[Year 12 IT Apps] Boolean?

[Roland Gesthuizen]

Rob is right to point out the trans-gender and gender-neutral issue related to database questions about gender identity. I used this example with a news article to point out the problems with rushing to adopt a boolean field and when it is time to try something different. It works well enough for things like “Have they paid their bill”, “Are they a member” etc. I like the suggestion that the test is to ask a question that can support only two answers.

Regards Roland

—
Roland GESTHUIZEN
http://about.me/rgesthuizen

> On 7 Nov 2014, at 4:53 pm, Robert Hind <robert at yinnar.com> wrote:
> 
> Please no! Boolean is True/False.
>  
> Could use it for male/female if the effective question was "are you male?"
>  
> But of course that rules out transgender people as does the M/F dichotomy.
>  
> Please let us stick to "correct" usage of Boolean. 
>  
> Robert Hind
> Retired
> Ex Traralgon and Ashwood
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Christopher Jansen <mailto:Christopher.Jansen at sjc.vic.edu.au> .
>> To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List <mailto:itapps at edulists.com.au>
>> Sent: Friday, November 07, 2014 3:06 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] Boolean?
>> 
>> I think you can use boolean as a data type to describe any field with just two options..
>> I would say you can use it for male / female... It would make the database more efficient.
>>  
>> Thanks,
>> Chris
>>  
>>   <>
>> From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au <mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au> [mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Simone Tynan
>> Sent: Friday, 7 November 2014 2:25 PM
>> To: itapps at edulists.com.au <mailto:itapps at edulists.com.au>
>> Subject: [Year 12 IT Apps] Boolean?
>>  
>> Hi everyone.
>>  
>> Is it safe to talk yet??
>> I have told my students that boolean data type is ‘true/false’. We discussed how M or F (male or female) is text, not boolean. 
>> The exam, question 5 has Travel-style or Business-style (T or B) as boolean. Have I taught my students incorrectly?
>>  
>>  
>> With thanks,
>>  
>>  
>> <image001.png>
>>  
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
>> IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
>> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority <br>
>> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc <br>
>> http://www.swinburne.edu.au/ict/schools - Swinburne University
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
> IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority <br>
> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc <br>
> http://www.swinburne.edu.au/ict/schools - Swinburne University

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.edulists.com.au/pipermail/itapps/attachments/20141108/3a7fdc47/attachment-0001.html