[Year 12 IPM] ITA ("IPM 2007") summary

[Charmaine Taylor]

Hi Debra,
Like Robert Timmer-Arends asked earlier, I'd like to know what you think 
the study design should cover. Several people have complained that the 
new study design isn't what 'we believe is needed' but none of you have 
stated anything specific. What specifically is it that you,and the 
others, think should be changed, deleted, included? I think the study 
design is flexible enough for us all so perhaps I'm missing something.

Charmaine Taylor
Sunbury Downs College


McDonald, Debra A1 wrote:

>Margaret, I agree.   I have only got half way through the document and even though  I am having a difficult time at the moment trying to work out what to do and how.  It is the document that we are going to be teaching from for the next few years and due to that, we have to work out how to make it work for us and try not to work against it.  As far as I recall even though it is not officially ready yet there is not time for big changes maybe not even for little changes.
> 
>I agree with the masses, that kids are leaving our IPM classes in droves (my class is down by 12 kids this year, but I believe this is mainly due to past teachers (for unit 1-2) and the fact that it is more theory than they wanted) or were lead to believe was in the subject,  we simply need to make students want to do the subject somehow and make it more interesting.  
> 
>is there anyway in which we as a large body of people can change what is being mandated we teach in this subject???  
>can those who write the study design include what we believe is needed on the whole (if given the freedom or will we all want something different?)?
> 
>two questions that I for sure don't know the answer but if there is a way let me know and I will be on board 100%. but till then I believe that we need to work with what we have and hope for the next one we can make the changes that we need.....
> 
>Debra McDonald
>
>________________________________
>
>From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Lawson, Margaret
>Sent: Fri 03/03/06 5:01 PM
>To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management Teachers'MailingList
>Subject: RE: [Year 12 IPM] ITA ("IPM 2007") summary
>
>
>
>Apologies if I have offended, and I congratulate those that are
>discussing this topic -  it needs to happen, we need to work through it
>as a community.
>---
>
>I could have expressed my feelings in many other ways before heading out
>to an afternoon of Athletics trials in 35 degree heat with no sun shade
>...
>
>How else ... get over it and grow up? ... you are professionals, deal
>with it? ... if you don't like it, teach something different? Would this
>have sounded better?
>
>My take on the new study design is that I am going to get more from it
>if I work with it and not against it. And my kids are going to respond
>better to learning in my classrooms if I embrace the study design rather
>than bag it.
>
>As for the IT slump issue, yes my school has the same problem as
>elsewhere. So how about we hear about some strategies to get kids
>involved. Computer/Multimedia Clubs, Guest Speakers, after school
>workshops all designed to "hook" the kids and drag them in. One of the
>consequences of many schools abandoning IT as a compulsory subject
>taught by qualified people is that that most of their IT "integration"
>and role modeling comes from teachers who don't want anything to do with
>IT. So when it is offered as a subject, their experiences are not
>exactly positive. Years ago David Dimsey send a "golden" post to the
>list proposing that "English" as a subject should be integrated in the
>same way as IT. After all, every teacher "teaches" English. Food for
>thought.
>
>I would be more than HAPPY to convene a discussion (either on or
>offline) to talk about ideas that we could use to get kids into IT as a
>discipline.
>Perhaps VITTA can organize a network meeting for IT Coordinators and/or
>interested parties to talk about this issue over a glass of red. Or if
>someone would like to name a day during the first week of the break, we
>can then pick a venue.
>
>On the topic of failing IT courses, take a good close look at those that
>were cancelled and those that survived. The ones that have survived have
>very much either been "old school" programming, multimedia,
>computer/electrical engineering or Business/IT courses. Most of the
>failed courses were subjects that they "sexed" up with no substance. The
>Business/IT courses that have survived contain much of the content of
>the new course: Knowledge Management, Virtual Teams, Databases,
>Conventions, Networks, User Interfaces. There might not be many "new
>topics" in the new ITA course, but there is certainly more scope to
>study those topics in depth (or have I read it wrong?).
>
>:)
>
>Margaret (very sun burnt)
>
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