Same old thing. Exam 1 discussion is here.
Continue reading “Secret 2022 Further Business: Exam 2 Discussion”
Month: October 2022
The Perfectly Proportioned Body
Thanks to Renae, who pointed to its existence on Twitter, and is presumably created by (and at least was dug up by) Math Lady Hazel. Continue reading “The Perfectly Proportioned Body”
WitCH 85: The Continuation of MAV’s Trials
With Methods exams next week, this one’s kinda important.
We try to avoid critiquing, or even being in the same room as, third party VCE practice exams. They are invariably clunky and weird, with plenty to criticise, but they matter infinitely less than the yearly screw-ups of the official exams.
Even MAV trial exams we do our best to ignore. Yes, the MAV is (too) closely aligned with the VCAA (with a number of people in conflicted, dual roles), and so MAV has a significantly greater professional and moral obligation to maintain high standards. But still, third party is third party, and we try our best to just ignore MAV’s nonsense. On occasion, however, MAV’s nonsense matters sufficiently, or is simply sufficiently annoying, to warrant a whack.
Continue reading “WitCH 85: The Continuation of MAV’s Trials”
Secret 2022 Further Business: Exam 1 Discussion
Further Mathematics is not our thing, but it seemed possible that some frequent visitors may want to discuss today’s exam. (We haven’t seen the exam, and don’t plan to seek it out unless something interesting is flagged.)
Have fun.
UDPATE (31/10/22): Exam 2 discussion is here.
Continue reading “Secret 2022 Further Business: Exam 1 Discussion”
Slate Star Codex: The Lottery of Fascinations
We wrote once before about Scott Alexander’s blog Slate Star Codex (now Astral Codex Ten), on a great post he wrote about psychological testing. We’ve now run into another great SSC post, The Lottery of Fascinations, on Alexander’s lack of interest in mathematics. Here is part of the introduction:
Suppose I were to come out tomorrow as gay. Continue reading “Slate Star Codex: The Lottery of Fascinations”
Daisy’s Reply
This is a self indulgent one. But it’s a blog, so deal with it.
Many readers will be familiar with the famous verse from Daisy Bell, if only from HAL singing it in 2001: Continue reading “Daisy’s Reply”
Ben Jensen Damns ACARA with Faint Damning
Ben Jensen is a think tank guy. Ben is CEO or King or whatever of something called Learning First. We’re not a fan of think tanks, but Ben appears to be pretty smart. Ben writes clearly and for a purpose, and demonstrably Ben is playing for The Good Team. He can play better.
Continue reading “Ben Jensen Damns ACARA with Faint Damning”
RatS 25: Taibbi – On the Loony Van Gogh Protests
We try to avoid recommending paywalled stuff, but the Van Gogh nonsense, and the response, is just so depressing, and Taibbi’s critique is so good, we decided to make an exception. Of course, regular readers will be used to our badgering them to read Taibbi, and the subscription is worth it. But readers can also avoid paying by “trying 7 days for free”, and then cancelling immediately (so you don’t then forget and get billed).
A couple paragraphs are below. Read all of Taibbi’s post, and then scream.
Continue reading “RatS 25: Taibbi – On the Loony Van Gogh Protests”
Notch 7: Ed Barbeau on Gifted Education
A very pleasing irony of writing this thoughtless and classless, “We’re all doomed” blog is that it has resulted in my being introduced to thoughtful and classy heroes like Tony Gardiner, mathematical stars who have been working tirelessly for decades that we not be doomed. The most recent introduction is to Edward Barbeau, a star of Canadian mathematics education. Tony Guttmann, AKA Mr. Very Big, alerted me to a long comment Ed contributed to a maths-ed discussion, on gifted education. Ed has kindly permitted me to reproduce his great comment here. Continue reading “Notch 7: Ed Barbeau on Gifted Education”
The Awfullest Australian Curriculum Measurement Lines
Continuing with our Best Worst Of series, and following on from Number and Algebra, here are the awfullest Measurement lines, chosen from the many, many awful lines on offer.
Continue reading “The Awfullest Australian Curriculum Measurement Lines”