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New Zealand To Allow 'Text-Speak' On Exams

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the beginning-of-the-end dept.

ScentCone writes "New Zealand's Qualification Authority (which sets testing standards for the public schools) is confident that those grading papers will understand the meaning of students' responses, even if they use phone/IM-style text-speak. From the article: 'credit will be given if the answer "clearly shows the required understanding," even if it contains text-speak.' Many teachers are not amused, and critics say that the move will devalue NZ's equivalent of a high school diploma." Not to mention that graders will need to be restrained so they don't gouge their own eyes out. While in the medium of text messages, some shorthand might be in order, but I didn't realize that world paper, pencil, and ink shortages were so severe so that text-speak is necessary everywhere.

2 of 421 comments (clear)

  1. Obligatory Futurama Reference by ari_j · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Fry: I tell you, bein' here really brings me back to my college days. (Flashback to Coney Island Community College.) Good old Coney Island College. Go Whitefish!
    Leela: Don't take this the wrong way, Fry, but you don't seem like the educated type.
    Fry: Oh yeah? (Produces Notice of Failure to Graduated from CICC.) Read it and weep. I'm a certified college drop-out.
    Leela: Please. Everyone knows twentieth century colleges were basically expensive day care centers.
    Professor: That's true. By current academic standards, you're merely a high school dropout.
    Fry: What? That's not fair. I deserve the same respect any other college dropout gets. By God, I'm going to enroll here at Mars University and drop out all over again!

  2. Re:yeah, imagine that ! by TomHandy · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Right, that's actually sort of what I was thinking of really. I fully understand and accept that the English language has changed dramatically over the centuries, especially compared to Old English, and that it's a common thing for the language to continue to change and evolve based on how people actually use it.

    I'm mainly just thinking that it would be kind of a shame if the language (at least the spelling, and some of the grammar), does turn into textspeak as a standard characteristic of the language.

    Then again, who knows, maybe it is more efficient?