - and take that as a starting point to think about the kinds of people they unintentionally are leaving behind."

I feel the same way about women applauding this the same way I do about people who believe in similar gender-ishoos-scented claptrap like “mansplaining” or whatever - if you believe in this garbage, chances are you probably are thick enough to need a bit of extra exam time or to have someone explain things to you from time to time (possibly someone who is a MAN, gasp!)

 

[MoonlessNight]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2018/01/22/oxford-university-gives-women-time-pass-exams/

Oxford University exam times were increased in a bid to improve the low scores of women, it has emerged.

Students taking maths and computer science examinations in the summer of 2017 were given an extra 15 minutes to complete their papers, after dons ruled that "female candidates might be more likely to be adversely affected by time pressure". There was no change to the length or difficulty of the questions.

They increased time for everyone, but only because they thought women couldn't handle time pressure as well as men... which would be sexist behavior, imo.

You see similar things happen in tests for firefighters or for military positions. If the women can't complete the activity, more time is given until they finally can complete it. You will also see women being allowed multiple tries at things for similar reasons.

This is the first time I've seen this behavior is a non-physical test, though.

 

[mindlight]

I work in computing and most of my colleagues are men. Ironically most never even did university. IT is a rare profession that collects bright people regardless of previous study. It requires a nerdy brain specialism that many clever women are simply not interested in or never developed. Once I worked with a team of more women than men, it was very political and gossipy and lacked focus and efficiency. Some male teams have been very hierarchical and restrictive. But I have met very few women who were very good programmers and the best I have met have all been men. So even if they change the Oxford course how many women will end up doing this in a results focused industry where time matters.

 

[Zoii]

Im a uni student. The whole idea of tests pushes the student to temporary recall as opposed to critical thinking. If tests were such a good measurement of knowledge acquisition, then we would all be retaining 100 percent following an exam. Really if allowing more time is going to show the students full potential then its a smart move.

 

[Zoii]

I work in computing and most of my colleagues are men. Ironically most never even did university. IT is a rare profession that collects bright people regardless of previous study. It requires a nerdy brain specialism that many clever women are simply not interested in or never developed. Once I worked with a team of more women than men, it was very political and gossipy and lacked focus and efficiency. Some male teams have been very hierarchical and restrictive. But I have met very few women who were very good programmers and the best I have met have all been men. So even if they change the Oxford course how many women will end up doing this in a results focused industry where time matters.

All industries are results focussed. All industries are quality focussed.at uni science is evenly balanced male female, medicine is more female, engineering more male.... make what you will of it

 

[Gadarene]

Im a uni student. The whole idea of tests pushes the student to temporary recall as opposed to critical thinking. If tests were such a good measurement of knowledge acquisition, then we would all be retaining 100 percent following an exam. Really if allowing more time is going to show the students full potential then its a smart move.

The problem is time pressure itself, not critical thinking.

So much for equality tho

 

[Zoii]

The problem is time pressure itself, not critical thinking.

So much for equality tho

Im not getting your point, unless its that all assessment should be time pressured. And for maths. I dont see why especially when a small amount of time can better show someones true understanding of the material. I do get time pressure assessments for practicums though. Plus, dont forget everyone got more time.... id be like yayyy itd give me time to go back through my answers n make sure i didnt miss any? You're not in favour of that?

 

[super animator]

Im not getting your point, unless its that all assessment should be time pressured.

All assignments are time pressured.

And for maths. I dont see why especially when a small amount of time can better show someones true understanding of the material.

No, Math is VERY FRAGILE, a single error made is detrimental to the final result. Documents of 100+ pages of proof had been rejected, because of the single error they made.

 

[Gadarene]

Has no-one informed people - unless unis are using radically different marking schemes these day - that they give more marks for methodology rather than the correct result? If you don’t know the methodology for solving a particular problem, time increases will not save you.

 

[Gadarene]

Im not getting your point, unless its that all assessment should be time pressured.

No, it’s pointing out the false dichotomy between recall and critical thinking.

My last exam a few weeks ago had both maths and critical thinking questions - not that i’d really call maths recall, either the methods have gelled in your mind during classes and you know how to apply and manipulate them, or you don’t.

And for maths. I dont see why especially when a small amount of time can better show someones true understanding of the material.

But is it true understanding they’re after, or some kind of equality of outcome standard? And increasing the time of the exam didn’t exactly improve the results gap between genders.

I do get time pressure assessments for practicums though. Plus, dont forget everyone got more time.... id be like yayyy itd give me time to go back through my answers n make sure i didnt miss any? You're not in favour of that?

The solution is to teach better time management and confidence well before the exam takes place, not bump the exam time up because that’s how you respect wahmen these days. If guys are more confident in these matters, why not transfer that ability to the girls, rather than slow everyone down to the pace of the latter? (you could ask this question about a number of equality issues in truth)

 

[Tanj]

You see similar things happen in tests for firefighters or for military positions. If the women can't complete the activity, more time is given until they finally can complete it.

Once more for the hard of comprehending, the time increase was given to everyone, not just the women.

As someone who works and hires in a math related field, I'd much rather have someone that takes the time to double check their analysis is correct than someone that gets a project in 15 minutes early and doesn't.

 

[Zoii]

All assignments are time pressured.


No, Math is VERY FRAGILE, a single error made is detrimental to the final result. Documents of 100+ pages of proof had been rejected, because of the single error they made.

I think you just supported my point. Assignments have a due date and so are time limited.. They are not meant as a time pressure process but rather as a deeper assessment of the knowledge you gained. There is a difference between having n acceptable time to complete your work and being time-pressured. Time pressure assessments are meant to determine how quickly you can do a task. In time pressured assessments such as IQ assessments, the thrust is to make you move on fast with no time to check results. Now as you said maths is fragile. In industry you'd be expected to check and recheck calculations. While you have time limits to complete tasks its not meant to be a time pressure process because that would induce errors - and does.

I think if a test is so time tight that it is time-pressured, then it induces error in calculations and isnt necessarily indicative of a students true knowledge and capacity. I think if increasing the time slightly can better show-case a students ability, then its sensible.

 

[Zoii]

No, it’s pointing out the false dichotomy between recall and critical thinking.

My last exam a few weeks ago had both maths and critical thinking questions - not that i’d really call maths recall, either the methods have gelled in your mind during classes and you know how to apply and manipulate them, or you don’t.



But is it true understanding they’re after, or some kind of equality of outcome standard? And increasing the time of the exam didn’t exactly improve the results gap between genders.



The solution is to teach better time management and confidence well before the exam takes place, not bump the exam time up because that’s how you respect wahmen these days. If guys are more confident in these matters, why not transfer that ability to the girls, rather than slow everyone down to the pace of the latter? (you could ask this question about a number of equality issues in truth)

I was actually wondering at the test design itself. If your competent in your material you should be under moderate pressure to go straight to an answer, with perhaps a little time to check the ones you were unsure of at the end and to make sure you didn't miss anything. Ive always completed maths with time to spare so if thats not happening then I wonder if the test design was too time-pressured in the first instance. Still - I wouldnt be complaining if I got an extra 15 minutes would you?