[Year 12 IT Apps] comment about Informatics

Wed May 14 07:27:16 EST 2014

Hi all - I've been inspired and impressed by the detail and passion that we're all (seemingly) displaying in response to the proposed changes in the study design. My 2 cents (which I'll put here AND on the survey): I like databases - and I know that that we generally do - frustrating as they may seem from time to time. I think the CURRENT study design has it pretty well nailed in that there's the flexibility to do more advanced database work in Unit 4 or take up the spreadsheet option - dependent on teacher passion / student drive. And whilst students find them daunting at the start, there's a fair degree of satisfaction when they work! Just as for when a webpage that they've designed and constructed 'works'. 

Considering the year 9 IT course that we run here at TGC which is largely orientated around short, snappy, project-based modules using a variety of software applications (and some theory for good measure) - it's encouraging that students approach the VCE course with some high expectations, yet quickly feel burdened with the weighty nature of some of the theory - and heaven help us, a course that has databases poured all over it!! For mine, I'd prefer to see a broadening of SW applications the students can use - more multi-media, rather than this proposed narrowing approach. 

Regards

Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Judy Zuccon
Sent: Tuesday, 13 May 2014 10:51 AM
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] comment about Informatics

Good morning everyone,

I have only had a brief look at the draft Study Design but here are some thoughts.

I did not think that databases needed to be used for each Outcome, only Unit 3 Outcome 1. I was also thinking  a combination of software tools would be used for the SAT, building on the seven used in Units 1 & 2 Computing. I would hope students would use data visualisation tools or emerging online applications.

The idea of "organising" a SAT was initially daunting. I attend the Vis Com students presentations and have always been impressed with their passion for their original project. I spoke at length to the teacher about SATs who reassured me that students do come up with their own ideas and are really engaged. He also showed me all the documentation that VCAA produces to help with this form of assessment.

I experimented with my Year 8s! I quickly made up an activity (attached) and it worked really well. It is a watered down version of U2O1. This was one they liked:

http://static.squarespace.com/static/51b3dc8ee4b051b96ceb10de/51ce6099e4b0d911b4489b79/51ce6195e4b0d911b4499082/1372480902441/enhanced-buzz-wide-28265-1372291544-15.jpg

I think I will try and build up the necessary skills with the younger students, as they do in the Arts subjects. This way it will not be all unfamiliar in 2016.

My students actually don't seem to mind databases and 50% would chose to answer questions on RDBMS on the exam.

I agree; exciting times ahead.

Many thanks

Judy Zuccon

Teacher, Aquinas College

________________________________

From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au [itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] on behalf of Mark [mark at vceit.com]
Sent: Tuesday, 13 May 2014 9:23 AM
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] comment about Informatics

Hi Maggie.

I don't want to mislead people.

No, the SAT does not mandate databases, but the real choice is going to have to be them or spreadsheets.
I didn't think spreadsheets would have the depth to accomplish the sort of data manipulation required for the SAT, but if teachers get into meatier spreadsheet tools beyond VLOOKUP (e.g. pivot tables and array functions) then I agree that databases would not be necessary.

I am heartened that your students would be cheered by the new course. I can only comment from the experiences I had with my ITA cohorts - and they likely would have been troubled by the complexity of the SAT. I think the SAT will require quite a different lead-up than we are used to.

Apologies if I have misled people.

On 13 May 2014 07:31, Margaret Iaquinto <iaquinto at ozemail.com.au<mailto:iaquinto at ozemail.com.au>> wrote:
OK, Mark, here's another opinion. I'm not sure why you think the new Informatics subject will require us to teach database for most of the year. And you say that students loathe database. My students see the value of database and the power of queries with respect to issues such as data mining and privacy rights. Energising.

You have written that 3 of the 4 Outcomes will be on database. Well, the first Outcome is required to use database. But not the other. The next part is a SAT which is much, much different from Outcomes.

It's exciting because students can do research and find a hypothesis and then work out, with the data collected,  whether it is wrong or right. To present all the findings, a wide range of software tools can be used. I would certainly be teaching spreadsheets to crunch numbers. My students would be learning how to deal with quantitative data AND qualitative data. Some students will be using software I do not know how to use but they have learned from their other subjects. This is much different from anything we have had in the past.

And I know what you tend to do when folks present an opinion which is different from yours: you slam it vigorously in this public forum. There are times when I enjoy reading your bombast because it cloaks the truth especially when it comes to dissecting final examinations. But to be hung out and dried is no fun. Debate, however, is beneficial. Perhaps this is why folks are mute.  And so I expect you to comment on this post and reduce it to worthlessness with low-level analogies such as  unwrapping condoms. And you will poke further fun because I have chosen the wrong verb or misused a semicolon.

Back to the SAT. Not only will I be teaching spreadsheets but perhaps also Photoshop when my students gather primary evidence to support or deny their hypotheses. Most likely I will also be teaching HTML5 and CSS3 to write forms and to present findings. Some teachers may choose many data visualisation tools to examine the data and to present the information.

No long lists of restricted tools and functions. At last!!! Now that is exciting.

Maggie Iaquinto
Teacher, Yeshivah College

--

Mark Kelly
mark AT vceit DOT com
http://vceit.com

Everything that used to be a sin is now a disease - Bill Maher

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