[Year 12 Its] A radical approach to the course

[Kevork Krozian]

Hi Robert,

    Consider the following as part of the IT Systems course over the 3 terms 
that school based learning and assesment is carried out :

 1. High end programming tasks in a true object oriented language such as 
Java using both primitive and advanced data structures such as arrays, 
records, arrays of records, vectors, writing to and retrieving from disk 
files in both text and binary formats, building of truly intuitive GUIs with 
menus, controls and validation such as drop down lists, process validation 
with activation or deactivation of controls bases on actions on the GUI etc 
etc
 2. Building real networks as part of the networking SACs (SAC31 and SAC42) 
using cisco routers, switches, switching routers as used in SOHOs as well as 
larger organisations, setting up wireless access points, configuring 
security for these and demonstrating how simple 128bit wireless encryption 
can be hacked in 3 minutes, demonstrating firewalls and configuration of 
these.
 3. Carrying out SDLC examples using the case studies supplied by VITTA CD , 
amongst others as offered on the lists
 4. Teaching IT Systems students who are also Cisco CCNA students with 
average scores of 95% for Cisco networking assessment tasks.

  and the students who average 96 - 97 % in these SACs score a final study 
score of 38 - 40 meaning there are a further 8% of the IT Systems cohort who 
are higher performers in the Study of Information Systems ( score of 40 
meaning you are in the top 8% of performance in that subject )
  Can anyone maybe explain how this happens if not for lack of working out 
the types of answers the examiners prefer ?

Best Wishes
Kevork Krozian
Mailing List Creator and Administrator
kevork at edulists.com.au
www.edulists.com.au
Tel: 0419 356 034
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Timmer-Arends" <timmer at melbpc.org.au>
To: "Year 12 Information Technology Systems Teachers' Mailing List" 
<is at edulists.com.au>
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 5:54 PM
Subject: Re: [Year 12 Its] A radical approach to the course


> Hello Keith
>
> I agree that lots of exam practice produces results, but yes, I am saying
> that
>
>> conquering the challenge of good exam technique is not a 'good' use of
>> educational endeavour.
>
> At least not in the amount of time it consumes in relation to what 
> (ideally)
> we are trying to teach. While I agree that being able to quickly assemble 
> a
> lot of facts and put together a coherent response is a useful faculty to
> have, surely there are more educationally sound ways of doing this.
> Moreover, I am not so sure that the over emphasis on exam technique does
> "significantly better (prepare students) for many other challenges that 
> life
> will throw up at them in their future social and working lives." - 
> perhaps,
> as others have noted, it does for university, but then that perhaps says
> something about university as well!
>
> (the soap box could get a little crowded - or should we bring our own?)
>
> Regards
> Robert T-A
> Brighton SC
>
>
>
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