How is the HSC timetable determined? (1 Viewer)

[alexandra10123]

Hey guys!
I know it's a little late but I was just wondering...
How does the BOS determine what the timetable looks like?
Is it determined randomly or by the number of students in each subject?
Or maybe it's determined by scaling....
does anyone know?

 

[soloooooo]

I imagine it is determined via a searching computer algorithm which aims to minimise the number of clashes students have. I.e. you do not want to schedule Physics and Chemistry exams to be held at the same times etc. Something like Art and Indonesian Continuers might see 2 people clash which arrangements can then be made for etc.

 

[LoveHateSchool]

I imagine there is a sacrifice of a goat, and the BOS head people gather around with chardonnay and cackle.

But to be serious, I assume it's a pure algorithm to have the least amount of clashes i.e 1 student in the state may do both Tourism and Chemistry. Whereas like 4000 students might do both Bio and Chem.

 

[BOSBOY]

Limiting clashes is important, also large exams like English and Maths take longer to mark so they are held earlier. Other considerations include making the best use of the marking centres, so later exams can be marked when earlier exams are finished marking. Extension exams are generally held after the 2 unit exam. It may not appear obvious, but I think the b.o.s. tries to limit the number of students who have two exams on one day.

 

[enoilgam]

I imagine it is determined via a searching computer algorithm which aims to minimise the number of clashes students have. I.e. you do not want to schedule Physics and Chemistry exams to be held at the same times etc. Something like Art and Indonesian Continuers might see 2 people clash which arrangements can then be made for etc.

But to be serious, I assume it's a pure algorithm to have the least amount of clashes i.e 1 student in the state may do both Tourism and Chemistry. Whereas like 4000 students might do both Bio and Chem.

These two pretty much - they probably have a computer program which automatically selects the timetable with the least amount of clashes possible.

 

[geraldobananas]

What happens if they do clash

 

[brent012]

They'd just use a scheduling algorithm, would be pretty insane. They usually just bruteforce (with some optimisation) a timetable - my SDD teacher/year advisor showed me the program the school uses to make the school timetable. I wonder how much of a difference it'd make if everyone who dropped a subject did it at the very start of year 12 instead of around/after half yearlies and trials?

 

[cem]

What happens if they do clash

The student sits one in the morning and one in the afternoon and is theoretically fully supervised in between so they can't discuss either the paper they have just done with others who are about to do it or discuss the paper they are about to do with those who have done it.

I say theoretically because the only time I have come across it at my school the student went out to lunch with his father, who happened to be the teacher of the subject still to come (knowing said teacher I have no doubts that he didn't then tell the rest of the cohort what was in the exam - thus disadvantaging his own son) but it wasn't the correct procedure at the time (about 15 years ago) or now.

 

[BOSBOY]

If a student sits an exam at a different time to everyone else, they are also required to sign a statutory declaration that they have not discussed, or will not discuss, the contents of the exam with any other person.

 

[rainbowunicorn]

The student sits one in the morning and one in the afternoon and is theoretically fully supervised in between so they can't discuss either the paper they have just done with others who are about to do it or discuss the paper they are about to do with those who have done it.

I say theoretically because the only time I have come across it at my school the student went out to lunch with his father, who happened to be the teacher of the subject still to come (knowing said teacher I have no doubts that he didn't then tell the rest of the cohort what was in the exam - thus disadvantaging his own son) but it wasn't the correct procedure at the time (about 15 years ago) or now.

I heard the student is under complete supervision. They have to eat their lunch in a room with the supervisor watching them the whole time.

 

[ahdil33]

Pretty much they put their heads together and try and screw over as many students as they can.

But seriously it's probably just an algorithm to have the least amount of clashes. Which is surprising this year since Legal and Phys are on the same day (their reasonably common, are they not?)

 

[petermeetswendy]

I know that this year a guy in my grade as Engineering Studies at the same time as French Continuers so he has to do French in the morning and Engineering in the arvo and has to be fully supervised, or vise versa.
But I think they sort out the time table for the HSC through a computer program.