Hunter students experiment with first online HSC exam,…

Hunter students experiment with first online HSC exam, Science Extension

Stars: Angus McFayden and Abbey Kowalke's reports addressed links between Alzheimer's and diabetes, and Planet X. Picture: Jonathan Carroll

ANGUS McFayden and Abbey Kowalke ticked off a pair of firsts when they sat the Science Extension Higher School Certificate exam.

The Hunter School of the Performing Arts students were in the first cohort of 702 to sit the new subject - and the first to complete a HSC paper online.

"It definitely feels really cool," Abbey said.

"Not many people have the opportunity to do a course when it's first run, when there aren't many resources.

"It was really beneficial learning skills we're going to have to apply at university."

Students enrolled in the one unit subject had to also study either Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Earth and Environmental Science or Investigating Science.

The exam asked them in places to make reference to a 3000-word research report they wrote during the year that was marked internally.

"I was pretty happy with it," Angus said.

"It was a very difficult course with university level concepts but I liked how there were a lot of open-ended questions and you could apply knowledge from different science courses."

Abbey agreed.

"It was on par with the difficulty I expected. I felt well prepared and the wording was good - I could understand what they wanted from us."

The pair used their own Mac laptops and had access to school-provided backup computers and equipment, as well as USBs holding the test just in case the Internet dropped out.

Abbey said she enjoyed being able to highlight parts of questions during reading time; editing answers instead of crossing out handwriting; seeing complete answers that would have extended over several paper pages; using sticky notes to jot down dot points; and word counts that indicated the expected length of answers.

Angus said he was "gobsmacked" at the absence of spellcheck.

The students said equal access to technology was one issue for the NSW Education Standards Authority to reconsider for future years.

They said others include the requirements to work with mentors for the research report - and document these interactions.

In the Hunter, just HSPA and Newcastle Grammar School taught the subject this year. HSPA said its original class of 12 shrunk as students who may have been juggling other extension courses or had 13 units decided against the demanding subject.

"It's definitely not half the work of a two unit course," Angus said.

Abbey said she understood the largest class in NSW had just five.

She said the cohort connected on Facebook to share trial papers and notes.

Related: Read more education news here.

"We were in the deep end and took a big risk, but it paid off," Angus said. "If you have a passion for science, go for it."

Angus wants to be a doctor, while Abbey is considering musical theatre or engineering.

At Newcastle Grammar, two students from its original cohort of five sat the exam.

Science teacher Lynne Walker said students had to be "genuinely invested and self-driven".

"Science Extension is a challenging, exciting and stimulating course that requires a passion for science, a desire to explore," she said.

Director of Studies Philip Fielden said a lot of preparation was requires for the first online exam "but it worked and students were happy". "We are really proud of the students hard work and dedication," Mr Fielden said.

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