[Year 12 IT Apps] REVIEW OF VCE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Wed Aug 19 12:52:21 EST 2009

My 2 cents:

Consider my situation - I work in a girl's school and haven't yet taught
the current Unit 1-2 study design. In the past 3 years, we haven't had
enough interested students to run a class. I have taught the current
U3-4 Applications once, in its first year, an obvious flow-on from the
previous version of U1-2.

Prior to this study design I taught IT at both Year 11 and 12 for every
year since its inception, often more than one class.

Don't tell me numbers aren't down!

I saw the writing on the wall about this time 4 years ago when the
current study design came out and decided to introduce Multimedia and
Programming units at Year 10.

We have no IT from 7 to 9 - it is integrated into the curriculum!

Both have been very successful, especially the multimedia unit but also
programming which is no mean feat in a girls school, running every year.

But almost none have continued into Year 11 because they are not
interested in databases or spreadsheets. When I explain that U1-2 has
only a little bit of multimedia or programming, that's the end of it. No
takers.

Students can follow their interests into Uni and we are missing out
because IT at VCE doesn't have to be a part of it. 

I hate to suggest reverting to the past, but why can't we go back to
teacher selections of software from a VCAA list? 

Teachers could select software that they think is important but
customised to their students.

BTW Will anyone do multimedia in U1 when web sites are prescribed in U3?

----------------------------------------------------------------

With thanks

Michael Torsello

Director of Computing

St Margaret's School, Berwick

Berwick Grammar School, Officer

Ph: (03) 9703 8111

-----Original Message-----
From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Laurie Savage
Sent: Wednesday, 19 August 2009 10:35 AM
To: 'Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List'
Subject: RE: [Year 12 IT Apps] REVIEW OF VCE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Multimedia and the Office Admin, Business Admin courses seem to cover a
lot

of the applications (in both senses) you mention. When I first stumbled
into

IPM I thought it was a course in search of content. I still think that
and

would not be disappointed to see it die because it overlaps with other
areas

so much. Software Development on the other hand, now there's something
you

can get your teeth into!

Laurie

-----Original Message-----

From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au]

On Behalf Of Gales, Graham W

Sent: Wednesday, 19 August 2009 10:03 AM

To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List

Subject: RE: [Year 12 IT Apps] REVIEW OF VCE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The name of the course is Information Technology Applications.

There are two meanings we can ascribe to 'Applications'

1.  Applications - as in software programs.  

If the course now has two outcomes as databases, then the course is
really

limiting the number of applications the students use. 

Perhaps consideration could be given to opening up the applications
students

use rather than limiting them.

We could even use a Word Processor as an application in an Outcome.
There

are many features of Word Processors that students do not know about and

that lend themselves to  Outcomes e.g. table of contents, footnotes,
mail

merge, hyperlinks, styles.

2.  Applications - as in uses of IT

Yes, databases are a major use of IT in the 'real world', but there are
lots

of things out thing that are not databases as well - publishing,
graphics,

webpages, games.  I believe that we should provide a broad range of

experiences of IT for our students.  

To concentrate on databases will, in my opinion, shrink the pool of

prospective students at my school and may see the demise of the subject.
I

have found that students gain greater pleasure and satisfaction from the

spreadsheet and web-page work than databases. 

Graham Gales

Bright P-12 College

Important - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If
received

in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening or
using

attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any loss,

damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or

not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files
our

liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any

representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual
sender,

and not necessarily those of the Department of Education and Early
Childhood

Development.

_______________________________________________

http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe IT

Applications Mailing List kindly supported by

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html -

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
http://www.vitta.org.au  -

VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc

_______________________________________________

http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe

IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html -
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and

http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology
Teachers Association Inc

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.edulists.com.au/pipermail/itapps/attachments/20090819/cdca7dbd/attachment-0001.html