<div dir="ltr">Yes, even 'Scratch' includes the concept of functions for primary school students early in their learning.<div><br></div><div>SD U3O1 KK04 lists functions - "processing features of a programming language, including instructions, procedures, methods, <b><font color="#ff0000">functions</font></b> and control structures" - but<font color="#000000"> SD exams have never examined functions for year 12 students.</font></div><div><br></div><div>Is VCAA <i>scared</i>?</div><div><br></div><div><Inserts provocative chicken noise. See attachment.></div><div><br></div><div>Note: I learned this persuasive rhetorical technique from my big brother when I was about 6. </div><div>It explains one broken left arm, some scratches and bruises, and quite a few long, loud and furious (yet edifying) lectures from my mother.<br>It <i>should</i> work with Auntie VCAA, I reckon.<br>Let's look at the 2018 SD exam and see if my cunning plan works. hehehehe</div><div><br></div><div><div><div><div class="gmail_extra"><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Dec 13, 2017 at 3:01 PM, Kent Beveridge <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kbeveridge@stbc.vic.edu.au" target="_blank">kbeveridge@stbc.vic.edu.au</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
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<div style="direction:ltr;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:10pt">Hey there Mark...
<div>I gave the 'Swift Playgrounds' Apple language a run this year with the 7/8 crew on their iPADS. It uses functions and looping in its learning phase. Plus...the kids enjoyed it as it had an animated character they were making do the moves(visual aspect!).</div>
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<div>just a thought...</div>
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<div>Kent.<br>
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<div style="font-size:13px;font-family:Tahoma"><strong>Kent Beveridge</strong><br>
Teacher</div>
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<div id="gmail-m_-1087806213153189076divRpF388052" style="direction:ltr"><font face="Tahoma" size="2" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> sofdev [<a href="mailto:sofdev-bounces@edulists.com.au" target="_blank">sofdev-bounces@edulists.com.<wbr>au</a>] on behalf of Mark [<a href="mailto:mark@vceit.com" target="_blank">mark@vceit.com</a>]<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, 13 December 2017 2:12 PM<span class="gmail-"><br>
<b>To:</b> Year 12 Software Development Teachers' Mailing List<br>
</span><span class="gmail-"><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Year 12 SofDev] Slightly off topic question<br>
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<div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Dec 13, 2017 at 11:18 AM, Paragreen, Chris J <span dir="ltr">
<<a href="mailto:paragreen.chris.j@edumail.vic.gov.au" target="_blank">paragreen.chris.j@edumail.<wbr>vic.gov.au</a>></span> wrote:<br>
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<p class="gmail-m_-1087806213153189076gmail-MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125)">I haven’t, but it gives me an idea …. A good way to embed some algorithmic thinking …?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m_-1087806213153189076gmail-MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125)">Chris</span><br>
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<div>I fully endorse the brief exposure of SD students to the concept of assembly code - even machine code, and how CPUs work in binary with registers and stuff.</div>
<div>But... going to that depth to teach <i>algorithms</i> may be less beneficial.</div>
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<div>You <i>may</i> risk losing sight of the overall algorithm in the tortuous and bulky detail of the assembly code...</div>
<div>High level source code hides the gory complexities of CPU operations and lets humans focus on higher, more spiritual and abstract programming matters.</div>
<div>That's one of the reasons the exam only deals in generic, high-level pseudocode.</div>
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<div><font color="#ff0000"><RANT></font></div>
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<div><font color="#ff0000">In fact SD pcode is <i>so</i> high level that I have yet to see any VCAA exam pseudocode that even calls a function using parameters! </font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000">This <i>really</i> need to happen soon. </font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000">The lack of functions in pcode is a serious deficiency in examining students' understanding of basic modular programming. </font></div>
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<div><font color="#ff0000">Would it be so hard for pseudocode like...</font></div>
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</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000" face="monospace, monospace">sampletext <-- "foobar"</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000" face="monospace, monospace">mode <-- "upper"</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000" face="monospace, monospace">newtext <-- CHANGECASE(sampletext, mode)</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000" face="monospace, monospace">DISPLAY newtext</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000"><br>
</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000">and then include a function like</font></div>
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</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000" face="monospace, monospace">FUNCTION CHANGECASE(T,M)</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000" face="monospace, monospace"> IF M == "upper" THEN</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000" face="monospace, monospace"> Convert T to uppercase</font></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(255,0,0);font-family:monospace,monospace"> ELSEIF m == "lower" THEN</span><br>
</div>
<div><font color="#ff0000" face="monospace, monospace"> Convert T to lowercase</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000" face="monospace, monospace"> ELSE</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000" face="monospace, monospace"> DISPLAY "Mode parameter must be UPPER or LOWER"</font></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(255,0,0);font-family:monospace,monospace"> END IF</span><br>
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<div><font color="#ff0000" face="monospace, monospace"> RETURN T </font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000" face="monospace, monospace">END FUNCTION</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000"><br>
</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000">... and then a nice question about calling the function, passing some parameters, and using the function's output?</font></div>
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</font></div>
<div><font color="#ff0000">Think of how deliciously <i>juicy</i> the exam pseudocode could become with the added milky goodness of functions... drool.</font></div>
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<div><font color="#ff0000"></RANT></font><br>
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<div>My point is, it can be all too easy to get lost in the lower-level opcodes and forget the overall shape and intention of the algorithm one was supposed to be working for.<br>
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<div>I don't miss the days when I could calculate in hexadecimal as easily as I could in decimal.</div>
<div>Now I expect software to carry that mundane load for me, like a faithful servant, so I can dwell on more lofty and ethereal matters.</div>
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<div>Like lunch.</div>
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