Despotic tyranny ruined my life

[davywavy]

I don't know if you caught this one; A-level Modern History students complaining that their final exam was 'too hard' because it contained the question “How far do you agree that Hitler’s role 1933-45 was one of despotic tyranny?”.
Their complaint isn't about it being a badly worded question despite 'despot' and 'tyrant' being somewhat tautologous, but because they actually didn't know what despot or tyrant actually meant. A facebook group to protest about the question ("Despotic tyranny ruined my life") has over 1,600 members which, when you consider that 6,000 people took the exam, suggests that a quarter or more of 18 year old history students - people with a self-declared interest in the subject, who might want to study history at university and then get a job presenting Time Team - have a vocabulary which didn't include what I would consider fairly basic governmental terms for pretty much the entirety of recorded human history.

I can see them now; the massed ranks of students in the exam hall, pens a-quiver and eager of neuron to display their hard-gained knowledge. Then, the words "Turn your papers over now". A rustling fills the room followed by...silence. There, spitefully inserted into an A-Level history question about Hitler, the word 'Despot'. Their formerly gleaming eyes dull into glazed incomprehension. As one, their mouths fall open like so many fish and thin trickles of drool begin to collect in their laps. Once-pristine knuckles sprout thick hair and slip to rest upon the ground.

I'm hardly the sharpest tool in the box (my academic record speaks for itself in its unremitting mediocrity) but if I hadn't known what a Despot was when I was 18, I wouldn't have joined groups to complain about it; I'd've kept it damn quiet. I'd've been embarrassed. Perhaps I'd've thought that this gap in my knowledge was at least in part my own responsibility. I didn't even study History to that level, and I think there was little chance of my being asked about the despotic tyranny of Hydrogen over the periodic table in my Chemistry final.

I know some of you lot out there are teachers - what the devil? Can you shed any light on this for me?

Updated from cavalorn: Nice to see groups appearing expressing a contrary position.

Comments

Anniversaire ruined my life

[twicedead.livejournal.com]

I remember a year seven french test where we had to describe what had happened at our last birthday party. But I couldn't remember the word for birthday (despite the fact it was on the list for the week). That's soooo unfair.

Basically the problem is these people don't game enough. Gaming leads to all sorts of bizarre knowledge (Traveller taught me political systems, what albedo meant. Star Ace taught me percentages) and a broadened vocabulary (how many vampire players knew what obfuscate meant before Masquerade).

Re: Anniversaire ruined my life

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I wasn't going to mention it, but gaming is how come I knew the word despot in the first place - the 1st Edition DMG had a list of governmental types including Oligarchy, Plutocracy, Gerontocracy and, yes, Despotism. Hurrah for the secondary education Gary Gygax gave me through his work.

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

I'm entirely sure that I knew what the word 'despot' was when I was 18. Really.

I am kinda cringing at the number of people on the group, actually. How can a third of the students who took that exam think that 'despotic' means 'chaotic'? The blurb on that page makes me weep too - 'for our marks to hinge on our understanding of one specialist term is, quite frankly, ridiculous'. How is 'despotic' a specialist term?

God, I hope they do all fail!

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't wish failure on them, but I would wish it upon the people who seem to think that the exercise in box-ticking that the students been put though counts as 'education'.

[twicedead.livejournal.com]

You're just trying to keep the competition out of your field. :P

Oh god, what if they do pass and these are the future history teachers?

Re: Anniversaire ruined my life

[(Anonymous)]

Gary Gygax did have a fantastic vocabulary.

"Another nadir of neophyte DM's is the killer dungeon..."

H

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Comprehensive Education and a target driven (rather than education driven) schools system, would be my guess.

Re: Anniversaire ruined my life

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Gosh, yes, I knew what Myrmidons were and an Acolyte was by the time I was nine, thanks to the PHB.

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

I am honestly surprised they didn't just know that word. I don't remember being taught it.

I wonder if it's an English failing. Students should be reading more perhaps? And maybe more classics and fewer gritty modern reads? Gah! I sound terribly old, don't I?

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it's a breadth of experience thing; I picked up a lot from general reading, which perhaps this bunch of kids haven't because as that additional knowledge isn't tested it isn't considered important enough to retain?

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

I do wonder if the relentless stream of tests that kids are put through isn't helpful. I remember English, in particular, being fun, right up to GCSEs. We had to read books, write stories, and weren't tested much. I can imagine that always cramming for the next standardized tests isn't helping anyone.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

The more time passes, the more proud I am that I can say I never once voted for the steaming pile of imbeciles who pass as our government.

One thing about education which strikes me is that the Swedish and Danish education systems consistently top the standards across Europe, so I'm at least vaguely optimistic (If not outright hopeful) about the scandinavian-style reforms suggested for after the next election.
Neither Sweden nor Denmark, apparently, formally test their students before the age of 16, so less jumping through hoops all round.

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

??? I'm sorry but I can't think of a single A-Level history student that I've ever meet who hasn't known the words "despot" and "tyrant" & that hasn't used them at every opportunity possible to describe anything that happens to give them minor upset (and I say this as an ex A-Level history student). This group has to be a piss take


please god let it be a piss take!

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I seriously considered that possibility, which is why I didn't mention this a week ago as I waited a bit for the trick & reveal and general laughter at the gullible who fell for it. However, the ongoing bitterness and complaints on the FB group appear to be genuine. Take a look at it.

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

got a link?

:p

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

http://tinyurl.com/ms3vba

Re: :p

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

nice double blind there, although as we're dealing with a parody I'd rather get the sauce than muck around with any possible pisstakes which is why i asked.

Re: :p

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Indeed, but I've been wanting to use that link for ages and I figured you're one of the few people I could do that to without them going off in a huff.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I think what's becoming clear here is that 1st edition D&D should be a compulsory part of the national curriculum.

Re: :p

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

Okay, my analysis of it is that it may have started as a real group but has now been joined by a ton of trolls, tourists, and lulzers. There appears to be a core group of 40 or so active members, which if you apply the '1 in 10' rule of talking on a topic you care about then that gives you about 500 people who are likely to actually be affected.

If 6000 people took the exam (your figures) then that gives you about 8% of the total exam group who are either too thick to know what it meant,willing to use any excuse to try and get a pass grade, or are easily manipulated by their chums. It's also gives you 1000 members who can be explained as either unaffected friends who want to show support or people who heard about it and want to join in / cause trouble. As this group has got media attention then 1k tourists isn't too hard to imagine, especially when its a 'look at the stupid students!' story that people can end up feeling smug about (fuck, it made me feel like a fucking genius)

Re: :p

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

oh don't get me wrong, I'm still gonna beat you worse than a jewish gay catholic civil-rights protester in a 60's Alabama jail for it

[thegreenman.livejournal.com]

Of course if the paper had been set in textspeak...no problem!

Nothing surprises me any more about education. NuLab seem to have completely fucked the educational system.

Re: :p

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I think that counts as a 'huff'.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

It has to be said that the less well-educated people are, the more likely they are to be Labour voters. It's in their interest.

Re: :p

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

to make up for it have a Hoff