Most of the third term should be dedicated to finalise the PAT and to let learners practise their skills with regard to the application packages and prepare them for the November examinations. I have uploaded the Free State Grade 12 mid-year exam paper so that you could have additional papers that your learners could use to practise. 

Free State Mid-year Papers

Limpopo Mid-year Papers

 Eastern Cape exemplar papers 2008

Grade 12 June08 Paper 1	Grade 12 June08 Data Files	Grade 12 June08 Paper 2
Grade 12 Junie08 Vraestel 1	Grade 12 June08 Datalêers	Grade 12 Junie08 Vraestel 2

 Please note: The content of all the papers should be compared to the content in Learning Programme Guidelines (Annexure A) .

Watch this space for more…
Learners should know their applications well and should not search through menu options when they need to complete practical questions. They should work productively and efficiently. 
Learners should also not waste time on things that they cannot immediately get right. They should rather continue with the next question (as questions in exam papers should not be dependent on previous questions) and rather come back at the end to attempt these. 
In completing an exam paper, they should start with the application that they know best and will have less difficulty with.

By the time they are in Grade 12, learners need to be proficient at skills they have honed from grade 10 and 11.
For example, a grade 12 learner should not be spending an inordinate amount of time on "mechanicals", tasks such as setting tabs in a document or a primary key in a database table. One of the aims of the subject is for them to be able to work confidently, accurately and quickly through these types of tasks. This will allow them ample time to tackle some of the higher-order skills that might be required such as setting up more complex formulas in a spreadsheet.
The practical paper also provides for assessment (efficiency, productivity, etc) in that learners who are well versed in the features of the various packages and who can work efficiently will be able to work through the paper fairly quickly.

 

When starting with Phase 2, read the article from Jamie McKenzie regarding Searching for the Grail and Finding Good Information on the Net to prepare learners for phase 2.

The learners should answer the following questions for phase 2:

• Where will I find the information that will answer my questions / help me solve the problem? I.e. in a magazine, on the Internet, etc.
• How will I find the information that will answer my questions? I.e. what would my search strategy be? Identify keywords, advanced search tools, etc. I like Jamie's idea of giving them one good website or article to read about the topic first to start them thinking. As a matter of fact, this could be done when starting with phase 1.
• What tools will I need to find some information? E.g. a questionnaire

Have a look at an example of what phase 2 could look like.
 

Read how to make the most of Word and learn from a Microsoft MVP (most valueable person).

Shauna Kelly follows a professional approach.

Did you know...?

the number of mouse clicks needed to format a heading in Word using direct formatting: 21

and if you use a style: 2

Read more...

The CAT curriculum requires learners to use productive methods, procedures and techniques and this is a good example of using Word more effectively when you know how to work with styles.

This presentation could provide you with a better understanding of the PAT and information management in general.

If you are looking for examples of exam papers or assessment tasks, you could visit the following websites:

Western Cape

Limpopo

IEB

Dr Pam Miller's blog

 Also visit  our Exam Centre on Thutong

Please let us know if you know of any other websites where teachers can find exam papers or assessment tasks to look at.

An experienced CAT teacher sent me this example of a Grade 10 Practical Paper. Hope this will help teachers when setting their own papers. Teachers could also give this to learners to practice for their examinations or to supplement practical activities (daily assessment) during class time. Teachers could also use parts of it (e.g. the questions on word processing) as a practical assignment to assess learners' knowledge and skills on a specific topic (e.g. word processing).

The teacher also sent me this example of a written paper. It could be a good idea to give this to your Grade 12 learners to do in order to revise their operational knowledge from Grade 10.

Touch-typing is a valuable skill for CAT learners to aquire. Have a look at the Keybording A-Z typing tool and lesson plans and see how you can fit that into the Grade 10 curriculum or the Grade 8 or 9 EMS curriculum.

The value of textbooks in the classroom

Why should I use a textbook?

 The use of a good textbook will help you to improve your knowledge of the subject and therefore your teaching. A quality textbook will help you plan and will save you time when preparing for your classes. After presenting your lesson, if each learner has a texbook to work from, the learning is facilitated by the textbook and you are free to assist individual learners, giving help where needed. Using a good textbook will help learners to work at their own speed, encourage them to engage in additional and/or expanded activities. It will help them (and you in the end) to revise work done in class, at home by going through explanations and examples in the textbook and prepare for the next lessons. 

How will using a quality textbook assist me in planning for my subject?

• Study the textbook
• If it does not cover all the content, indicate where you will have to add notes
• Design / Adapt your Work Schedule for the grade according to the textbook that you are using,
• Include the required number of Programme of Assessment tasks per term as per Protocol (7 tasks as set out in the PoA - term 1: 1 test + 1 other task, etc.) according to the topics covered in the textbook and your Work Schedule that you designed / adapted according to the textbook.
• Design your Annual Assessment Plan using the Programme of Assessment tasks indicated in your Work Schedule
• Prepare your lessons and indicate daily assessment by referring to and use appropriate activities / exercises in the textbook (add some of your own if you prefer)

How do I choose a quality textbook?

• Get hold of as many approved textbooks as you can. Ask for inspection copies from publishers.
• Study the textbook
• Compare the content in the textbook to the content provided in the Content Framework in the Learning Programme Guidelines (Annexure A) and make sure that it covers the suggested content.
• Make sure that
  • topics are properly introduced i.e. some background knowledge is provided;
  • the content is at the right level for the grade; and
  • the content is properly scaffolded i.e. gradually introduces learners to more difficult concepts.
• Look very carefully at the activities / exercises provided:
  • Do the activities address the content covered / discussed in the preceeding text?
  • Are the activities scaffolded i.e. guide learners to master the conceptual knowledge learnt, to applying the knowledge?
  • Will the activities / excercises help learners to answer question papers?
  • Are there enough activities / exercises for you to choose from and for learners to do so that drilling and learning will take place?

What is a good texbook?

 A good textbook is like a work of art. It is the sum of a group of inspired leaders in their field of expertise. It is beautiful to behold and lends itself to inspiring interest in and exploration in the subject. It also provides a foundation for the teacher to build upon(Dr Pam Miller) 

Approved texbooks for Computer Applications Technology

Phase 1 of the PAT is where learners have to re-phrase what needs to be done using their own words, highlight the essence of the task and identify the information that they will need to solve the problem by posing relevant questions.

I took phase 1 and completed an example for phase 1 to try and illustrate what is expected. I added comments to try to clarify the issues that I have picked up.

Please note that this phase in not something that is exact and that a teacher will have to read the learner’s work and make a final judgement based on what is submitted.