[Year 12 SofDev] Trace Tables vs desk Check

Tue Sep 17 10:23:46 UTC 2019

Hi All

IMHO the one on the right is a summary of the one on the left and can be done without spreading out over five pages for a major loop and rewriting every line of code many times
The one on the right means that students (developers) have to carry a lot of information in their head so that they can keep track of what is happening.  Some can , some can’t

The one on the left means every little bit is clearly detailed, documented, repeatable, etc. Every thought is explicit and can be followed by anyone. and it takes a lot longer ….

Me, I prefer the RHS one - quicker- and when you get it right it is repeatable if everything works and there are no problems and you are careful !!

Are trace tables /desk check in the new study design?

Andrew Shortell
At Lalor Secondary College for this year.

> On 17 Sep 2019, at 4:29 pm, Chris Bucknell <Chris.Bucknell at haileybury.vic.edu.au> wrote:
> 
> Hi All,
>  
> Study design has “trace tables” as a technique for checking that modules meet design specifications – however, (like Chris) I also considered it to be a tool and the “use of trace tables” to be the technique which would also be called “desk checking”.  But in the end I don’t think it really matters (waiting for the comment…).
>  
> As there is no formal definition or description of a trace table in the study design the only definitive response can either come from Phil or our Chief Assessor (in the form of their examination report).  Personally I like the table on the left as a teaching tool as it is easier for my students to follow what is happening as they step through each line in their algorithm to check that it is correct.  Also after you have done a few of them it’s easy to step across to the version on the right – and its quicker to use in examination conditions.
>  
> So once again… does it really matter 😊
>  
> Regards
>  
> Chris Bucknell
> Head of CDT; Coord,VCE Exams & Internal Exams
> Phone: 03 9904 6360   
>   
> Chris.Bucknell at haileybury.vic.edu.au <mailto:%7bemail%7d>
> www.haileybury.com.au <http://www.haileybury.com.au/>
> 
> 
> From: sofdev <sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au <mailto:sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au>> On Behalf Of Paragreen, Chris J
> Sent: Tuesday, 17 September 2019 3:54 PM
> To: Year 12 Software Development Teachers' Mailing List <sofdev at edulists.com.au <mailto:sofdev at edulists.com.au>>
> Subject: Re: [Year 12 SofDev] Trace Tables vs desk Check
>  
> Hi All,
>  
> I teach my students that the trace table is the tool we use to perform a desk check (the process). Essentially, they are synonymous. I refer to the diagram on the right.
>  
> Regards,
>  
> Chris
>  
>  
> From: sofdev <sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au <mailto:sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au>> On Behalf Of Adrian Janson
> Sent: Tuesday, 17 September 2019 2:46 PM
> To: Year 12 Software Development Teachers' Mailing List <sofdev at edulists.com.au <mailto:sofdev at edulists.com.au>>
> Subject: Re: [Year 12 SofDev] Trace Tables vs desk Check
>  
> Hi Damien,
>  
> Unless I'm mistaken, Desk Checks aren't mentioned in the study design at all. Trace tables are basically the same, and while I've certainly seen versions that have the line numbers on the side, I feel like they are redundant. I usually do Trace Tables (desk checks) like the diagram on the RHS *(in your example), with the bottom-most values representing the current value of the variable.
>  
> I'd be interested to hear other's thoughts on this - as I can change what is in my text for 2020!
>  
> Cheers,
> Adrian
>  
> On Tue, Sep 17, 2019 at 2:35 PM ATKINSON-BUCK, Damien <Damien.ATKINSON-BUCK at ivanhoe.com.au <mailto:Damien.ATKINSON-BUCK at ivanhoe.com.au>> wrote:
> Hi all,
> Apologies if this has already been asked before.
> Could someone please give me a guide as to the difference between a desk check and a trace table. I was under the impression that the desk check was a simply putting all of the variables into a table and checking their value each pass through the loop/function whereas a trace table was a fair bit larger in that they show what happens throughout each line of code, as per the 2 images below.
> Trace Table
> Desk Check
> <image001.jpg>
> From https://www.101computing.net/trace-table/ <https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.101computing.net%2Ftrace-table%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cparagreen.chris.j%40edumail.vic.gov.au%7C43349d3a62b1424958cd08d73b29fea8%7Cd96cb3371a8744cfb69b3cec334a4c1f%7C0%7C1%7C637042924062671349&sdata=LY31oe7CqgiT12iYBxF7PV%2BEQCS4V5RVi%2BLYknBJ91k%3D&reserved=0>	
>  
> <image002.jpg>
> From 2018 Sov Dev Examiners report
>  
> Last year’s exam Section B Q1 asked students to draw a trace table, but the suggested answer in the examiner’s report <https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vcaa.vic.edu.au%2FDocuments%2Fexams%2Ftechnology%2F2018%2Fcomputingsoftwaredevelopment_examrep18.pdf&data=02%7C01%7Cparagreen.chris.j%40edumail.vic.gov.au%7C43349d3a62b1424958cd08d73b29fea8%7Cd96cb3371a8744cfb69b3cec334a4c1f%7C0%7C1%7C637042924062681342&sdata=mFJs%2Bc2U7sVEVGFxljbResuJPdmkvOU0P4xaFPPg%2FJ4%3D&reserved=0> gave what I call a desk check. 
> Is there a difference?
> If there is, what is acceptable in the exam? Given the 2018 exam has used this style, I assume it will be accepted this year, but does anyone have any other thoughts?
> Thanks in advance
> Damien
>  
>  
>  
> Damien Atkinson-Buck  
> Acting Daily Replacement Organiser 
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