Power law distribution in education: Effect of economical, teaching, and study conditions in university entrance examination

We studied the statistical distribution of student's performance, which is measured through their marks, in university entrance examination (Vestibular) of UNESP (Universidade Estadual Paulista) with respect to (i) period of study - day versus night period (ii) teaching conditions - private versus public school (iii) economical conditions - high versus low family income. We observed long ubiquitous power law tails in physical and biological sciences in all cases. The mean value increases with better study conditions followed by better teaching and economical conditions. In humanities, the distribution is close to normal distribution with very small tail. This indicates that these power law tails in science subjects axe due to the nature of the subjects themselves. Further and better study, teaching and economical conditions axe more important for physical and biological sciences in comparison to humanities at this level of study. We explain these statistical distributions through Gradually Truncated Power law distributions. We discuss the possible reason for this peculiar behavior.

Power law distribution in education: University entrance examination

We studied the statistical distribution of candidate's performance which is measured through their marks in university entrance examination (Vestibular) of UNESP (Universidade Estadual Paulista) for years 1998, 1999, and 2000. All students are divided in three groups: Physical, Biological and Humanities. We paid special attention to the examination of Portuguese language which is common for all and examinations for the particular area. We observed long ubiquitous power law tails in Physical and Biological sciences. This indicate the presence of strong positive feedback in sciences. We are able to explain completely these statistical distributions through Gradually Truncated Power law distributions which we developed recently to explain statistical behavior of financial market. The statistical distribution in case of Portuguese language and humanities is close to normal distribution. We discuss the possible reason for this peculiar behavior.

Gender Bias and Caste Exclusion in Engineering Admission: Inferences from the Engineering Entrance Examination in Kerala

The major problem of the engineering entrance examination is the exclusion of certain sections of the society in social, economic, regional and gender dimensions. This has seldom been taken for analysis towards policy correction. To lessen this problem a minor policy shift was prepared in the year 2011 with a 50–50 proportion in academic marks and entrance marks. The impact of this change is yet to be scrutinized. The data for the study is obtained from the Nodal Centre of Kerala functioning at Cochin University of Science and Technology under the National Technical Manpower Information System and also estimated from the Centralized Allotment Process. The article focuses on two aspects of exclusion based on engineering entrance examination; gender centred as well as caste-linked. Rank order spectral density and Lorenz ratio are used to cognize the exclusion and inequality in community and gender levels in various performance scales. The article unfolds the fact that social status in society coupled with economic affordability to quality education seems to have significant influence in the performance of students in the Kerala engineering entrance examinations. But it also shows that there is wide gender disparity with respect to performance in the high ranking levels irrespective of social groups

Entrance examination [sample] /

Contains a complete set of sample examination questions in high school subjects, in use in 1922.

Entrance Examination Certificate Collegiate Institutes and High Schools of Ontario - Mary Willson

A certificate from the Collegiate Institutes and High Schools of Ontario of the Education Department of Ontario stating: "It is hereby certified that Mary Willson has passed the entrance examination required by the Education Department for admission to a Collegiate Institute or High School. Dated at Welland August 1st, 1908. Signed John W. Marshall, B.A. Inspector of Public Schools.

St. Catharines Collegiate Institute Entrance Examination Letter

A letter from the principal of St. Catharines Collegiate Institute, A. E. Coombs, notifying the mother of Helen Smith of her examination results. Helen received honours for her entrance examination mark and the letter reads as follows: "Dear Helen, I am glad to be able to inform you that Helen Smith of 39 Church St. obtained Honours at the entrance examination with a total of 517 marks out of 650. The less fortunate H. Smith was Howard Smith of 122 Queenston St, whose name appears in the pass list. Yours truly A.E. Coombs"

The Use of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages to Evaluate Compositions in the English Exam Section of the University Admission Examination. 'El uso del Marco Com??n Europeo de Referencia para las Lenguas para evaluar las redacciones en la secci??n de ingl??s de la Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad'

Monogr??fico con el t??tulo: 'Nuevas perspectivas en la secci??n de idiomas de la Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad'. Resumen basado en el de la publicaci??n

Implementing the Oral English Task in the Spanish University Admission Examination : an International Perspective of the Language. 'La implementación de la prueba de inglés oral en la Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad : una perspectiva internacional de la lengua'.

Monográfico con el título: 'Nuevas perspectivas en la sección de idiomas de la Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad'. Resumen basado en el de la publicación

Starting point towards bilingualism in higher education : results in english at the university entrance test from a gender perspective. 'Punto de partida hacia el bilingüismo en Educación Superior : resultados de inglés en la prueba de acceso a la universidad desde una perpectiva de género'.

Resumen basado en el de la publicación

DVD-based distance-learning program for university entrance exams -- RCT experiments in rural Bangladesh

In contrast to the remarkable progress in developing countries in improving primary education, access to higher education in many countries remains limited, especially in rural areas where the quality of education is inadequate. We evaluate a DVD-based distance-learning program in rural Bangladesh, targeted at students aiming to take university entrance tests. We conducted two experiments: one to evaluate the effect of the distance-learning program and the second to determine the demand and price sensitivity. Our first experiment shows that the DVD-based distance-learning program has a considerable positive effect on the number of students passing entrance exams. This effect does not depend on cognitive scores, but does depend on non-cognitive attributes, indicating the importance of commitment, which is imposed through our program. In the second experiment, we offered a random subsidy to interested participants. The uptake decision is price-sensitive, although the price sensitivity is not correlated with students' past academic performance or their socio-economic status, suggesting that increasing the price should not disproportionately exclude poor students.

The problem posed by exam choice on the comparability of results in the Finnish matriculation examination

The article focuses on the upper secondary matriculation examination in Finland as a school leaving and university entrance examination. The presented research addresses the question of whether increased choice of the subject-specific examinations has the potential to undermine the comparability of examination results and to direct students’ choices not only in the examination but already beforehand at school. The authors refer to Finland’s tradition of more than 160 years of a national examination connecting the academic track of upper secondary schools with universities. The authors explain the Finnish system by describing the adoption of a course-based (vs. class- or year-based) curriculum for the three-year upper secondary education and the subsequent reforms in the matriculation examination. This increases students’ choices considerably with regard to the subject-specific exams included in the examination (a minimum of four). As a result, high-achieving students compete against each other in the more demanding subjects while the less able share the same normal distribution of grades in the less demanding subjects. As a consequence, students tend to strategic exam-planning, which in turn affects their study choices at school, often to the detriment of the more demanding subjects and, subsequently, of students’ career opportunities, endangering the traditional national objective of an all-round pre-academic upper secondary education. This contribution provides an overview of Finnish upper secondary education and of the matriculation examination (cf. Klein, 2013) while studying three separate but related issues by using data from several years of Finnish matriculation results: the relation of the matriculation examination and the curriculum; the problems of comparability vis-à-vis university entry due to the increased choice within the examination; the relations between students’ examination choices and their course selection and achievement during upper secondary school. (DIPF/Orig.)

Inclusão de estudantes com deficiência nas instituíções de ensino superior da cidade do Natal/RN:análise das condições oferecidas no processo seletivo vestibular

The number of disabled students, who have entered the university, in Brazil, since the beginning of this century, is undergoing a speed growth. It is a change that follows a global trend that spreads an inclusive education policy and that has had a profound impact on Brazil, with import results in field researches. This subject has been highlighted due to the significant amount of disabled students enrolled in college institutions (IES), although it is still modest the number of studies about it, especially in what matters the assistance given to the candidates to a university entrance examination. The aim of this paper is to investigate how effectively Natal s IES apply the rules established in Brazilian law concerning disabled students, especially MEC/GM Circular Warning n. 277/96, in what respects the conditions given to disabled students preparing to enter a college. The investigation followed a qualitative methodological approach with support on an exploratory study. The data recollection employed questionnaire, semi-structured interview and documental analyses, and the data have been organized and assessed following Minayo s (1996) stages. What concerns the results, it was observed that none of the ten colleges inquired confirmed to possess places exclusively to disabled candidates; six of them, however, offer Special Examining Board in the selection process of disabled candidates. Among eighteen college bills, only two of them offered specific information related to services and resources offered by IES to the candidates who ask for especial assistance concerning examination. During the interviews, four managers avowed the preoccupation in offering an equal selection process, but two of them proved not dominate the subject. In conclusion, the investigated institutions managers do not still seem to respect the rule that guarantees to disabled candidates equal conditions during all the process of the university entrance examination. With this work, we hope do help changing this focus and contribute to new studies on disabled persons studying for a degree

Distribuição de lei de potência gradualmente truncada aplicada na educação: vestibular da Academia da Força Aérea

Pós-graduação em Física - IGCE

A distribuição de lei de potência gradualmente truncada na educação: exame de vestibular da UNESP

Pós-graduação em Física - IGCE

A avaliação da compreensão leitora em espanhol língua estrangeira: análise de provas de vestibular

Analisa quantitativa e qualitativamente a avaliação da compreensão leitora do Espanhol Língua Estrangeira em provas de vestibular da região norte do Brasil, para assim evidenciar os tipos de operações e, dessa maneira, os tipos de modelos de leitura privilegiados nos testes analisados; estabelecer uma relação entre as provas coletadas e as concepções didáticas subjacentes; identificar problemas nos itens das provas com base em uma série de parâmetros de qualidade; analisar a validade dos testes selecionados; e detectar possíveis diferenças entre as provas elaboradas por Instituições de Ensino Superior públicas e privadas. Essa análise evidencia, por um lado, a tendência a se priorizarem, nessas provas, modelos ascendentes de leitura, com valorização das operações cognitivas de baixo nível e de aspectos léxico-gramaticais da língua, como conseqüência de uma concepção didática de leitura baseada em um enfoque estruturalista. Por outro lado, o estudo empreendido mostra a existência de sérias deficiências nos itens das provas de vestibular, afetando assim sua validade.