With 90 days left before the start of the Grade 12 examinations, teachers should now start consolidating and learners should now be revising and practising what they have learned since Grade 10.
 

Provide learners with previous exam papers to practise their skills and to help them prepare for the examinations.

WC June 2009 Papers (Java)

Paper 1 June 2009	Paper 1 June 2009 Memo	Vraestel 1 Junie 2009
Paper 2 June 2009	Paper 2 June 2009 Memo	Vraestel 2 Junie 2009

FS June 2009 Papers (Delphi) are available at:

http://teachitza.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=21&Itemid=40

During the workshop participants reflected on the PAT.
The following questions were raised:

 What are the different roles of the learner?

Client

Designer

Programmer

Tester

What are the different roles of the teacher?

Advisor

Mentor

Assessor

Presentation on the PAT 2009

During the IT workshop, Prof Pieter Blignaut from the University of the Free State shared same very interesting information regarding eye-tracking and gazing.
 

The research is geared towards human computer interaction (HCI), an interdisciplinary field with links to Computer Science, Information Systems, Psychology, Sociology and Graphical Design.  He currently  focuses on eye-tracking as a means to measure the usability of web sites and software applications
 

The presentation shares very interesting facts regarding the topic and the research. They braught all their equipment and demonstrated the process.
 

Participants also had the opportunity to "type" by "gazing" at the keys on an on-screen keyboard!
 

All this made us think hard and long about HCI principles and usability as well as efficient use of a variety of input modes.
 

Read some reports about the research

 

During the IT Workshop, Mr Johan Van Rooyen from Bloemfontein gave us a good update on current trends and technologies as well as a look into the future.

His presentation took us along a timeline: 2009 --> 2010 --------> 2015 --------> 2020 and gave us a summary of the following:

• devices
• business environment
• development environment
• technologies

The videos in the PowerPoint can be downloaded from:

http://www.officelabs.com/Pages/Envisioning.aspx
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrzeiUvDZog
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvtxupQmRSA&feature=related
 

 The Department of Education conducted a workshop for IT subject advisors from all provinces from 4 - 8 May 2009.

The purpose of the training workshop was to:
1)       convey November 2008 Exam results and to discuss strategies to improve results;
2)       clear assessment issues as set out in the SAG  and to clear misinterpretation of policy;
3)       understand the PAT, including marking and moderation;
4)       understand how practical exams should be conducted, including preparation of CDs to be sent to marking centers;
5)       understand how to assess content for all the Learning Outcomes in IT, including setting assessment tasks;
6)       give guidance regarding new content: OOP, Inheritance, Polymorphism and Normalisation of databases; and
7)       share new trends and technologies regarding IT and to share some interesting research aspects in the field.
 

 The above topics were discussed, input given and ideas and strategies shared to support Information Technology in all provinces

Grade 12 National Examination Papers

Dear IT teacher

This is a challenge to you.

The Microsoft Innovative Teachers Forum is a competition that recognises teachers who are using technology in creative ways to promote teaching and learning.

The Innovation Workshops are designed to help teachers who are already using computers with their learners to plan and implement an engaging project (which could then be entered into the competition).

Teachers do not have to attend a workshop to enter the competition – but in the past teachers have reported really enjoying the workshops and that they found them very useful for generating ideas and the opportunity to network with other creative teachers.

In 2008, Sarietjie Musgrave, CAT teacher from Eunice High School in Bloemfontein was one of the SA finalists with her Grade 10 project.

She gained her runner up position in the Microsoft Worldwide Innovative Teachers Awards 2008 in Hong Kong, category Innovation in Community Category

The IT exam guidelines / IT eksameriglyne have been developed to assist teachers and learners in their preparation for the 2009 examinations for the National Senior Certificate (NSC). The exam guidelines provide clarity in terms of scope and depth of the content to be examined in 2009.

The exam guidelines must be read in conjunction with the NCS, the SAG and the LPG for IT.

An exemplar Grade 11 PAT that teachers could use if they wish.

The Grade 11 PAT is based on the Grade 12 PAT to help learners master their programming and software development skills and to prepare learners for Grade 12

Grade 11 2009 PAT Afrikaans

Grade 11 2009 PAT English

Useful source on the topic: http://www.srsa.gov.za/ClientFiles/Ind%20Rulebook.pdf