- Between Two Judges
Between Two Judges: Episode 1 - The Seoul Searcher
Welcome to a new series on the RM Compare blog. I’m Mark House. I was a PE teacher for over 25 years, which means I’ve seen every assessment fad, every "innovative" pedagogical shift, and more forgotten gym kits than I care to remember.
I’ve decided to sit down with Declan Lynch - the man who invented Adaptive Comparative Judgement (ACJ) - to see if his high-tech world of algorithms and "professional judgment" can stand up to 25 years of common sense and a loud whistle.
We’re calling it Between Two Judges. It’s inspired by a certain awkward talk show, and frankly, after five minutes in a room with Declan, the "awkward" part comes naturally.
The topic
We head to South Korea. Recently, the Korea Herald reported that the Seoul Education Office is planning a radical departure from tradition: scrapping the Suneung (their high-stakes national exam) by 2040.
While the rest of the world sees this as a landmark move toward student well-being and creative assessment, is this just a personal insult to the concept of winning?
Transcript
[SETTING: A dimly lit room. Two oversized, dying ferns. MARK HOUSE (25 years in the gym) and DECLAN LYNCH (Architect of ACJ) sit too close together.]
MARK: (Clears throat loudly) My guest today is Derek Lynch. He’s the man behind RM Compare. Declan... why does your software sound like a dating app for accountants?
DECLAN: (Pained) It’s Declan. And it’s not an app, it’s a -
MARK: (Interrupting) I’ve got the news here. South Korea. They’re scrapping the Suneung exam by 2040. Eight hours of kids sweating in silence - gone. They want "Absolute Grading."
[MARK leans in so close that his whistle touches Declan’s shoulder.]
MARK: Explain "Absolute Grading" to me, Declan. Is that when a teacher is absolutely fed up?
DECLAN: (Slowly) No. Currently, the Suneung uses Relative Grading, a nine-tier "curve." It’s zero-sum; for you to get a top grade, your friend has to fail. The new plan moves to Absolute Grading, which is criterion-referenced. If you meet the standard, you get the grade. Period.
MARK: (Scoffs) So no winner's podium? In 25 years of PE, I’ve never seen a race where everyone gets to be "First." If I tell 30 kids they all won the 100m sprint, the school management will have my whistle.
DECLAN: It’s about mastery, Mark. The Seoul Superintendent says the current system is a "pressure cooker." They want "future-fit" skills - creativity, critical thinking - things you can't measure with a multiple-choice bubble.
MARK: (Stares blankly for six seconds) "Future-fit." Is that a new brand of tracksuits?
DECLAN: No.
MARK: Because I’ve got a pair of 1994 Londale's that are still "future-fit."
[MARK picks up a glass of water, looks at it, and puts it back down without drinking.]
MARK: So, if Korea is moving to these "complex" tasks, where does your little comparison machine fit in? If there's no ranking, why do we need RM Compare?
DECLAN: That’s the irony, Mark. To make Absolute Grading fair for subjective things like essays or art, you need a reliable way to define that "absolute" standard. RM Compare uses ACJ to build a consensus of quality. We use comparisons to find the standard, so the grading is actually more human.
MARK: (Writing "DUD" on his empty clipboard) Right. So you’re using "Relativity" to find "Absolutes." You’re a regular Einstein, Derek.
DECLAN: It’s Declan.
MARK: (Blowing his whistle at a deafening volume) End of the first half. Go get some orange slices.
[MARK continues to stare into the camera lens as the screen fades to black.]
Key learnings
| Feature | Relative Grading (Old Seoul) | Absolute Grading (New Seoul) |
|---|---|---|
| Logic | Ranking against peers (The "Curve"). | Achievement against a fixed standard. |
| Atmosphere | Hyper-competitive ("Exam Hell"). | Mastery-focused (Academic Curiosity). |
| RM Compare Role | Sorting the "1st XI" from the rest. | Validating quality for complex tasks. |
Post Match reflection
If a kid can't handle a bit of relative pressure at 17, how are they going to handle it when they’re 40 and someone takes their favorite parking spot? Korea is going soft. But Declan says his software makes marking 'fairer.' I'll believe it when it can mark a legal slide-tackle.