While I was browsing the Fullcircle Magazines for articles on sustainable living which could assist with the Grade 12 PAT, I came accross some articles that could also be helpful when dealing with the Grade 11 PAT:

http://www.fullcirclemagazine.co.za/volunteers0804.php (volunteering for a NGO)

http://www.fullcirclemagazine.co.za/peereducation0804.php

Dear CAT 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

Innovation in Community
Sarietjie Musgrave (Eunice High School: Free State)

Spread the Sunshine
The project for Grade 10 Computer Applications Technology involves learners investigating the needs of disabled people and then using their skills to create useful ICT based artefacts for disabled people. A range of applications are used including an animation package to design a public awareness campaign and Clicker to design software to support the disabled.

Another CAT teacher, Thamsanqa Makhathini, Mpophomeni High School in KZN,  reached the finals with a Grade 11 project in a different category:

Innovation in Challenging Contexts
Thamsanqa Makhathini (Mpophomeni High School: KwaZulu-Natal)

Local is Lekker@Mpophomeni
Groups of Grade 11 Computer Applications Technology learners designed research instruments and interviewed community members about Mpophomeni Township pre- and post-1994. Findings, photographs and audio-clips (recorded using cell phones) were then used to create a website.

Wow!!!

You are stars

Read more

The CAT exam guidelines 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 CAT.

Some comments / questions received regarding PAT:

1. The PAT does not help learners to learn applications  / do better in their application packages / practise their application package skills
2. The PAT takes up a lot of curriculum time.
3. We want examples of completed PATs
4. Marking the PAT is time consuming

Answers / Responses:

1. The focus of the PAT is not application packages (LO2) but information management (LO3). The PAT is not designed to teach learners applications or to assess application package skills. It assesses learners' information management skills - their ability to solve an information problem. The fact that they will use applications to help solve the problem and that in doing so they might learn more about the applications and practise their application package skills, is a bonus.
2. Information management, and therefore the PAT, is part of the curriculum and deserves curriculum time. In many instances the PAT is the only teaching / exposure that learners are getting with regard to information management. The PAT assesses the information management knowledge and skills. Formal assessment is an extension of curriculum and normally impacts on contact time. Other formal assessments such as scheduled tests and exams also impact on curriculum / contact time. How much teaching time is lost due to tests and exams?
3. My advice is to give them examples of 2008 PATs. Examples on 2009 topics may result in learners copying and pasting / plagiarism. Some 2008 examples could be viewed on Dr Pam Miller's blog. You can also view examples of phase 1 done on a different topic on the Limpopo site.
4. The assessment tools have been reviewed and simplified and hopefully will lead to easier marking that is less time consuming. PAT assessment is not micro assessment but checking against criteria and making a judgement based on the criteria.

Some comments / questions received regarding PAT:

1. The PAT does not help learners to learn applications  / do better in their application packages / practise their application package skills
2. The PAT takes up a lot of curriculum time.
3. We want examples of completed PATs
4. Marking the PAT is time consuming

Answers / Responses:

1. The focus of the PAT is not application packages (LO2) but information management (LO3). The PAT is not designed to teach learners applications or to assess application package skills. It assesses learners' information management skills - their ability to solve an information problem. The fact that they will use applications to help solve the problem and that in doing so they might learn more about the applications and practise their application package skills, is a bonus.
2. Information management, and therefore the PAT, is part of the curriculum and deserves curriculum time. In many instances the PAT is the only teaching / exposure that learners are getting with regard to information management. The PAT assesses the information management knowledge and skills. Assessment is an extension of curriculum and normally impacts on contact time. Other assessments such as scheduled tests and exams also impacts on curriculum / contact time. How much teaching time is lost due to tests and exams?
3. My advice is to give them examples of 2008 PATs. Examples on 2009 topics may result in learners copying and pasting / plagiarism. Some 2008 examples could be viewed on Dr Pam Miller's blog. You can also view examples of phase 1 done on a different topic on the Limpopo site.
4. The assessment tools have been reviewed and simplified and hopefully will lead to easier marking that is less time consuming. PAT assessment is not micro assessment but checking against criteria and making a judgement based on the criteria.

Limpopo had a very sucessful teacher training workshop regarding the PAT. http://limpopo.100webcustomers.com/

Teachers were taken through the steps using a very relevant topic for teachers: Teachers found that learners did not want to do the PAT

Have a look at material done during the workshop:  Files on server created by users on workshop  

It seems that teachers worked on Phase 1 during this workshop. They will tackle phase 2 and phase 3 in the next workshop(s)

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 information management and research skills and to prepare learners for Grade 12

Grade 11 2009 PAT Afrikaans

Grade 11 2009 PAT English

Please note: Learners should first acquire database skills before starting on their PAT. This could mean that Grade 11 learners would only start on their PAT at the beginning of the second or third term, depending on the teacher's work schedule for Grade 11.

Introduction

The PAT document advises teachers to give learners some information on the topic such as articles to read before they choose their topic and start working on the PAT.

The following source could be used for such background information:

http://www.fullcirclemagazine.co.za/08maythechoice.html

and also

http://www.fullcirclemagazine.co.za/magazine.html

You can also download presentations regarding the 2009 PAT: http://studyopp.blogspot.com/ (7 February 2009)

Dr Pam Miller takes you through the phases and steps using an example.

The PAT represents an examination paper counting 25% of the total marks for promotion in Grades 10 and 11 and for certification in Grade 12, and should not be taken lightly by learners and teachers.

Failing to submit the PAT may result in a learner not being resulted and/or failing the subject . [:$]

I.e. in Grade 12 the PAT counts as part of the external examination and failing to submit a PAT means that one component of  NSC exam is not done. (It is like not writing an exam paper)