[Year 12 IPM] New study design

[Mark Kelly]

Random kneejerk reactions - mainly to units 3 and 4...

- IPM is dead!  Oh well - its name was too long anyway  :-)

- We're all very multimedia now.  So much web/multimedia authoring with 
occasional spreadsheet/database.  A bit sexier than the old course, as 
far as the kids will be concerned.

- ONLY TWO OUTCOMES PER UNIT!  At last, a bit more depth; a slight 
reversion to the CAT days.

- There's only one chance in units 3/4 to give a test.  Hmmm.  Not good 
if the exam is still test-condition question-answering.  I'd like a test 
option in unit 3.

- a major and slightly worrying change to key knowledge dot points: 
there are NO "for example..." or "such as..." guides, and precious few 
"including...".  I really relied on those to work out exactly what the 
examiners had in mind!  They now refer to simply (for example) "* a 
problem solving methodology" which leaves the gates wide open for ANY 
such model.  While some teachers may appreciate the bigger theoretical 
playground to wander through, I rather liked the guidance that the 
current study design gave.  Sure, some of the chosen models (e.g. of the 
SDLC) were pretty arbitrary, but at least we were all talking the same 
language.  The fuzzy key knowledge will, I fear, make textbooks more 
vague and wide-reaching as they attempt to cover many interpretations 
and potential branches of the key knowledge (e.g. the current study 
design specifies that kids need to know bus and star topologies.  The 
new design just refers to "an overview of network topologies", which 
GREATLY expands the knowledgebase required by students.  True, the 
glossary says "common topologies are star and bus" but that does not 
dictate what can and can't be examined.  Hmmm.  Not happy about this 
study design innovation.

With problem solving, for example, with the new design one could teach 
Polya's method, or the SDLC as we currently know it.  They are not 
always compatible with each other...

- Unit 3 Outcome 1 is the biggy for the unit (60% of SACs).  I thought 
the first SAC would be the smaller one wile kids were warming up to the 
course.


Happy reading everyone!

-- 
Mark Kelly
Manager - Information Systems
McKinnon Secondary College
McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria Australia
Phone +613 95780844  Fax +613 95789253
http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
IPM Lecture notes: http://vceit.com
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I'm often spick, but never span.