[vet-mm] Exam prep for scripting component

[Rob Swain]

Cant help with the tutoring request Andy, but there is often talk on this list at this time of year about the scripting component on the exam. I thought it might be opportune to start a thread. Below is nothing that hasnt been said b4 but some discussion might help new teachers in the course...

This student (and others) can be reassurred by the knowledge that most students seem to feel the same about the scripting aspects of the current 3/4 course. It is the area that takes many students out of their comfort-zone and makes them nervous. Whilst that reassurance wont solve the knowledge-acquisition aspect it may help to settle the anxiety.

I reassure them that the practical section of the exam does not contain scripting exercises using Actionscript as such - see VCAA exam advice here ...
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/correspondence/bulletins/2005/june/05junesu1.pdf
and extended in VCAA Bulletin No. 45 February 2007

The theory questions on scripting have been relatively straight-forward in the past. They have been posed n the form of pseudocode, flowcharts (I think I remember one of those) and some questions have options for AS, Lingo, JS but these are short code snippets (say < dozen lines).



My approach with exam prep for scripting has been this:
1. ensure students are solid on conditionals (if statements) and loops as this is what the TP unit directly refers to. Loops in AS are handled a number of practical ways but make sure they clearly understand the logic and syntax for a 'for' loop - this is how we handle a do-while in Flash and has appeared on the exam a number of times before from memory.

2. use the old scripting questions to get the feel for the degree of difficulty. Sounds obvious but it will do a lot to reassure them of the degree of difficulty.

3. Pixeled have a group of sample exam questions on the different areas of the course - accessed in members area - these are good practiice too.

I'm not a scripting guru and I certainly dont have all the answers but I mention this approach 'cos our students have done alright on the exam (incl scripting) for a number of years so I guess I must be doing something right.



Other suggestions, comments, crit would be appreciated.

Rob




________________________________
From: vet-mm-bounces at edulists.com.au [vet-mm-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Andy Gray [mailbrain at gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, 17 August 2009 8:18 PM
To: VET Multimedia Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [vet-mm] Software for 2010 Exam

Dear All

I have a student who is looking for a tutor in Actionscript. He's a charming and lovely boy but also highly anxious and will require patient support. During the scripting sessions he proved adept at following the simple examples but becomes very stressed when we moved on to the more complex problems.

He lives in the Windsor area.

cheers

andy gray
mailbrain at gmail.com<mailto:mailbrain at gmail.com>

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