[Informatics] Thoughts on the 2020 study design - 'Data Analytics'

Mark mark at vceit.com
Sun Mar 17 04:31:27 UTC 2019 

Hi all

I can imagine VCAA seeing old IPM (Information Processing and Management)
and even ITA (IT Applications) and thinking them to be a little too
"TAFEish" and wanting to elevate the course from 'lowly' skills-training to
a more 'respectable' academic VCE level.

I'm pretty sure, however, that Informatics' psychology/statistics core
didn't head in the direction that most aspiring IT students wanted it to go.
They wanted IT, not soft science with a bit of software usage tacked on as
an inconvenient afterthought.

IPM/ITA/Informatics/Analytics is like a hippy in a campervan wandering the
country searching for its hairy identity.
Meanwhile, Grandma Software Development chuckles, confident in herself. She
knows what she is. She knows why she's there. She doesn't change because
she doesn't need to.

Meanwhile, her sibling's campervan spends another four years riding into
the sunset seeking its truth, man.
Maybe the world has changed, and there is no longer a road for the
campervan?
Maybe it is now irrelevant?
Maybe it's like Kodak, Google+, Blackberry, Internet Explorer, Rove
McManus, MySpace, Usenet, floppy disks and COBOL all insisting, "We're
still relevant!"

But what *does* it have to offer in these days that other courses do not
already provide?


On Sun, 17 Mar 2019 at 14:56, Litsa Tzelepis <htzelepis at msj.vic.edu.au>
wrote:

> hello -
> politely speaking - no!
> I already deleted the whole unit and emptied the bin.
> 🌻
>
>
>
> On Sun, Mar 17, 2019 at 2:51 PM Mark <mark at vceit.com> wrote:
>
>> Don't get rowdy, Litsa.  😛
>>
>> Now. Does anyone have any thoughts on the 2020 study design?
>> Will anyone miss the hypothesis and the MMOS?
>>
>> On Sun, 17 Mar 2019 at 14:44, Litsa Tzelepis <htzelepis at msj.vic.edu.au>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> oh there it is - welcome back mark -
>>> a bit of good old fashioned lol is just what we need.
>>> 🍎
>>>
>>> On Sun, Mar 17, 2019 at 1:20 PM Mark <mark at vceit.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> What? ME? *Grumpy*?
>>>> I've got a good mind to punch you on the nose and...
>>>>
>>>> Oh, yeah. I see what you mean.
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, 16 Mar 2019 at 14:28, Roland Gesthuizen <rgesthuizen at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Mark,
>>>>>
>>>>> Love your grumpy elder, critical eye and red pencil on yea olde
>>>>> documents, reminds me of that Moody chap in Harry Potter.
>>>>>
>>>>> Totally wonderful, I have printed out your emails as a set of handouts
>>>>> to use on Monday to pick over with my Preservice Teachers.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sending more coffee love your way via VCEIT.COM (hint for anybody
>>>>> else reading this, donation link is on the upper RHS)
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>>
>>>>> *Roland GESTHUIZEN*http://about.me/rgesthuizen
>>>>>
>>>>> On 12 Mar 2019, at 2:08 pm, Mark <mark at vceit.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Hi all. Here are some thoughts on the brand spanking new Data
>>>>> Analytics units 3 and 4.
>>>>> Hold onto your hats 'cos things have changed.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Unit 3 - DATA ANALYTICS
>>>>>
>>>>> - Yes, folks. Informatics is no more! Not sure if the new name is much
>>>>> better... but the hypotheses and MMOS are no more.
>>>>> - Perhaps this was a reaction to the 40% drop in Informatics
>>>>> enrolments after its first year.
>>>>>
>>>>> *AOS1 tools*
>>>>> - Database (dB), spreadsheet (SS) and data visualisation software.
>>>>> - Note: the 'and' implies that spreadsheets *must* be used.
>>>>> Spreadsheets haven't been examined for a long time. They are welcome back.
>>>>> - Important Note: it does *not* say that the dB software has to be
>>>>> relational! This is odd, but interesting.
>>>>>
>>>>> *AOS2 tools*
>>>>> - at least 1 data manipulation tool (e.g. dB SS) and one visualisation
>>>>> tool + project planning tool.
>>>>>
>>>>> *AOS 1 - Data analytics*
>>>>>
>>>>> Intro
>>>>> "Students develop software solutions using database, spreadsheet and
>>>>> data visualisation software tools".
>>>>> - QUERY - does the 'significant s' in 'solution*s*' mean than more
>>>>> than one solution is required??
>>>>> - QUERY - all 3 of dB, SS, AND datavis tools are required?? YES.
>>>>>
>>>>> "Students develop software solutions using database, spreadsheet and
>>>>> data visualisation software tools"
>>>>> 1. import data from files to a dB
>>>>> 2. import data into SS for 'further refinement' before presenting
>>>>> findings as data visualisations. (Note the plural, again)
>>>>>
>>>>> Analytics U3O1
>>>>> "respond to teacher-provided solution requirements and designs to
>>>>> extract data from large repositories, manipulate and cleanse data and apply
>>>>> a range of functions to develop software solutions to present findings."
>>>>>
>>>>> *U3O1 KK*
>>>>> - new - methods to collect census, Geographic Information System (GIS)
>>>>> data, sensor, social media and weather
>>>>> - the old issue of the difference between correctness and accuracy is
>>>>> still there! More cow jokes, I fear...
>>>>> - New - only the APA referencing style is named! Blessed relief!
>>>>> - Gone - no mention of laws relating to data usage in this outcome. It
>>>>> appears in U3O2.
>>>>> - 3NF is still there. Along with the forever-annoying 2NF...
>>>>> - GONE - user interfaces. This is very odd.
>>>>> - GONE - 'user interacting with online solution' stuff. No more user
>>>>> flow diagrams. Yay.
>>>>> - And the big reveal... HYPOTHESES ARE GONE! MULTIMODAL SOLUTIONS ARE
>>>>> GONE! It's true that a rolling study design gathers no MMOS. Sorry.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> *AO2 - Data analytics: analysis and design*
>>>>>
>>>>> (Part 1 of the SAT)
>>>>>
>>>>> *Analytics U3O2*
>>>>>
>>>>> "propose a research question, formulate a project plan, collect and
>>>>> analyse data, generate alternative design ideas and represent the preferred
>>>>> design for creating infographics or dynamic data visualisations."
>>>>>
>>>>> *U3O2 KK*
>>>>>
>>>>> - Gantt charts are required.
>>>>> - New - Critical path is named. At long last.
>>>>>
>>>>> Unit 4 - Data analytics
>>>>>
>>>>> *Analytics U4O1*
>>>>>
>>>>> - Develop and evaluate infographics or data visualisations to show the
>>>>> findings of the research question prepared in U3O2.
>>>>>
>>>>> (Part 2 of the SAT)
>>>>>
>>>>> *Analytics U4 AOS1*
>>>>>
>>>>> - Ss can use dB or SS.
>>>>> - dB *need not be relational*
>>>>> - RDBMS is never mentioned. But KK still includes foreign keys and
>>>>> 3NF. This is odd.
>>>>> - Evaluate solutions using evaluation criteria prepared in U3O2
>>>>>
>>>>> *Analytics U4O1*
>>>>>
>>>>> "develop and evaluate infographics or dynamic data visualisations
>>>>> [DDV] that present findings in response to a research question, and assess
>>>>> the effectiveness of the project plan in monitoring progress"
>>>>>
>>>>> *U4O1 KK*
>>>>>
>>>>> - U4O1 KK01 - "procedures and techniques for handling and managing
>>>>> files, including archiving, backing up, disposing of files and security". **
>>>>>
>>>>> So they are *disposing of security* along with files? VCAA
>>>>> punctuation is once again ambiguous and misleading. Use the Oxford comma as
>>>>> standard, people!
>>>>>
>>>>> - U4O1 KK03 - "characteristics of information for educating targeted
>>>>> audiences, including age appropriateness, commonality of language, culture
>>>>> inclusiveness and gender"
>>>>> This says that gender is a characteristic of information. What does
>>>>> this mean, VCAA? 'Gender inclusiveness'? This needs to be fixed. **
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> *Data Analytics U4 AOS2 - Cybersecurity: data and information security*
>>>>>
>>>>> - Note - refers to data security in "an organisation", not
>>>>> "organisationS" with the significant "S"
>>>>> - "an organisation uses to protect their data and information" - this
>>>>> is grammatically incorrect. Should be the singular "its", not "their" **
>>>>> - "Students consider the consequences for an organisation that fails
>>>>> to protect their data and information" - ditto **
>>>>> - Does VCAA proofread their designs for punctuation and grammar?
>>>>>
>>>>> *Analytics U4O2*
>>>>>
>>>>> "respond to a teacher-provided case study to investigate the current
>>>>> data and information security strategies of an organisation, examine the
>>>>> threats to the security of data and information, and recommend strategies
>>>>> to improve current practices."
>>>>>
>>>>> *U4O2 KK*
>>>>>
>>>>> - "possible consequences for organisations that fail or violate
>>>>> security measures" - this is grammatically wonky. This equates to "possible
>>>>> consequences for organisations that fail security measures or violate
>>>>> security measures" which does not make sense. **
>>>>>
>>>>> Assessment - "The student’s performance will be assessed using one of
>>>>> the following:
>>>>>     • a case study with structured questions
>>>>>     • a report in written format
>>>>>     • a report in multimedia format."
>>>>>
>>>>> *Assessment Summary*
>>>>>
>>>>> *U3O2*
>>>>>
>>>>> A project plan (Gantt chart) indicating tasks, times, milestones,
>>>>> dependencies and critical path
>>>>> AND
>>>>> A collection of complex data sets that has been referenced
>>>>> AND
>>>>> An analysis that defines the requirements, constraints and scope of
>>>>> infographics or dynamic data visualisations
>>>>> AND
>>>>> A folio of alternative design ideas and detailed design specifications
>>>>> of the preferred design.
>>>>>
>>>>> *U4O1*
>>>>>
>>>>> Infographics or dynamic data visualisations that present findings in
>>>>> response to a research question
>>>>> AND
>>>>>     • an evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of
>>>>> infographics or dynamic data visualisations
>>>>>     • an assessment of the effectiveness of the project plan (Gantt
>>>>> chart) in monitoring project progress
>>>>> in one of the following:
>>>>>     • a written report
>>>>>     • an annotated visual plan.
>>>>>
>>>>> So, a new study design and a new desperate search for a meaning for
>>>>> the unit formerly known as Information Processing and Management, IT
>>>>> Applications, Informatics...
>>>>>
>>>>> I have attached a summary of the Analytics KK for your personal
>>>>> pleasure.
>>>>>
>>>>> Regards,
>>>>> Mark
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>>
>>>>> Mark Kelly
>>>>>
>>>>> mark at vceit.com
>>>>> http://vceit.com
>>>>> Twitter @vceitcom
>>>>> <https://twitter.com/intent/follow?original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fvceit.com%2Fwp%2F&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&region=follow_link&screen_name=vceitcom&tw_p=followbutton>
>>>>>
>>>>> Powered by *a loss of hypotheses.*
>>>>>
>>>>>
-- 

Mark Kelly

mark at vceit.com
http://vceit.com
Twitter @vceitcom
<https://twitter.com/intent/follow?original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fvceit.com%2Fwp%2F&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&region=follow_link&screen_name=vceitcom&tw_p=followbutton>

Not powered by *a campervan.*
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