The Side effects of SAM (1 Viewer)

[Stryfe]

Be careful, this mark modelling system can be used for good...or perhaps SAM can produce something to be considered more prudently. The community of HSC students has never been more interactive with the launch of Bored of Studies, where resources are abundant and people can convene. But, this SAM software is skewing the minds of candidates of the HSC. The academics will make a choice mostly based on the previous distribution and scaling of marks. No course is intrinsically harder than another, according to BOS, which is utter lies; though nonetheless criteria. The quality of the candidature is the most significant factor in determining the scaling of marks. Not only have selective schools pushed for subjects like Maths Ex2, but now everyone is making projections for their subject choice based on the absurdity of the past.

Courses are rescaled every year, and now the influence of SAM is going to affect people's choices. What if a group of intelligent Band 6 students steered away from a subject such as History Extn because historically it didn't scale as high as Maths Extn2. Now the system is going to be guaranteed for the same old subjects which anyone aiming for 99+ will undertake.

My main concern is the limitation of the best candidature's subject choice. Anyone care to elaborate?

 

[SoulSearcher]

The only problem with your argument is that SAM is only meant to be used by students who have received their aligned HSC exam results and would want to have an estimate of what their UAI might be, which is given out the day after the results, based on previous years's data, NOT to influence the decisions of students who are deciding subjects in years 10 and 11, who have not sat their HSC exams and furthermore not knowing what marks they would be getting for their HSC exams. SAM is not there to influence a person's choice about the subjects that they are thinking of choosing, that is not SAM's purpose.

 

[Stryfe]

Yes, but don't ignore the fact that SAM can be misused for the purpose I have already stated...a side effect yes?...If you have what seems to be relevant data, it can add to the misinformation. Most people browse through forums without bothering to read the full story. Just as only 10% of people read past the first chapter of a book, a minority will explore a tool like SAM fully. This isn't unintelligent people either, just the nature of the web.

 

[live.fast]

Stryfe is right Soulsearcher, it doesn't matter what SAM was intended for, that it can be used otherwise is where Stryfe's predicament lies.

However, Stryfe, you have to consider that the side effects of SAM will only affect those who use it before they begin Year 12 (i.e. before they choose their subjects for Year 12). Obviously, not every student in NSW uses SAM, and neither does every 'future' band 6 student. SAM is limited to those who discover BoS before Year 12, which means the consequences of it are lessened by the fact it isn't as far reaching within the time-frame required for it to have the impact you're associating it can have on subject choice. Most students discover BoS usually after they begin Year 12.

But you also have to consider the fact that you won't ever actually know how big an 'effect' SAM would have anyway - some people decide to do 4 unit maths instead of 3 unit history because of what they've heard from teachers or friends, rather than because they'd use SAM.

So in the end, just stick with what SAM says - it's usually good information anyway, that its 'side effect' means it minimizes you're chances of choosing a shithouse scaling subject, well then I'd have to say, I wish SAM had more side effects.

 

[mednerd]

SAM gives a good approx it was like .05 wrong for me...but it really depends on how hard ur tests are....a better indicator would be looking at what last year's year 12 got for their uai marks and then comparing ur ranks with theirs et...

 

[Ragerunner]

SAM is used as an indicator for what type of UAI you might of received if you sat the HSC in a particular year and attained those particular parks.

I understand that a lot of misinterpretations can be the result of it because people fail to read the 'full story' and make sudden conclusions about their HSC.

We have already put a disclaimer type message warning students about the use of SAM and hope they are able to a more appropriate conclusion when using the program.

Personally I don't believe SAM has a big enough effect on a student's choice on subjects prior to year 12 to the point that the best students will change their subject choice.

 

[lala2]

Yeah, using raw marks is often very dangerous because either they are way too low or too high in comparison to what you'll get in the end. I cried when I used it first few times, because I was thinking that I was not that bad enough to get a UAI of only 80-ish?! However, it was good for me to try to improve (this was during Terms 4 Year 11 and Term 1 Year 12), using this as motivation. I swore to myself to never use it again until the day HSC marks came out--and when it did, it was quite accurate!

 

[spiros]

my question concerns the validity of SAM. is it accurate?
its telling me a UAI on a low scale. do u think its accurate?

 

[Ragerunner]

As said many times, SAM is accurate for the purpose it's given, that is to show "The UAI a student with those subjects would of attained if he/she sat the HSC in that particular year and received those particular marks"

With that said, it's extremely accurate, usually +/- 2. It should be used with caution especially if a student is aimlessly inputting raw trial marks or overall internal assessment marks which is not what SAM is designed to use.

 

[Asheroth]

If you are going to use SAM before your actual HSC marks come out, it should only be for the purpose of determining what aligned HSC marks you will need to attain a particular UAI. Inputting your trial marks, as Ragerunner has said plenty of times, will give you an inaccurate answer.

 

[TABismyfuture]

Look, ppl study history because they like it and they want to do history in university. otherwise you can read history books at leisure times. But if u want to study history in university, sure u dont need uai 99 to get bachlor of arts or anything cover history. so y bother?

I think SAM is great, i want to do commerce and it tells me which subjects are best for me.

Most ppl are not stupid, they know what they want!