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I mix it up but mostly fit the theory in with the practice eg my recent
classes<br>
Databases - purposes, structure, design tools<br>
- given a design, create a flat file database (this is intro task. Will
move on to relational next week)<br>
- discuss fields: field names (conventions), field sizes (limit
storage space), data types (standard & MS Access)<br>
- create a report: sorted by, selected fields<br>
- report conventions re format and layout<br>
........<br>
This approach suits my students who panic if given lots of notes in one
go.<br>
Cheers,<br>
Charmaine Taylor<br>
Sunbury Downs College<br>
<br>
Keith Richardson wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid1171280611.16505.1174147691@webmail.messagingengine.com">
<pre wrap="">The approach I use (in covering the plethora of stuff to be memorized)
is I DO NOT TEACH IT.
How do I justify that? There is simply too much and lecturing almost all
of the time switches the kids off (IMHO).
Solution - my kids have to make summaries of the chapters (one per
fortnight) plus some scenarios and sample questions. Reward - they are
allowed to take their own summaries into each sac.
So what do I do with class time? Plenty of practical - let them keep
their hands on computers much of the time. Plenty of short sharp
discussions to whet the appetite/enthusiasm, answer some questions they
might have about what they are reading for homework (emphasizing that
the teacher is only one of many resources available to aid learning).
I have a number of videos such as the study of the info system used in
Big W - this provides a wonderful opportunity for them to identify some
of the stuff they are learning as they summarize.
I am not saying mine is the best approach, just that it seems to work OK
for me.
Cheers, Keith
On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 14:35:35 +1100, "Mark Kelly"
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:kel@mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au"><kel@mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au></a> said:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">
Russell Edwards wrote:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Hello list,
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">Hello Russell.
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">I just finished my last set of powerpoint slides for Ch 3 of Potts.
I have a few questions; please excuse the naive ones as I am new to
teaching.
Firstly, I did not expect to be giving lecture-style presentations to
secondary students, but in ITA there seems to be so much guff they're
expected to memorise with no real practical activity possible to cement
it, that lecturing and encouraging revision seems the only way to go. I
have been doing 20 mins of theory at the start of each double and then
have them go on with practical work (at present, Dreamweaver). Do others
follow a similar format for ITA? (The 20 mins looks to be too little
actually)
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">That's why my site is called "IT Lecture Notes" - exploratory learning
can be great but it chews up classtime. The 'Lecture Tolerance Limit'
of your kids can vary from year to year, but I mix lectures with
practice whenever I can.
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Secondly, a few things in the book seem outdated. I'm no network
engineer, but it's my understanding that hubs and token ring networks
are a thing of the ancient past. Yet, both receive a fair bit of
coverage in the Potts book, especially hubs. Likewise, you'd be pretty
hard pressed to find anyone still using 10BASE2 these days.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">It's funny how conservative IT folk can be. Yes - hubs and coaxial are
history; so, effectively, are bridges and repeaters. Token Ring is a
rare oddity.
To save time, I just teach CAT6, switches and Ethernet and basically
ignore coax, hubs and Token Ring. Be wary with ITA - the depth of
networking knowledge is way less than it was in IPM: no topologies or
protocols are needed now. The most technical stuff remaining is cables
and wireless.
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Thirdly and related, how can I tell *specifically* what things students
will need to know for the exam? (Will hubs and token ring nets be in
it?) The study design mentions switches and not hubs in the glossary
under network architecture, and bus, star and hybrid, not ring, under
network topologies. Does that mean they're guaranteed not to be on the
exam? It seems fairly tricky for teachers and students with a brand new
study design and no past exams to go by.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">If a key knowledge dotpoint or the glossary says "including X,Y and Z"
it means that X,Y and Z are examinable.
If it says "for example", it is just an example to clarify what is
intended by a point.
No topologies are listed in U3O2 key knowledge so could not be justified
as examinable. Topologies and protocols belong in Software Development
now.
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Fourthly, the approach taken to network communications standards and
transmission media both in Potts and in the study design seems a bit of
a dog's breakfast, i.e. there is no concept of layers. Readers won't
know that IP runs on top of a data link layer protocol like the data
layers of ethernet or 802.11, that TCP runs on top of IP and so does
UDP, etc etc. I can't see how they're supposed to know what the random
bits and pieces they are exposed to are for and how they fit together if
they're not given the big picture.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">Fear not. Such complexities are irrelevant for ITA.
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Is that a fair comment? So, in my slides I am presenting the TCP/IP
five-layer network model: physical, data, network, transport,
application. I will then go on and cover all the bits mentioned in the
book plus a few more examples for clarity, but all in the context of the
layers. Students will be told that they only need to know what's in the
book but that the five-layer model is a good way to learn it.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">None of that is needed for IPM. Just stick to the study design. Don't
overcomplicate things: IPM students are FAR from technical geniuses :-)
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Thanks in advance for any input I can get
Russell Edwards
Whittlesea Secondary College
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">--
Mark Kelly
Manager - Information Systems
McKinnon Secondary College
McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085
School Phone +613 8520 9000
School Fax +613 95789253
Webmaster - <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au">http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au</a>
IT Lecture notes: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://vceit.com">http://vceit.com</a>
Moderator: IPM Mailing List
There are 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary
and those who don't.
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</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap=""><!---->Keith Richardson
ITA List Moderator
Head of ICT, Leibler Yavneh College
Elsternwick
Ph: 03.9528.4911
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:k.richardson@yavneh.vic.edu.au">k.richardson@yavneh.vic.edu.au</a>
_______________________________________________
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IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au">http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au</a> - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
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</pre>
</blockquote>
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