[Year 12 IT Apps] REVIEW OF VCE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE STUDY DESIGN

Wed Aug 19 09:19:26 EST 2009

Paula, I can only speak from personal experience of what is happening at my school.  I have been teachiing Year 12 IT for about 15 years now and the numbers have steadily decreased, even though I have about 30 students this year, its down to 18 next year and software development (which used to run every year) is not running this year, nor will it run next year due to low numbers.

I agree that databases should be part of the course, but not the main focus.  I think there should be a balance between the "business applications" - eg. spreadsheets, databases and the "creative applications" - eg. web page authoring and multimedia.  Mark is right when he says tertiary institutions rarely assume the kids have any prior IT skills and prefer to start from scratch anyway.    

Anyone who says that offering some image manipulation/multimedia/audio manipulation outcome is the "easy option" is kidding themselves.  It can be just as rigorous as any database task, and lends itself perfectly to the creation of a mind map (which seems to be creeping into the course in year 11) where kids have to think about the task, the audience, the software capabilities etc., and document their decisions.  I think kids these days see the computer as less of a business tool and more of a personal communications tool - the vast majority probably won't ever want to create their own database, but they will want to be able to manipulate images, sounds, play games etc. 

Finally, I feel that this course is timid when it could be exciting.  It doesn't really challenge my abilities (limited though they might be) as a teacher.  I don't have to go and learn any new software or techniques, just more of the same, but served up in slightly different portions.  I had really hoped there might be something a bit spicier on the menu.  

regards

Janet Bane
Patterson River SC

________________________________

From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Christophersen, Paula P
Sent: Tue 18-Aug-09 4:52 PM
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: RE: [Year 12 IT Apps] REVIEW OF VCE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY,SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE STUDY DESIGN

Can I just make one comment. For the first time since 2000, enrolments in IT applications (or IPM) have increased this year. This has not been experienced in any of the other units.

Regards

Paula

Paula Christopher

ICT Curriculum Manager

VCAA

41 St Andrews Place

EAST MELBOURNE 3002

(03) 9651 4378

________________________________

From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Bane, Janet A
Sent: Tuesday, 18 August 2009 4:41 PM
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: RE: [Year 12 IT Apps] REVIEW OF VCE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY,SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE STUDY DESIGN

Robert, with all due respect, I think you're missing the point.  Our ITA numbers are decreasing.  Whenever I start to go on about databases or spreadsheets, their eyes start to glaze over.  Students start to nod off.  The occasional one has even fallen off their chair in a deep deep slumber.  They look at me pityingly when I say "its part of the study design, and we have to do it".  Their response is its BORING!   

So how will doing two database SACS, (worthy though they might be) help us to attract numbers to our study?  One database SAC is enough (if it has to stay at all). Lets offer a course that is a bit more interesting for the kids (and one which they will hopefully enjoy and be attracted to because its FUN).

I think the way to go is to include a task that will appeal more to their creative side  - eg.a multimedia task (eg. using powerpoint, photo story, movie maker, flash, kahootz, scratch  etc.) where they have to manipulate picture and sound files (which IMHO have been sadly neglected and the kids love playing with) to produce a product suitable for an audience.  It can still be rigorous in terms of designing, producing (& testing) and evaluating as well as following our  beloved "problem solving methodology".

What do others think???

regards

Janet Bane
Patterson River SC

________________________________

From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Robert
Sent: Tue 18-Aug-09 3:29 PM
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] REVIEW OF VCE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY,SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE STUDY DESIGN

Oh dear!

I happen to like databases. They are used considerably in the "real world".
Sure they are not the only IT app, but should we "tart" the course up to
attract the less interested students, or should we have a course that does
mirror the real world of IT?

Robert Hind (Semi-retired)
Ashwood and Traralgon
robert at yinnar.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Kelly" <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au>
To: "Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List"
<itapps at edulists.com.au>
Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 3:18 PM
Subject: [Year 12 IT Apps] REVIEW OF VCE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, SUMMARY OF
PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE STUDY DESIGN

> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/vceconsult/itsumofchanges.doc
>
> *TWO* ITA outcomes using databases?  O! no no no...
>
> ITA enrolments have been bad enough recently.
>
> This will surely kill them stone dead.
>
> --
> Mark Kelly
> Manager - Information Systems
> McKinnon Secondary College
> kel AT mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
> McKinnon Rd, McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
> Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085 Fax +613 9578 9253
>
> Webmaster - http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au <http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au/> 
> IT Lecture notes: http://vceit.com <http://vceit.com/> 
> Moderator: IT Applications Mailing List
>
> Why do people mis-spell 'grammar' and mispronounce 'pronuniciation'?
> _______________________________________________
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