[Yr7-10it] What to teach for year 8 IT?

[Christophersen, Paula P]

Thanks Tony for a rich range of ideas and resources.

Regards
Paula

Paula Christophersen
ICT Curriculum Manager
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority
41 St Andrews Place
EAST MELBOURNE 3002
Phone: 03 9651 4378
Fax: 03 9651 4324


-----Original Message-----
From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Tony Forster
Sent: Monday, 16 July 2007 9:27 AM
To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Yr7-10it] What to teach for year 8 IT?

Roland wrote:
"Why expand to trying out Squeak or GameMaker .. but instead of letting
any 
one application tool drive their interest or the course, why not get
them to 
brainstorm a project idea, design a model, build a prototype, try it out

with their friends, document then respond to the feedback. Keep it fun
and 
flexible, you can even draw material and inspiration from another study
area 
or another interest. I have a lot of fun teaching environmental studies
as a 
context with my year 9 class. "

Paula wrote:
"I would like to strongly endorse Roland's approach of using another 
domain(s) as the context for acquiring and applying ICT knowledge and 
skills. Processing real data for a real purpose leads to real learning.
This 
is, in essence, an underpinning premise of VELS "

I strongly endorse both Paula and Roland's comments. Game programming 
provides a context for a wide range of cross domain learning. Drag and
drop 
tools such as Game Maker, are particularly good as kids do not get
bogged 
down in programming syntax. Games require graphics and sound so the
links to 
the domains of music and art are obvious. Use the freeware Anvil Studio
to 
compose and play original music, use Windows sound recorder for short
.wav 
sound effects. Use the Game Maker bitmap editor or use the freeware
graphics 
software Gimp.

See http://www.freewebs.com/schoolgamemaker/IT%20Course-game.doc for a 
multidisciplinary game making project (based on a media project by Keith

Richardson)

Maybe less obvious are the links to literacy, physics, mathematics,
drama, 
2nd language etc.

Games have a narrative or storyline, though branching, get kids to
develop 
game storylines as a literacy activity. See also Tim Rylands 
http://www.timrylands.com/ and Brock Dubbels 
http://brockdubbels.efoliomn2.com/ for more ideas on how to use game
playing 
(not making) for literacy activities.

Game making can be a good way to learn kinematics: speed, acceleration, 
gravity, a few ideas at http://schoolgamemaker.rupert.id.au/samples3/ .
You 
can use spreadsheets in similar ways for iterative solutions to
kinematics. 
See also http://webusers.physics.umn.edu/~border/phys1905f02/

A digression but see also 
http://www.schoolgamemaker.rupert.id.au/links.htm#applets for some great

maths and physics applets.

Many of the activities in drama can replicated in game making, set
design, 
narrative, costume...... There's also making game-based Machinima 
http://del.icio.us/tonyforster/machinima

Quest style games which have lots of narrative could be made in a 2nd 
language, see 
http://www.schoolgamemaker.rupert.id.au/samples0/foreign%20language.gm6
for 
how to use non-Unicode character sets like Japanese. For French, German
its 
easier.

It may not be easy, as Paula says "Of course, this approach also
warrants a 
high level of coordination with your colleagues." Good luck!



_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
Year 7 - 10 IT Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority and
http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology
Teachers Association Inc

Important - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the Department of Education.