Save the PIP from the Board of Studies! (1 Viewer)

[teach77]

Hi all,
While I know that most of you are probably not loving the PIP right about now, the Board of Studies has issued some worrying news that concerns you. They are proposing that the PIP be deleted from the Society and Culture course and students complete an extra depth study and do a 3 hour exam instead, to be effective from HSC 2010. The Society and Culture Association (the nice people who put on your HSC and PIP study days) are trying everything they can to make sure this doesn't happen - even though it's hard work, the PIP is such a rewarding experience and it would be terrible if future students didn't get the opportunity to do it. We need your help for this - if you go to our website (http://www.scansw.com.au/campaign.html) you can find out our position. We'd love for you all to write letters to the Board of Studies and the Minister for Education telling them how the PIP has helped you grow as a person and develop skills for life. And pass this information on to your siblings that have done PIPs, your teachers, your friends, etc.
Thanks, and good luck!

 

[rababtt]

your right, now is not really the time where im lving the PIP. .. But i would sign a pettition...


to know future SAC students will siffer what i suffered

 

[sonyaleeisapixi]

The PIP is a physical cumulation of the Society and Culture course. To remove it waters the course down and allows in a canditure that would have otherwise left SAC because of the PIP, ie, the lazy and unattached ones.

In other words
Its a crap idea

 

[i-love-maynard]

the PIP, whilst a fucking bastard, is an enriching and awarding experience.

also good excuse to get people to empathise with you and leave you alone.

 

[ZaraKu]

the PIP, whilst a fucking bastard, is an enriching and awarding experience.

also good excuse to get people to empathise with you and leave you alone.

I agree on all accounts, it does piss you off and you do get majorly stressed about it being perfect and all, but hey, I guess once it's handed in, you get that super good relieved feeling of satisfaction.
I guess others should suffer, it does make you a better person in the long run.

 

[twinkles.]

Society and culture as a subject would be completely useless without the PIP
A huge and repetitive section of the course is about social and cultural research and methodologies, so if the PIP was abolished, that would defeat the purpose of "hands on" experience - I learnt a lot about myself, and every society and culture student should have the opportunity to experience this
I finished my PIP last week and even though it was a heart wrenching experience, it was afterall, definitely a worthwhile experience
Though it all comes down to funding, I really disagree with the BOS on this one
Also, the suggestion that "the PIP should be internally marked" is useless

 

[beststreet]

While I agree that there is merit in completing a PIP I am concerned that its integrity is challenged by the less than stringent monitoring required in its completion.
The sheer size of the project means that it cannot be completed at school.
This opens it up for interference or influence from external sources.
While the teacher has to sight a students progress it wouldn't take a genius to manipulate the system and have others contribute towards the PIP's production be it in a minor or major way.
Throw in the editorial influence of the student's teacher which should be minimal and ideally restricted to structural aspects of the project and you have the possibility of a far from level playing field.
Until there is a foolproof way of ensuring that the PIP is in its entirity the product of the student submitting it I believe that it should be dropped in favour of an internally marked version.

 

[57o1i]

I've actually really enjoyed doing my PIP. The course really wouldn't be the same without it.

However, correct me if I'm wrong, but I read the BOS proposals and I didn't see them mention actually deleting the PIP from the course. What I saw was that they want to make it solely an internal assessment thing and not technically an exam question anymore. Which I don't like at all, but at least that's not removing it entirely.

Would definitely sign a petition or write to the BOS about it, though, because the PIP is one of the reasons I've enjoyed Society and Culture as much as I have. Getting to do this kind of work and research while in high school is really rewarding. Especially considering the whole point of the course is social and cultural literacy and without a practical research assessment like the PIP I don't think gaining that would be feasible at all.

 

[Cubsee]

I think Society and Culture is definitely one of the subjects that directly talks about and addresses some of issues that some people may find too touchy to talk about.

My Society and Culture class gives me an enviroment where we're allowed to voice all opinions and views.

I want that for other kids who aren't afraid to stand up and be opinated to touchy subjects.

If we don't get the oppurtunity to experience and do the sort of research we do in the p.i.p, which students are going to want to take the course?

I don't want other kids to miss out on the enviroment that I've experienced.

I'm worried that the chain events are going to be, internally marked - kids don't wanna choose the subject because of the new conditions - subject dies

 

[supercalamari]

If they get rid of the PIP I don't know what I'll do, that was one of the major drawcards for me doing SAC in the first place...

 

[fallenstar]

Just thought I'd let you all know that I visited the Society & Culture site tonight hoping 2008 pip awards had been posted (not yet, damn) and found this:

We have been advised that the Board of Studies has decided to retain external marking of the Personal Interest Project at their December 9 Board meeting. In fact, they were so convinced of the importance of the PIP that it is increasing to 40% of external assessment!

So I guess it all went in our favour! Woo. Lucky you 09ers and future S&C students - your pip is now worth 40% like a major work should be- 30% seemed very little compared to History Extension, Visual Arts and EE2 majors...Best thing is the BOS has recognised the value of the PIP!

 

[cem]

Just thought I'd let you all know that I visited the Society & Culture site tonight hoping 2008 pip awards had been posted (not yet, damn) and found this:



So I guess it all went in our favour! Woo. Lucky you 09ers and future S&C students - your pip is now worth 40% like a major work should be- 30% seemed very little compared to History Extension, Visual Arts and EE2 majors...Best thing is the BOS has recognised the value of the PIP!

History Extension Projects are worth exactly 0% of the external mark as it is internally marked as part of the school's assessment (of which it is 80%).

 

[fallenstar]

History Extension Projects are worth exactly 0% of the external mark as it is internally marked as part of the school's assessment (of which it is 80%).

Yeah, I did History Ext. As it was worth 80% the major work played a huge role in determining internal assessment mark through ranking. Compared to S&C it appeared to be of much greater significance, but I understand that a percentage of external is a different thing altogether.