Three years ago, my VCE IT classes got shouldered with the Arts block so the my students are generally drawn from Maths-Science to Business Studies-Arts. Most have an ESL background and my most 'accademic' IT student has only been in Australia for a
couple of years and struggles with many basic computing ideas. I am still smouldering by the reviewer who openly ticked me off for a decline in IT results. Explaining to a bean-counter about small sample sizes, teaching for all and shifting cohort groups doesnt cut much cloth when they wave their moderation wand.<br>
<br>Oddly enough, I have more girls in my year 12 class than boys. I put this to the splendid Go-Girls-Gor-For IT seminar we ran for the year 10s a couple of years ago. My guess is that if I hadn't done this, we would also be down to just one class. The pictures speak for themselves and I believe they are running the event again.<br>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plakboek/sets/72157624373556087/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/plakboek/sets/72157624373556087/</a><br><br>Lock and load .. <br><br>Regards Roland<br><br>PS: My biggest challenge is enthusing kids to return to school / class
following the term break for revision and sticking it out. For the past
couple of years, I sit outside the examination room to fire off a
threatening glare for anybody that even just dates to think about
leaving early (sigh) .. some later admit that the thought of a
grumpy Mr G lurking outside keeps them indoors.<br><br>PSS: Increasingly like the idea of switching to offering SD instead next year.<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Sep 10, 2010 at 10:23 AM, Brendyn Hancock <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:BHancock@nagle.vic.edu.au">BHancock@nagle.vic.edu.au</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-AU">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">M</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Many of our kids are taking classes with fancy names and little
content. Many of them are going for classes that require less of them. Many of
the VCE kids are going to VCAL/VET.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Lots are going to more social based content classes. Environmental
Studies. Social Justice studies. Art.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">My observation.</span></p><div class="im">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">B</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">Brendyn Hancock</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">ICT Manager</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">Nagle College</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">PO Box 507</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">BAIRNSDALE VIC 3875</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">p 03 5152 6122 ext954</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">f 03 5152 6220</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">Disclaimer: 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 Nagle College. < <a href="http://www.nagle.vic.edu.au" target="_blank">http://www.nagle.vic.edu.au</a>></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
</div><div style="border-width: 1pt medium medium; border-style: solid none none; border-color: rgb(181, 196, 223) -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color; padding: 3pt 0cm 0cm;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"> <a href="mailto:itapps-bounces@edulists.com.au" target="_blank">itapps-bounces@edulists.com.au</a>
[mailto:<a href="mailto:itapps-bounces@edulists.com.au" target="_blank">itapps-bounces@edulists.com.au</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Mark KELLY<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, 10 September 2010 9:59 AM<div class="im"><br>
<b>To:</b> Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List<br>
</div><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] McKinnon classes 2011</span></p>
</div><div class="im">
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">Do you know where they're going
instead?</p>
</div><div><div class="im">
<p class="MsoNormal">On 10 September 2010 09:46, Brendyn Hancock <<a href="mailto:BHancock@nagle.vic.edu.au" target="_blank">BHancock@nagle.vic.edu.au</a>>
wrote:</p>
</div><div>
<div><div class="im">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Mark</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Was just about to post this same
discussion. We seem to be all re-visiting this.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Nagle has an enrolment of 950. 2011
classes have just been drafted. Unit 1-2=8 students, Unit 3-4=1 student</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Interesting to note we can only raise 2
classes of 25 student for a term elective of gamemaker in Y10 as well.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Trends are trending away from us..</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Cheers</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">B</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">Brendyn Hancock</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">ICT Manager</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">Nagle College</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">PO Box 507</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">BAIRNSDALE VIC 3875</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">p 03 5152 6122 ext954</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">f 03 5152 6220</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
</div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(118, 146, 60);">Disclaimer: 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 Nagle College. < <a href="http://www.nagle.vic.edu.au" target="_blank">http://www.nagle.vicedu.au</a>></span></p><div><div></div><div class="h5">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<div style="border-width: 1pt medium medium; border-style: solid none none; padding: 3pt 0cm 0cm; border-color: -moz-use-text-color;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"> <a href="mailto:itapps-bounces@edulists.com.au" target="_blank">itapps-bounces@edulists.com.au</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:itapps-bounces@edulists.com.au" target="_blank">itapps-bounces@edulists.com.au</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Mark KELLY<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, 10 September 2010 9:01 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List; Year 12 Software
Development Teachers' Mailing List<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Year 12 IT Apps] McKinnon classes 2011</span></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It's
really odd! <br>
<br>
ITA, which has run continuously <b>forever</b> with good numbers has barely
scraped a class together for next year by combining year elevens and twelves
into one small ITA class.<br>
<br>
SD, which has only run every 3 or so years (with a small cohort when it did
run), is nearly over-subscribed.<br>
<br>
There don't seem to be any clear local causes for such a great change of
attitude (e.g. changes of teachers or big changes in middle-years IT offerings)
so I can only put it down to either something in the water, or the changes to
the study design.<br>
<br>
To be fair, I haven't heard kids explicitly blaming the ITA study design, and
for some reason they seem dead keen on programming in our year 10 Info Systems
elective. My year 11 IT classes have been dead quiet for 2 weeks with the kids
busily coding in VB6. Last year I had to beat them with chairs to finish
the VB material... this year I can sit up the front folding paper aeroplanes
and clipping my toenails while they beaver away and sort out problems within
their own ranks.<br>
<br>
Odd!<br clear="all">
<br>
-- <br>
Mark Kelly<br>
Information Systems Manager; Reporting Manager<br>
McKinnon Secondary College<br>
McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia<br>
Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085<br>
School Phone +613 8520 9000, Fax +613 9578 9253<br>
<a href="mailto:kel@mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au" target="_blank">kel@mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au</a><br>
VCE IT Lecture notes: <a href="http://vceit.com" target="_blank">http://vceit.com</a><br>
Moderator: IT Applications Mailing List<br>
<br>
Korma: the philosophy that what you get out of a curry depends on what you put
into it.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div></div></div>
</div><div><div></div><div class="h5">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><br>
<br>
Scanned by Sonar. <br>
Date: 2010-09-10 09:46:22.971<br>
From: <a href="mailto:bhancock@nagle.vic.edu.au" target="_blank">bhancock@nagle.vic.edu.au</a><br>
To: <a href="mailto:itapps@edulists.com.au" target="_blank">itapps@edulists.com.au</a><br>
Profile: default_out<br>
Mail id: challenge-4075977946mvq-0 </p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
_______________________________________________<br>
<a href="http://www.edulists.com.au" target="_blank">http://www.edulists.com.au</a>
- FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe<br>
IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by<br>
<a href="http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4..html" target="_blank">http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html</a>
- Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and<br>
<a href="http://www.vitta.org.au" target="_blank">http://www.vitta.org.au</a>
- VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc</p>
</div></div></div><div><div></div><div class="h5">
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
<br clear="all">
<br>
-- <br>
Mark Kelly<br>
Information Systems Manager; Reporting Manager<br>
McKinnon Secondary College<br>
McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia<br>
Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085<br>
School Phone +613 8520 9000, Fax +613 9578 9253<br>
<a href="mailto:kel@mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au" target="_blank">kel@mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au</a><br>
VCE IT Lecture notes: <a href="http://vceit.com" target="_blank">http://vceit.com</a><br>
Moderator: IT Applications Mailing List<br>
<br>
Korma: the philosophy that what you get out of a curry depends on what you put
into it.</p>
</div></div></div>
</div>
<div><br><br>Scanned by Sonar. <br>Date: 2010-09-10 10:23:24.772<div class="im"><br>From: <a href="mailto:bhancock@nagle.vic.edu.au" target="_blank">bhancock@nagle.vic.edu.au</a><br>To: <a href="mailto:itapps@edulists.com.au" target="_blank">itapps@edulists.com.au</a><br>
Profile: default_out<br></div>Mail id: challenge-407820340887h-0
<br><br></div><br>_______________________________________________<br>
<a href="http://www.edulists.com.au" target="_blank">http://www.edulists.com.au</a> - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe<br>
IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by<br>
<a href="http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html" target="_blank">http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html</a> - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and<br>
<a href="http://www.vitta.org.au" target="_blank">http://www.vitta.org.au</a> - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College<br>
<a href="http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au">http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au</a><br><br>"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead<br>