[Year 12 Its] RE: IPM 2006 Study Design

[Zach Alexakos]

A mid year exam was already discussed in previous emails on the IPM list and
was not favoured by the majority of respondents.  Try fitting in SACs and a
VCAA endorsed mid year exam on top of the course additions (ie: networks) to
IPM and I don't think you'll be very popular with both teachers nor
students.

I'm surprised that with all the talk of industry job "shortfalls" that there
hasn't been a discussion of job placements or experience in the IT Industry
at secondary or even tertiary level.  I realise time would be an issue here
also.  When I applied to complete my IT degree in the United States at one
of their universities I was also guaranteed work placement at the completion
of my degree or an internship.  Unlike here in Australia where you are
directed to the dole queue.

Zach Alexakos,
Nth GeelongSC

Ps:  If the SACs are a farce then that is an indictment on schools in this
state and not of the course itself.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <gordonp at horsham-college.vic.edu.au>
To: <is at edulists.com.au>
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2005 11:57 AM
Subject: RE: [Year 12 Its] RE: IPM 2006 Study Design


some more great thoughts  Stephen - thanks. I'd just like to add:* common
Year 11 course is way more preferable due to class numbers and flexibility
for students in Year 12 choices. Staffing is much more flexible too with a
common course. Is it seriously being proposed that students have to do a 4
unit sequence in IT??If the Year 11 course focuses more on hands on eg
programming, animation, imaging, web etc in the context of solving IT
problems for an organisation, enrolments will increase and the course will
be much more enjoyable to teach! * i've just spent lots of days in the bush
so these thoughts may be regretted later in the week ...but the SAC's are a
bit of a farce really.The state average is 'A' and any great/poor results
can be overidden by the exam result... The exam seems to be the best
indicator of a final result.Why not have a mid-year AND a end of year exam?
Pressure is reduced for students, and validity of assessment increases? It
would follow that the number
 and/or value of SACS be reduced.* in terms of content I think Stephen
speaks for many IS teachers: more programming less artificial theorycheers
gordon"Stephen Digby DEET" <digby.stephen.p at edumail.vic.gov.au> on Fri, 8
Apr 2005 09:26:49 +1000 wrote:> * > > duel 4 unit structure would be a
problem in the context of dropping enrolments (i.e. many schools will only
be able to run> one and thus "kill" the year 12 follow-on.  Some subjects
only get to run every 2 years because of this inability to keep a constant>
class size group.> Joint Year 11 highly preferable.> Achieve different
emphases through allowing programming to be one of the "application
environments" for the whole of year 11 either> for a whole class course or
for those interested (a few  in a number of classes may then make up a class
in year 12).> * > > Don't like extended school assessed coursework.  Sounds
like a CAT.  Credibility of study lies in all content being in exam.>
Otherwise exam gets
  too general or easy or obscure or disconnected from actual activity in the
course.  Exam is THE key student> performance separator so it MUST cover the
key activity of the course or teacher will drift the core activity of the
course TOWARD> what is on the exam (this has happened over the years with
current course).> Thus need specific options which can be specifically
examined at end of year by specific sections of the exam (sorry about the
hard> work that this entails for VCAA !!)> * > > Don't like breadth of IPM
coverage.  Needs to be reduced to deep and skilful use of limited number of
applications and the> organisational ideas that their use illuminates
DIRECTLY (i.e. don't study complete organisational theory just because a
spreadsheet> is CAPABLE of being used in all organisational levels and
contexts)> > Ah...... Holidays......>  > >
==================================> Stephen Digby, Learning Technology
Manager> digby.stephen.p at edumail.vic.gov.au> Cheltenham Seconda
 ry College> www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au <http://www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au/> > Ph:
613 955 55 955  Fx: 9555 8617> ==================================>  > >
_____  > > From: is-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:is-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Christophersen, Paula P>
Sent: Thursday, 7 April 2005 8:53 AM> To: Year 12 Information Technology
Systems Teachers' Mailing List> Subject: RE: [Year 12 Its] RE: IPM 2006
Study Design> > > > I'm back again!! Stephen, I gather from your comments
that you are still in favour of the 6 unit approach, but with changes in
each> unit. The review committee has identified a range of strengths and
weaknesses of each of the options listed in my earlier email and> there has
been a leaning away from the 6 unit approach to either two, 4-unit studies
(one an applications focus; the other a> systems/programming focus) or two,
unit 1 units with a specific focus and two, unit 2 units with as specific
focus, and then a> revamped IPM and IS. We are also con
 sidering having an 'extended school assessed coursework' outcome for the
'big practical-based'> outcome in each unit. It is hoped that this will
address some of your concerns regarding the relationship between theory and>
practice, and rigour.> >  > > Any thoughts?> >  > > Regards> >  > > Paula
Christophersen> > (03) 9651 4378> >  > > -----Original Message-----> From:
is-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:is-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of
Stephen Digby DEET> Sent: Wednesday, 6 April 2005 3:30 PM> To: 'IS List'>
Subject: [Year 12 Its] RE: IPM 2006 Study Design> >  > > Thanks Paula for
the invitation to contribute.  It is great when these offers come so
frequently and openly (if only DE&T worked> that way !!!)> >  > > I think
that the key problems arise from > > * students> >    -  overwhelmingly want
practical skills and knowledge that they can use in their current or future
work (whether it is> specifically vocational or just useful in the
repertoire).> >    -  (reluctan
 tly) accept that they have to learn "theory" because> >        - - it puts
the practical skills & knowledge in context and> >        - - thus makes it
more understandable and transferable> >  > > * VCAA> >     - needs theory so
that it can continue to argue for intellectual equity and rigor among
studies> >     - has reduced space for practical skills and knowledge to
make room for theory> >     - has removed specific practical skills and
knowledge because it has given these to VET and TAFE and does not want
duplication> >  > > * teachers> >   - want to deliver all theory within a
practical context so they want space to develop skill that allow complex
theory to be> experienced.  This takes time and so the amount of theory
covered is in inverse proportion to the amount of practical work (some>
ivory tower dwellers will always argue that any good teacher can deliver
everything simultaneously !)> >   - want to be able to offer specific
courses that meet student needs or be abl
 e to change a generic course to meet those needs.> >   - want to deliver
the nest study score they can> >  > > * unis> >  - don't want students to
think they have already "done" something which needs to be studied in depth
at university> >  - IT is such a chaotic and changeable creature that the
more specific the skills, the less predictable is their utility.> >  - Thus,
unis want students with the highest "general purpose" skills development -
(1) reading (2) comprehension (3) composition> (4) clear & logical thinking
(5) persistence and self-discipline.  They are far less interested in
specific prepatory skills unless> they are "tailored".> >  > >  > > Thus, I
support:> > Year 11:> > General course structure focused on applications of
"application software" e.g. 2 a semester and 3 over the year (including
options> for application environments that support programming).
Application types specified with associated skill/ knowledge lists to>
ensure standards are comparable.
  Assessment task library collected from practicing teachers, vetted for
standards and made> available on line as recommended standards guide and
curriculum support.  Students who wish to focus on system design would
likely> choose a programming support application for the whole year.> >  > >
Year 12 Systems: changed to de-emphasis general theory unrelated to the
capacity of the course to offer related skills and> experience.  Focus on
software development (programming) with specific assessment questions
related to each allowed language, as> well as generic questions re.
programming.  Secondary focus on hardware with options available e.g. WiFi
systems, network systems,> personal computer systems.  Each with specific
assessable content description (differences and overlap).  Idea being to
encourage> depth c whatever the school can provide practically to play with.
Main improvement - more programming time and focus; less general> theory of
which students are unlikely to have
 any possibility of direct experience; more specific hardware focus so that
schools are> encouraged to provide hands on; more of the course specifically
assessable at end of year exam via optional sections.> >  > > Year 12 IPM:
Changed to de-emphasis general theory unrelated to the capacity of the
course to offer related skills and experience.> Focus on software
applications at high standard. Approved software types and "brands" c
associated specific examinable skills &> knowledge (not possible if only
vague software "types" are specified).  2 applications all year.  Students
encouraged to complete> portfolio tasks of increasing complexity as in a job
e.g. MS Access - flat file DB, related DB c standard reports, customised
data> structure and outputs, customised features requiring macros, linked
tables; improve existing design (disassemble, reassemble);> complete DB
based on output document samples etc.  Main improvement - more application
use time and focus; less general t
 heory of> which students are unlikely to have any possibility of direct
experience; more specific software focus so that schools are> encouraged to
provide hands on; more of the course specifically assessable at end of year
exam via optional sections.> >  > > Just some holiday thoughts......> >  > >
==================================> Stephen Digby, Learning Technology
Manager> digby.stephen.p at edumail.vic.gov.au> Cheltenham Secondary College>
www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au <http://www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au/> > Ph: 613 955 55
955  Fx: 9555 8617> ==================================> >  > >  > >   _____
> > From: Maiser at novell2.fhc.vic.edu.au
[mailto:Maiser at novell2.fhc.vic.edu.au] On Behalf Of Christophersen, Paula P>
Sent: Thursday, 24 March 2005 11:44 AM> To: IS List> Subject: RE: IPM 2006
Study Design> > The VCE IT study design is accredited until the end of 2006,
so it's business as usual until the commencement of 2007. A> reaccredited
study design will be available in schools in ea
 rly 2006. This is in line with the VCAA's policy of providing schools> with
a year's notice of its reaccredited study designs.> >  > > I'm not certain
if I should be asking this question, but here goes!! If anyone has some
opinions on the suitability of the current> 6-unit structure of VCE IT,
please share them.  Many of you expressed your opinions in the online survey
last year, and these have> been taken into account. The committee reviewing
the study is considering the viability of some other study structures. Some>
possibilities include:> > *    two studies of 4 units each> > *    one study
only of 4 units> > *    a couple of 'stand-alone' units at units 1 and 2
that have a clear focus/context rather than just Info Tech 1 and Info Tech
2;> and then the IPM and IS-type structure at units 3 and 4> > *    the
current offering (6 unit structure)> > *    the current offering, but with
an option within units 3 and 4> > *    ...?   > >  > > I'm happy for people
to send their co
 mments directly to me, if that is their choice. Alternatively, an open
discussion may result in> other options being proposed. Looking forward to
reading your comments!> >  > > Regards> >  > > Paula Christophersen> > ICT
Curriculum Manager> > VCAA> > 41 St Andrews Place> > EAST MELBOURNE 3002> >
(03) 9651 4378> >  > > -----Original Message-----> From:
Maiser at novell2.fhc.vic.edu.au [mailto:Maiser at novell2.fhc.vic.edu.au] On
Behalf Of Philip Brown> Sent: Thursday, 24 March 2005 9:33 AM> To: IPM List>
Subject: IPM 2006 Study Design> >  > > Has anybody any idea where next years
study design for IPM is at? Is there a web site or discussion forum which is
discussing the> developments or proposed changes? > >  > > P. Brown> Oxley
College> 9727 9917> > Important - This email and any attachments may be
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