It is units 2 and 3 which are becoming combined within one pre-seen case study which is issued approx 6 weeks before the exam. They are pre-seen because there isn't sufficient time to read through the material within the exam. BUT each unit's questions are split into sections and therefore the marks are also split, so if a student performs badly on Unit 2 but well on Unit 3, they can retake Unit 2 still using the (new) pre-seen case study for the following exam period. I hope that's clear???. Therefore if both units 2 and 3 are being taken at the same time, it's a 2 hour exam. This only comes into action in June 2003.

Personally I don't like the thought of seperate units being on the same paper in sections as we all know that student's common sense brain isn't always turned on during an exam and there would be the likelihood of them taking the wrong section!!!!!

However the Unit 1 also changes in June to a 1 hour data response paper - but the stimulus material is cut down to be able to complete it in the hour (as per the old legacy papers).

The result of this allows centres who are entering students in one 'hit' to complete them all within 3 hours.

Remember that January is the last opportunity to resit the exams in their current format of 1hr 15mins for Units 1 & 2 and 1hr30mins for Unit 3. However there is going to be the most horrendous logistical problem with this in that who is going to mark the huge increase in numbers of candidates entering in Jan to take advantage of the relatively older established paper?

AQA can barely cope with the increase in numbers entering this summer, let alone a possible substantial increase in January........


Clare Forgie


-----Original Message-----
From: David Lewis [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 29 June 2002 10:35
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Proposed changes to AS Business papers 1&2 ( AQA)


That's interesting.  I had previously read that AQA proposed to examine
units 2 & 3 with one case study, although not one that was pre-issued.

We had previously been with OCR, who used pre-issued case studies for all of
their exams on the old syllabus.  The only real change in the SOW will be
the last few weeks before the exam, where we focused on applying the OCR
syllabus to the case study, whereas with AQA we extensively practise old
papers.

That being said, we currently enter our students for Unit 1 in January,
which would not be possible if you are correct about the joint assessment of
Units 1 & 2.  That would be a great pity.


Cheers

David






----- Original Message -----
From: David Clutterbuck
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 10:27 PM
Subject: Proposed changes to AS Business papers 1&2 ( AQA)


Dear All

A colleague of mine recently attended a meeting run by Ian Marcouse's A-Z
training company on the Exam Boards proposed response to the need to cut the
AS exams to 3 hours.

It appears that units 1and 2 on the AS Business will be covered by one
pre-seen 'very long case study'. The length of the case study is a
deliberate attempt to try and discourage 'question spotting'.

 For now we are working on the assumption that the proposals will go ahead.
I am currently re-writing the AS business SOW and this is the first time
that  our centre has dealt with a pre seen case study. Before deciding on
when to release the paper to the students within the SOW (earliest 6 weeks
before the exam)  I would appreciate receiving other peoples comments and
especially experiences of delivering a Business SOW incorporating a pre seen
case study.


From what we understand so far there is no cut in the delivery content on
the syllabus sanctioned from QCA and so the Board has decided the pre -seen
case study is the 'best' way to accommodate a reduced exam time without a
reduction in the syllabus content.




Regards


Mandy Clutterbuck