[Year 12 IPM] New study design

Mon Aug 1 12:39:46 EST 2005

Hi all

Just had a look at the proposed new study design and can hardly believe what I am reading.  They seem to have cut a lot out (eg. digital camera first outcome) and outcomes 1 for both 3 and 4 seem to be remarkably similar - problem solving - with a bit of extra theory thrown in. AND you have to use the same software tool.  Am I missing something?  They also seem to have ditched the privacy legislation (not such a bad thing)  and upped the ante on networks and drawing designs and "representing techniques" (which we know the kids enjoy so much) and the managing change section of the course (SDLC)  seems to have been handed over to systems, without so much as a wimper.

I am quite disappointed - it seems to have become much narrower in focus, when we have an OPPORTUNITY to stop the rot of kids not choosing IT (or IPM or ICT or whatever they decided to call it) because its BORING, and offer them something that is useful, interesting, challenging and above all FUN!  

Just my two cents worth. (sorry about the shouting)

Janet Bane
Patterson River S.C.  

________________________________

From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Mark Kelly
Sent: Thu 28-Jul-05 1:46 PM
To: IPM List
Subject: [Year 12 IPM] New study design

Random kneejerk reactions - mainly to units 3 and 4...

- IPM is dead!  Oh well - its name was too long anyway  :-)

- We're all very multimedia now.  So much web/multimedia authoring with
occasional spreadsheet/database.  A bit sexier than the old course, as
far as the kids will be concerned.

- ONLY TWO OUTCOMES PER UNIT!  At last, a bit more depth; a slight
reversion to the CAT days.

- There's only one chance in units 3/4 to give a test.  Hmmm.  Not good
if the exam is still test-condition question-answering.  I'd like a test
option in unit 3.

- a major and slightly worrying change to key knowledge dot points:
there are NO "for example..." or "such as..." guides, and precious few
"including...".  I really relied on those to work out exactly what the
examiners had in mind!  They now refer to simply (for example) "* a
problem solving methodology" which leaves the gates wide open for ANY
such model.  While some teachers may appreciate the bigger theoretical
playground to wander through, I rather liked the guidance that the
current study design gave.  Sure, some of the chosen models (e.g. of the
SDLC) were pretty arbitrary, but at least we were all talking the same
language.  The fuzzy key knowledge will, I fear, make textbooks more
vague and wide-reaching as they attempt to cover many interpretations
and potential branches of the key knowledge (e.g. the current study
design specifies that kids need to know bus and star topologies.  The
new design just refers to "an overview of network topologies", which
GREATLY expands the knowledgebase required by students.  True, the
glossary says "common topologies are star and bus" but that does not
dictate what can and can't be examined.  Hmmm.  Not happy about this
study design innovation.

With problem solving, for example, with the new design one could teach
Polya's method, or the SDLC as we currently know it.  They are not
always compatible with each other...

- Unit 3 Outcome 1 is the biggy for the unit (60% of SACs).  I thought
the first SAC would be the smaller one wile kids were warming up to the
course.

Happy reading everyone!

--
Mark Kelly
Manager - Information Systems
McKinnon Secondary College
McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria Australia
Phone +613 95780844  Fax +613 95789253
http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
IPM Lecture notes: http://vceit.com
Moderator: IPM Mailing List

I'm often spick, but never span.
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