[Year 12 IT Apps] Re: [Yr11 Information Technology] Re: the newsyllabus and some general comments

[Maree Duivenvoorden]

How fortunate to have the luxury of IT skills and application software
(Databases, Spreadsheets and Web Pages), not to mention IT theory, being
taught before Year 12. I do not have that at all (no formal IT classes
before Year 11 and this year no Unit 1 or 2 due to lack of numbers) and
my students have found it hard to keep up with learning the software,
practicing solutions and attending to the theory required all in time
for the outcomes this semester.


Maree Duivenvoorden
Head of Year 9
Toorak College
Mount Eliza Vic  3930

Direct line: 0397887252


-----Original Message-----
From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Mark Kelly
Sent: Thursday, 21 June 2007 11:17 AM
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] Re: [Yr11 Information Technology] Re: the
newsyllabus and some general comments

This year was hard in IT11 and ITA because of the large amount of new 
skills that needed to be taught for the first time - especially 
databases in ITA... why that had to be the FIRST outcome I'll never 
know: a very odd bit of planning, I thought.

I know I spent a LOT more time than usual on developing practical skills

  in semester 1 ITA.  I hope to get time back for theory in sem 2 
because for my kids spreadsheets and web authoring are easy peasy.

Also, ITA U4O2 is a short and sweet test stemming from normal theory so 
time need not be spent on learning yet another tool.

Anyway, we are all (I'm sure) madly rejigging our junior classes so the 
new VCE IT skill requirements are introduced in the lower levels so 
there won't be the precipitous learning curve we faced this year.

For example, the year 11 kids having done databases and programming this

year will find ITA databasing and SD programming easier next year.

fiona bain wrote:
> Not sure who to make this feedback, nor whether it was just me who
> encountered this problem with Unit 1.  I ran out of time.  I took so
long
> with the database and the original web page/publication for outcome 2
that
> outcome 3 will need to be finished in the first week of next term.
> 
> Perhaps I made the mistake of having a web page for outcome 2 and
should
> have used some other form of publication?
> 
> Unit 3 worked much better for us because it dropped down to 2
outcomes,
> although my students (one of whom is very pedantic) struggled with
making
> a proto-type - he wanted the real deal nor could he see the logic of
> putting the networking part with the web site (dont think he was alone
> there).
> 
> Anyway I just thought this was a good time to find out how others felt
and
> perhaps pass the message on up the line (unless it was just me being
more
> disorganised than usual!). This will be the last thing I get involved
> with, I think, as I finish teaching IT next Friday.  I am off to
Brunei in
> August to teach Business Studies.
> 
> I have used this list daily for the last 7 years and, without it,
would
> never have coped.  I just want to say a huge big thanks to everyone
who
> posts.  Keep up the great work. In Scotland, where I am originally
from,
> they have a saying - lang may yer lum reek - may you always have coal
in
> your fireplace - or may you always have good fortune
> 
> 

-- 
Mark Kelly
Manager - Information Systems
McKinnon Secondary College
McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085
School Phone +613 8520 9000
School Fax +613 95789253
kel AT mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au

Webmaster - http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
IT Lecture notes: http://vceit.com
Moderator: IT Applications Mailing List

There are 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary
and those who don't.

_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority and
http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology
Teachers Association Inc