[Year 12 SofDev] Pseudocode standards

[Mark KELLY]

Hi Andrew.  I realise VCAA has a very clear understanding of how pseudocode
fits into their philosophy of assessment. I just think the existing
pseudocode is totally undocumented (we only understand VCAA's style guide
from past experience) and it's extreme simplicity does not really server
modern languages any more.

Sure pseudocode concentrates on basic programming constructs, but would it
really hurt if some proper I/O and control structures were included: the
standard features that every programming language in the world has?

It could make questions so much richer and potentially more challenging.
With the current pseudocode set, VCAA is playing Scrabble with 5 tiles
instead of a full rack.  Yeah, that analogy sucked bigtime...

I'm mainly bringing this up because it's never been discussed to my
knowledge, and I think it's time it was.

Cheers
Mark

On 18 May 2011 15:05, Andrew Shortell <shortell at get2me.net> wrote:

>  Hi Mark
>
> Before we get too carried away with producing a complex definitive set of
> constructs I would like you (and everyone else too) to carefully read the
> examiners’ reports since 1991 about the question(s) involving writing pseudo
> code or reading pseudo code and flowcharts and Nasty spiderman diagrams and
> match them up to the questions themselves.
>
> Then consider carefully the level at which these questions have had to be
> pitched to elicit a reasonable spread of results. (an average of 50% of the
> available marks is nice )
>
> One needs to carefully consider the purpose of VCE
>
> CATs/SACs/projects are very different to exams
>
> My 5c worth (given that the face value is nearly less than the metal in
> it!)
>
> Andrew
> --
> Andrew Shortell
>
> mailto:shortell at get2me.net <shortell at get2me.net>
> Heidelberg Teaching Unit
> Ph 9470 3403
> Fax  9470 3215
>
>
>
>
> On 18/05/11 11:16 AM, "Mark KELLY" <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au> wrote:
>
> Hi Claudia and all
>
> Is there any news on what pseudocode we can expect to be "standard" in SD
> exams?  Until recently there wasn't even a FOR structure in pseudocode, but
> it's there now (Q4 in the sample questions) - a good move.
> What other structures and syntaxes does VCAA consider appropriate?
>
> Just as the lack of complex structures in flowcharts result in primitive
> and bulky representations of design, a pseudocode lacking important
> programming primitives must hamstring the potential of pseudocode-based
> questions.
> I suggest we need some more powerful data and control structures in our
> pseudocode that better reflect the standards seen in all modern languages.
> The exact naming is neither here nor there as long as they're intelligible
> to everyone...
>
> = for assignment.  Why do we persist with  <- when it's not used in any
> language and is so hard to typeset for printing??
>
> IF-ELSEIF-ELSE-ENDIF (including AND/OR as logical operators)
>
> The three basic loops...
> FOR-NEXT
> DO-WHILE
> LOOP-UNTIL (or REPEAT-UNTIL like last year's exam had)
>
> I'd like pseudocode to be able to declare variables and arrays.  It's a
> vital programming concept...
> DECLARE var AS type
> DECLARE array(a,b) AS type
>
> Add some decent I/O operators...
> INPUT (from keyboard) and READ (from a file)
> DISPLAY (onscreen), WRITE (to file) and PRINT (to paper)
> OPEN - CLOSE text file
> MESSAGEBOX  - hell, our language has to be GUI but there's no GUI support
> in the pseudocode.
>
> One major omission in current pseudocode is the concept of modularity: I've
> never seen a subprogram or function call.
> We could really improve the power and reality of algorithms by allowing
> modularity with
> CALL subprogram(parameters)
> SUBPROGRAM(parameters)-END SUBPROGRAM
> FUNCTION(parameters)-END FUNCTION (with RETURN value)
>
> And if the examiners want to introduce new functions all they have to do is
> explain them before using them. It's not too hard.
>
> Have I left out any important programming concepts you think we could use
> in pseudocode?
>
>
> --
>
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, Subscribe, Unsubscribe
> IT Software Development Mailing List kindly supported by
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
> and
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/softwaredevel3-4.html
> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers
> Association Inc
>



-- 
Mark Kelly
Manager of ICT, Reporting, IT Learning Area
McKinnon Secondary College
McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
Direct line / Voicemail: +613 8520 9085, Fax +613 9578 9253
kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
VCE IT Lecture Notes: http://vceit.com
Moderator: IT Applications Edulist

Want a good time? Call 0112358. Ask for Mr Fibonacci.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.edulists.com.au/pipermail/sofdev/attachments/20110518/25163b20/attachment.html