[Year 12 SofDev] Re: Re: Industry practice

Sun Apr 27 13:02:22 EST 2008

Hi,

I believe a subject should produce quality outcomes. A programming course
that provides students with knowledge to create things like a 2D game is a
quality output. What is better that a student can complete  simple form that
calculates numbers compared to a a fully functional 2D game that is
graphical and uses a wide range of  functionality that a programming
language offers.

At the end of the course if parents/potential students  see an interesting
interactive piece of software compared to a form that calculates numbers
they are more likely to be impressed.
We could incorporate physics and maths into the course eg how an object
falls from a height using physics and use a program to demonstrate how this
looks. We can actually use what students have learnt in other subjects
making IT programming more integrated with other subjects. The scope is
huge.

I remember seeing yr9 students being impressed that we are creating such
software , they wanted to undertake IT as it looks like fun. Also schools
like to display students work for parents/teachers and quality software is
impressive.
Teachers like myself need to make an impact because of short term contract
work. A quality output is a good start to retain employment. Contract
employment is everywhere.

To learn gantt/pert charts takes weeks of constant work, DFD's takes weeks
to do properly, and why do we need  memorize such information like the
difference between a business object and a business goal in IT?

Why are students learning applications anyway like Access,Dreamweaver
because wont these change in years to come? Wasnt this an argument against
just learning a programming language?

Do woodwork students produce a finished item or do they produce a 2 bits of
wood with a join. Have they spent their other time constructing lengthy
designs, and doing essays about tree regrowth and how important this is too
society, or business models of wood factories?

Remember many teachers need to sell their subjects to get the numbers, and
we cant just rely on them turning up and going along with all our ideas of a
rounded education. I know we are in education but IT is subject (to a point)
of market forces.

On Sat, Apr 26, 2008 at 3:35 PM, Adrian Janson <
janson.adrian.a at edumail.vic.gov.au> wrote:

>  Hi everyone,
>
>
>
> >you are assuming of course that a study which deals only with those
> things relating directly to programming will attract students and bring them
> back in droves.
>
>
>
> And this is – I believe – a big assumption!
>
>
>
> Let us say that there are a core of IT students at the moment who are in
> Year 10 and preparing to undertake VCE next year. What percentage of these
> student do you think look at the course outline and decide "hmmm… looks like
> there is not enough programming… I won't be taking that course – even though
> it is what I am interested in..!"
>
>
>
> Do you think this number is 5%? 10%, 50%! More?
>
>
>
> In my experience – the students that are keen on IT – and the ones that I
> are undertaking my Year 10 programming elective – are carrying on to enrol
> in SD3/4 – regardless of the course content.  Now I don't mean to imply that
> the course content is not important – however, I think that the students
> that we are wanting to attract are the ones that are not necessarily into
> programming!  They are the ones that have not considered undertaking an IT
> career.
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Adrian
>
>
>
> BTW: My off-list email to you Andrew was in regards to your lack of
> identification.
>
>
>
> *From:* sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:
> sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au] *On Behalf Of *Timmer-Arends
> *Sent:* Saturday, 26 April 2008 3:08 PM
> *To:* Year 12 Software Development Teachers' Mailing List
> *Subject:* Re: [Year 12 SofDev] Re: Re: Industry practice
>
>
>
> Hello Andrew
>
>
>
> you are assuming of course that a study which deals only with those things
> relating directly to programming will attract students and bring them back
> in droves.
>
>
>
> Regards
>
> Robert T-A
>
> Brighton SC
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
>
> *From:* andrew barry <jagguy999 at gmail.com>
>
> *To:* Year 12 Software Development Teachers' Mailing List<sofdev at edulists.com.au>
>
> *Sent:* Saturday, April 26, 2008 10:23 AM
>
> *Subject:* Re: [Year 12 SofDev] Re: Re: Industry practice
>
>
>
> Hi,
>
> No I havent received a off-topic email.
> I think i dont' want an debate on why we should keep the status quo with
> IT. I  thought the idea was to encourage students to undertake further IT
> courses beyond of yr12, and provide with them skills so they feel they can
> do it?
>
> With declining numbers in IT courses everywhere I believe we need to argue
> for change , as I have said before. If we don't initiate change then someone
> will do it for us, as business adopt a school policy has threatened. I want
> a programming subject to teach and another that deals with hands on with
> applications eg webpages,VBA etc. Spread the other issues as components of
> unit 1 and 2.
>
> If we don't inspire kids in VCE then they dont go onto IT courses, and
> this seems to be our current issue(except my classes where I have re jigged
> things :).
> _______________________________________________
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> http://www.vitta.org.au - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers
> Association Inc
>
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.edulists.com.au IT Software Development Mailing List kindly
> supported by
> http://www.vitta.org.au/vce/studies/infotech/softwaredevel3-4.html<http://www.vitta.org.au/vce/studies/infotech/softwaredevel3-4.html%20%20>- Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
> http://www.vitta.org.au - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers
> Association Inc
>  _______________________________________________
>  http://www.edulists.com.au IT Software Development Mailing List kindly
> supported by
>  http://www.vitta.org.au/vce/studies/infotech/softwaredevel3-4.html -
> Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
>  http://www.vitta.org.au - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers
> Association Inc
>
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