[Year 12 SofDev] An open letter re: the Software Development exam

Thu Jan 30 09:07:10 UTC 2020

Hi All
Speaking only on my own behalf - it is hard to write an exam that will please all!
For 2019 I wrote the QAT sof dev practice exam. It  was hard work.

This year 2020 I actually have a sof dev class - I am very excited. So, yes, I want a harder exam so I can get my motivated students to shine. 

Scaling is about the reality that a lot of students take this subject and don’t work very well (if at all) and so there are many students with lowish results. Then because the median has to be 30 (that wonderful Bell Curve) they achieve apparently inflated results. Then scaling bites.

I work to value add to get them into the top half of the cohort. If they work then they achieve that (in general).

An exam with a significant number of more difficult questions that require a higher order response indicative of a thorough knowledge of the material in the study and which are then graded looking for that display of careful thought is what I want to see.

VCAA appoint exam writers - VCAA does not write the exam. VCAA appoint reviewers, vetters, sitter vetters, proof readers all of whom are tasked with using professional judgement. They are rightly protected (very carefully) by VCAA.

The pay for all of these tasks is not exciting. No-one does it for the money.  It is for a glory that they are not even allowed to brag about - there are no medals.

Writing exams for an outside organisation only pays better because it is not split four ways and neither is the workload. I know Adrian has written practice papers - I have used them in the past.

YOU (the people that actually read the lists) should think about what the “quiet response” to Adrian’s open letter appears to indicate - that there are only two people who were not excited by 2019 paper.

If you want to applaud my attitude - please do so off list shortell at get2me.net <mailto:shortell at get2me.net> and if you feel I need to be berated about my wrong attitude do so on list so we achieve a feel for how popular this attitude isn’t!

The 2020 exam should be nearly finished by now but not yet set in concrete - there is still time to raise your voices.

Andrew Shortell

At Sunbury College for 2020 (and part time :-)

> On 30 Jan 2020, at 6:45 pm, Russo, Frank R <Russo.Frank.R at edumail.vic.gov.au> wrote:
> 
> The Examiners report will be an interesting read Adrian.
>  
> When it comes out?
>  
> Frank Russo, ICT Teacher 
> <image001.png> 
> 
> 
>  
> From: sofdev <sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au <mailto:sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au>> On Behalf Of Adrian Janson
> Sent: Wednesday, 29 January 2020 5:05 PM
> To: Edulists - Year 12 Software Development <sofdev at edulists.com.au <mailto:sofdev at edulists.com.au>>
> Subject: [Year 12 SofDev] An open letter re: the Software Development exam
>  
> Coming into a new study design and seeing the call for exam writers, it would be the perfect time to reflect on this study as a whole.
>  
> Last year, I had a strong Software Development class. Having taught Software Development since its inception (and no – don’t ask me how long it has been), I feel I have a pretty good handle on class ability. I’ve certainly had stronger classes, but I don’t think I have had a class of such even ability across the board. My best student had potential to get a 50 (as indeed probably the top 3 did) and my bottom student had strong 40 potential. Obviously this wasn’t my expectation, but it’s a useful measuring stick.
>  
> I’m not talking up my own ability, but I was very pleased with the year. We covered off everything in good order and (at times) in depth. Our exam preparation consisted of over 20 exam papers – and many I marked and gave personal feedback on. Like we all do – I left nothing on the table. And then came the exam….
>  
> As I said to my class in the revision sessions I ran, an easy exam would not be their friend. Sadly this was the case. My class went into the exam and I did the exam in time for them to come out. They were over the moon excited as they all felt they had aced it. I knew the reality – and that was that the exam was way too easy and that it would ultimately penalise those students across the state who had put the work in and reward those who had barely done anything.
>  
> I’ve always been an advocate for this subject – it’s my favourite subject to teach and the one that I find the most engaging. The SAT is terrific!! But an exam of this poor quality does nothing to raise the status of this subject. Actually – I think it actively damages it.
>  
> My students spent a large amount of time on code / algorithms. This was not out of proportion either – the AOS are filled with algorithms and coding content. That is the emphasis of the subject and the argument that some used to remove elements. Networking was removed – “it’s not software development”. The OSI model was removed – “it’s not software development”. Well that is fine – if the emphasis is on software development, the exam needs to reflect this. Rigour in the exam rewards those students that have a deep understanding of the study. The exam had barely any algorithm questions and those that were included were (seriously) of the standard that I would be teaching in Year 7 DigiTech. An exam such as this does damage in that future students don’t see the value in doing the subject. We are already fighting scaling – and we all know that parents and students ask us about this (it is often their first question).
>  
> The new Software Development study design looks good. There are things that we would all change, but it will continue to be an enjoyable subject to teach. But we must have an exam that is challenging and rigorous – otherwise, why have an exam at all? 
>  
> I know others feel this way. Listen – as a teacher, you just want your students to have a fair shot and be rewarded for their efforts. The 2019 exam didn’t do this.
>  
> Kind regards,
> Adrian 
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