[Year 12 SofDev] Exam pseudocode marking - effectiveness or efficiency?

[Maria-ana Sanchez]

It shouldn't be as algorithms are supposed to reach a solution and be creative... However, Question 8 (multiple choice) in the 2013 VCAA exam asks which code is more efficient?


________________________________
From: sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au <sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au> on behalf of Paragreen, Chris J <paragreen.chris.j at edumail.vic.gov.au>
Sent: Thursday, 4 August 2016 3:44 AM
To: Year 12 Software Development Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Year 12 SofDev] Exam pseudocode marking - effectiveness or efficiency?


Hi all,



In an exam situation, I think correctness is more important than efficiency. Provided the student is following the rules of pseudocode (begin/end use of indentation etc.) and the logic is correct, they should be fine.



Chris

From: sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Mark
Sent: Thursday, 4 August 2016 1:26 PM
To: Year 12 Software Development Teachers' Mailing List <sofdev at edulists.com.au>
Subject: [Year 12 SofDev] Exam pseudocode marking - effectiveness or efficiency?



Hi all



In the SD sample exam, B2, students are asked to write pseudocode.

I expect the marker would want to see an answer like this:



Begin

   If Student in Student Details File Then

      If Competition_Score >= 50 Then

         If Competition_Score >= 95 then

            Award [cid:image001.jpg at 01D1EE56.548B52B0]  "High Distinction"

         Else

            Award [cid:image001.jpg at 01D1EE56.548B52B0]   "Pass"

         EndIf

      Print "Certificate" Award

   EndIf

End



It got me to wondering. If - instead of the 'else' a student wrote something like



Elseif Competition_Score >=50



which also would work (but would be redundant since the second IF construct already tested for this) would the student be penalised?



It's good to see SD exams recently recognising and testing students' ability to optimise code, but is optimisation and efficiency a criterion in assessing students' pseudocode?



Regards,

Mark



--



Mark Kelly



mark at vceit.com<mailto:mark at vceit.com>

http://vceit.com

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