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<p class=MsoNormal>Hi everyone,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>OK. I have been reading a lot of the posts about U4O1 –
and have written my own which I will post to the lists very shortly.
There has been a lot of talk about the SAC and what needs to be included –
but I have some issues / questions for the community. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>The follow is my opinion only!!!! (disclaimer!)<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Now my understanding of Key Knowledge vs Key Skills is this:
the key knowledge describes the content of the Area of Study and is full
examinable (as is everything in the study design proper). The Key Skills
describe what needs to be addressed via the assessment of the area of study (the
SAC). Not all points within the Key Knowledge need to be assessed via the
SAC.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>1.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span><![endif]> A lot of people are writing SACs in which the
student needs to work from / interpret an SRS. This is not a requirement
of the SAC. The Key Skill states: ‘interpret solution requirements
in order to ....’. Now the ‘solution requirements’
could be framed in an SRS (and for consistency I have done it this way), but it
doesn’t need to be. The Key Skill in U3O2 stated: ‘interpret
software requirements specifications by ...’. The Key Skills are
different.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>2.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span><![endif]>There has been a lot of discussion about needing to
include either 2D arrays, stacks, queues, sorting and searching (or
combinations). There is nothing in the Key Skills that states this. I
have chosen to write a task that lends itself to a queue – and have
included requirements that are need sorting / searching routines – but this
is not necessary. I feel that it is in students best interest to include
some of these things so that U4O1 is set apart from U3O2 and there is a
progression in skills. Also as these things are going to appear on the
exam it is in the best interest of students. However, a task need not
have these things – the Key Skills says ‘write solutions and
internal documentation’ and ‘interpret solution requirements in
order to design and develop solutions’ (only). Yes – the Key
Knowledge states ‘forms and uses of data structures to organise and
manipulate data, including two-dimensional arrays, stacks and queues’ and
it would be hard to write a solution without using a data structure at all –
but all the task asks is that students ‘write solutions’.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>3.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span><![endif]>User interface and validation. I am putting a
fair emphasis on the design of the user interface and the validation as I feel
that there needs to be as this is ‘a solution’. The Key
Skills do not mention user interface or validation at all (they are mentioned
in detail in the Key Knowledge). We want students to produce a complete
solution – therefore there needs to be an emphasis on these things.
They will also have a significant effect on the testing table.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Again – all my opinion – and not intended to
cause confusion – just to promote an understanding of the task amongst
all of us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>(so flame away!!!)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Cheers,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Adrian<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:#002060'>Adrian Janson </span></b><b><span style='font-size:7.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#002060'>B.Sc, Dip.Ed, M.Ed<br>
</span></b><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:#002060'>Director of ICT<br>
</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:#244061'>Melbourne High School, Forrest Hill, South Yarra, Victoria 3141
Australia.<br>
Phone: 03 9826 0711 International: +61 3 9826 0711<br>
Fax: 03 9826 8767 International: +61 3 9826 8767<br>
E-mail: <a href="janson.adrian.a@edumail.vic.gov.au"><span style='color:blue'>janson.adrian.a@edumail.vic.gov.au</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:#244061'>Website: <a href="http://www.mhs.vic.edu.au/"><span
style='color:blue'>http://www.mhs.vic.edu.au</span></a></span><span
style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:#244061'>Blog: <a href="http://jansona.edublogs.org/" target="_blank"><span
style='color:blue'>http://jansona.edublogs.org</span></a></span><span
style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
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