<HTML dir=ltr><HEAD><TITLE>RE: [vet-mm] Exam prep for scripting component</TITLE>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>there is one question (2007, short answer, q4) that could refer to flowcharts. It asks for two ways of writing an algorithm - I guess the answer is pseudocode and either flowchart or Nassi - Schniedermann - but that's the only reference to flowcharts in 2004 through to 2008 exams. As far as I know flowcharts are an old-hat way of writing algorithms as they are too cumbersome, so hopefully they would not put one in</FONT></DIV></DIV>
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> vet-mm-bounces@edulists.com.au on behalf of crb<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thu 20/08/2009 2:15 PM<BR><B>To:</B> 'VET Multimedia Teachers' Mailing List'<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [vet-mm] Exam prep for scripting component<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
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<P><FONT size=2>Agree Rob with all you have said except there has never been a flowchart on<BR>the exam so maybe there will be this year - given this is the last year for<BR>scripting!!!<BR>Also in the examiners reports kids find it reassuring to see the percentage<BR>of kids getting whatever number of marks are allocated to a question ie<BR>usually only a small percentage of kids who gain full marks for a scripting<BR>question.<BR>Claire :-)<BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: vet-mm-bounces@edulists.com.au [<A href="mailto:vet-mm-bounces@edulists.com.au">mailto:vet-mm-bounces@edulists.com.au</A>]<BR>On Behalf Of Rob Swain<BR>Sent: Thursday, 20 August 2009 1:02 PM<BR>To: VET Multimedia Teachers' Mailing List<BR>Subject: [vet-mm] Exam prep for scripting component<BR><BR>Cant help with the tutoring request Andy, but there is often talk on this<BR>list at this time of year about the scripting component on the exam. I<BR>thought it might be opportune to start a thread. Below is nothing that hasnt<BR>been said b4 but some discussion might help new teachers in the course...<BR><BR>This student (and others) can be reassurred by the knowledge that most<BR>students seem to feel the same about the scripting aspects of the current<BR>3/4 course. It is the area that takes many students out of their<BR>comfort-zone and makes them nervous. Whilst that reassurance wont solve the<BR>knowledge-acquisition aspect it may help to settle the anxiety.<BR><BR>I reassure them that the practical section of the exam does not contain<BR>scripting exercises using Actionscript as such - see VCAA exam advice here<BR>...<BR><A href="http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/correspondence/bulletins/2005/june/05junesu1.pdf">http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/correspondence/bulletins/2005/june/05junesu1.pdf</A><BR>and extended in VCAA Bulletin No. 45 February 2007<BR><BR>The theory questions on scripting have been relatively straight-forward in<BR>the past. They have been posed n the form of pseudocode, flowcharts (I think<BR>I remember one of those) and some questions have options for AS, Lingo, JS<BR>but these are short code snippets (say < dozen lines).<BR><BR><BR><BR>My approach with exam prep for scripting has been this:<BR>1. ensure students are solid on conditionals (if statements) and loops as<BR>this is what the TP unit directly refers to. Loops in AS are handled a<BR>number of practical ways but make sure they clearly understand the logic and<BR>syntax for a 'for' loop - this is how we handle a do-while in Flash and has<BR>appeared on the exam a number of times before from memory.<BR><BR>2. use the old scripting questions to get the feel for the degree of<BR>difficulty. Sounds obvious but it will do a lot to reassure them of the<BR>degree of difficulty.<BR><BR>3. Pixeled have a group of sample exam questions on the different areas of<BR>the course - accessed in members area - these are good practiice too.<BR><BR>I'm not a scripting guru and I certainly dont have all the answers but I<BR>mention this approach 'cos our students have done alright on the exam (incl<BR>scripting) for a number of years so I guess I must be doing something right.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Other suggestions, comments, crit would be appreciated.<BR><BR>Rob<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>________________________________<BR>From: vet-mm-bounces@edulists.com.au [vet-mm-bounces@edulists.com.au] On<BR>Behalf Of Andy Gray [mailbrain@gmail.com]<BR>Sent: Monday, 17 August 2009 8:18 PM<BR>To: VET Multimedia Teachers' Mailing List<BR>Subject: Re: [vet-mm] Software for 2010 Exam<BR><BR>Dear All<BR><BR>I have a student who is looking for a tutor in Actionscript. He's a charming<BR>and lovely boy but also highly anxious and will require patient support.<BR>During the scripting sessions he proved adept at following the simple<BR>examples but becomes very stressed when we moved on to the more complex<BR>problems.<BR><BR>He lives in the Windsor area.<BR><BR>cheers<BR><BR>andy gray<BR>mailbrain@gmail.com<<A href="mailto:mailbrain@gmail.com">mailto:mailbrain@gmail.com</A>><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR><A href="http://www.edulists.com.au/">http://www.edulists.com.au</A> - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe<BR>VET Multimedia Mailing List kindly supported by<BR><A href="http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vet/programs/multimedia/multimedia.html">http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vet/programs/multimedia/multimedia.html</A> -<BR>Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and<BR><A href="http://www.pixeled.org.au/">http://www.pixeled.org.au</A> - PixelEd Multimedia Teachers Association<BR><BR>________________________________<BR>**** Notice from Gordon Institute of TAFE ****<BR>This message is confidential, and may contain proprietary or legally<BR>privileged information. 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