Asessment

Image found at: http://www.curtis.lassam.net/comics/peakarchives/sidepocket_kid.jpg

Being able to asses students evenly and without bias is something all teachers should do. It should not be some random mark or a comparison to other students.  Marks should not be awarded by an unrealated set of criteria like in the comic above.

When we design assessment activities we should:

• State the the purposes that address the outcomes.
• Show a clear relationship between content and outcomes.
• Allow students to demonstrate the extent of their knowledge, skills and understanding.
• Inform students on what will be assessed.
• Give students opportunities to gather information on what further teaching and learning is required for student to succeed.
• Provides valid, reliable evidence that students learning is fair.  

A way we can insure that the assessment is fair is by having clear rubrics which marks can be given out as they are deserved.  

Different assessments types that we can give our students include:

• Written Reports
• Practical Projects
• Presentations
• Research Activities
• Written and Practical Tests
• Peer Assessment
• Self Assessment
• Other forms of Written Assessment (blogs, posters ect..)

Today it is said that we live in the Digital Education Revolution. This is due to the evolution of the internet and the focus by the government on schools, giving them grants for computers and high speed internet.  

PLANE - (pathways for learning anywhere any time) is a group of resources that can be used by teachers to learn about different topics and to broaden their knowledge base.  

Database Design

A database is a the storage of information which use forms and reports
Forms - used to imput information in dadtbase
Report- to give you clear concise legible information. reports are the way that information is presented it need to have information that the end useer will want to see or know.  It should be clear, the layout can be changed to make the layout clearer. 

Data Types - students are to identify outputs in a database.

• primary sources are forms filled out from jobs and transactions
• secondary- information people have put into a format and given to you which are not as reliable

imput devices barcodes and scanners. createing quires
data base calculations work automatically and can draw conclutions from the information that has been entered into the database.

Teachers could give students a task such as create a database for a fruit shop.  You could get them to concider the different issues, users and ethical factors that they would come across in the database.
They could  create a simple database with this information. 

Expert systems simulates knowledge this is like when you forget your password ait may ask you a few security questions.

The games below are good as Database Design can often be seen as a dry subject but games can be a great tool in livening up this topic!

Database Game!


In the presentation by our peers they displayed a short game that could be used to show the effectiveness of database systems.  there were 2 decks of cards.  One deck was laid out in order in piles of suits. The Second pile had just been shuffled.  The presenters then chose two people from the class.  The presenters then called out a card and the volunteers had to try and find the cards from thier card piles.

Image from http://www.systemsplanning.com/arlis.htm


On-line Database Games!
Click here for website This website it a good resource and has a list of games that can be played with students which aid their learning on the topic of Databases.  I recommend the maze games which is similar to a PAC man game except when you get hit with the smiley face monsters you have to answer the question relating to databases and if you get it wrong you have to answer other questions till you get a question correct then  you are allowed to play.
The game Dunkin' Teacher is also good - students answer database database questions correct the teacher is pushed closer to the cauldron (to be pushed in finally!) if they get the answer wrong the teacher is pushed away from the cauldron.

Core topic: Software Development & Programming

This topic teaches students to write their own code and programming.  
Their are different programming languages (seen in the image below) that can be used some are used more commonly that others such as java script.  
A good textbook is : Information & software Technology a project based approach (Pearson)
You want to keep it as clean and basic as you can. 

Names of some of the many programming codes.

image found at :http://www.collegeteacher.org/csci101/resource_programming/prog03.php 

Scratch a starting program where  students can learn the basics of programming.  they can use Scratch for free and it is a big community.  There are also different games you can create, animations interactive stories, music and art. This is an image based programming site but programming code can also be used by a higher grade.     
    

  

Video found at:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkhjX792yVI

A good assessments that students could use is creating a blog that they post up the different codes that they create as they go, This will make it easier for students as writing about code can be tedious but if they do it progressively and can copy and paste the code they use  and write about its use it can be far less difficult for them.  


When teaching Programming you want to keep it as interesting as you can. We should make a concerted effort to try to keep it interesting.  
I found a website that has different programming links to help kids you may find it helpful.  it shows you different programs that have been created that help kids learn code click here

Ignorance

Image found at:http://www.geekherocomic.com/2008/10/21/the-art-of-programming/

Technology in the Workplace

Technology is becoming an ever growing part of the workplace as we saw some key examples in our lecture :

Video found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESCxYchCaWI&feature=youtu.be

• Maquarie libary as a detailed book storage retrieval system where machines locate certain book crates and they are sent over for the borrower to collect at the desk.  It was modelled on the university of Chicago's library the Joe and Rika Mansueto Libary 
• Maquarie Innovation centre is a great place to take students for excursions.  Students can 
• As well as at IKEA where there is detailed shelf storage where the items can be located by the forklifts where workers can then follow the map to retrieve the products.  
• Virtual Prex which virtual learning in a virtual world.  

Core topic: Software

Core Topic: Software

Software are programs and other operating information used by a computer.
There are 3 main types of software that students will need to differentiate.

1. Application Software
2. Operating Systems and
3. Interfaces

There are three main types of application software:
A good way aid students in their learning is to show student is visually.  

1. Command Line interfaces- these uses lists of scripts and codes and were only used by people who could understand the commands
2. Graphical user interfaces- These are the visual interfaces that have been created so that we do not have to understand every piece code.  There are different interfaces for different types windows and macintosh for example.
3. Natural language Interface- is a human interface were words and phrases control the interface.  

Command line Interface
image found at:http://jrm-research.blogspot.com.au/2006/11/command-line-interface.html

Graphical User Interface for an iPhone
Image found at: http://downloadpsd.com/gui/iphone-gui-psd-source/

Natural Language Interface
image found at:http://www.theasiasun.com/siri-iphone-4s-the-google-killer/923975/

During the lecture we were shown an on-line program called WIX that could be used for students who are in lower grades or who have learning difficulties.  This program helps to get students familiar with the layout of a webpage. This could be used with lower ability students and beginners.  

Video found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs1XSq-qxmA&feature=youtu.be

Even getting students to create a blog on word press or blogger could be a good task as they can play around with the layout of their blog and can continually add information through their posts.  

The site Pearltrees is a good way for students to link websites they like together click here to view a Pearltree It is good because you can place the cursor above the website circle and it gives you a view of the website, so you know if it is the one you are after.   

Video found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zDkwN-_ySg

Robotics & Automated Systems

Robot are programmable manipulators designed to do different jobs that replace human tasks.  Some robots like the SCARA robot can be used in an overhead setting on a grid and do not work underwater.
 the robot Staubi TP80's function is to perform task under water and is the fastest working robot developed so far. Cartesian robots work on an industrial setting and jobs are programmed into the memory base, which the robot completes.

Automated systems are systems that replace humans but they are suseptable to security treats and high costs.  Sensors are used which activate the process.  There can be many different sensor types which responses are programmed into the system.

Students often do not have a chance to have a hands on feel for robotics which is a shame because it is a fun topic with so many possibilities! It can be had to find suitable projects for students.  I have found some videos that have some interesting ideas for building a robot with the students. One in particular I liked which could be a small project for a lower grade is the bristle bot robot which uses the bristles on a toothbrush to sweep around.
If you chose a larger robot it may be more viable for students to work in groups.
 Teaching how to build a robot may take you having to do a short course or getting someone to show you how its done but it would be well worth that learning experience!

Video found at:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD1EOHYIdd4

Video found at:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N05nTiRfX8

Video found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1speabcZNA

This week students in my class presented a web quest on robots.  the web quest was good and could be used as a resource when teaching to give students an short opening or reminder into the topic of Robotics.
Click for Web Quest

I found a helpful chapter on Robotics and Automated systems click here for Chapter from the Cambridge website.  It could be used to complete these quiz questions Click for quiz.

Networks & Core Topic: People

Networks

Their are many different Networks that are used in the community the 4 types of Networks we should teach our students about are:

1. LAN- Local Area Networks
2. WAN- Wide Area Networks
3. MAN- Metropolitan Area Networks and
4. EPN- Enterprise Private Networks

Network Topology

The different layouts of networks should also be taught the different network topology which can be seen in the diagram to the left. The website where the image was found also gives information about each topology type.


Image found at  http://learn-networking.com/network-design/a-guide-to-network-topology

Core Topic: People

It is Important to teach students the importance of being able to communicate with people.  This is an important part of the computing/IT industry.  Why is it important?  Communication is important in a wide range of jobs because in order for a web designer, programmer or technician for instance to find out what the client wants they need to be able to understand and create the programme or design that the client is after in order to be successful.

Video found at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYBPotROKC8

Diversity in the ICT Industry

Image found at:http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/ebay-use-joomla-open-source-glue


We s teachers should be aware of how students learn and need to encourage them to try and play around with programmes in their home computer usage.  Particularly with girls studies have shown that they tend to wait to be taught how to use a program as opposed to boys who tend to learn skills at home through learning as they go.  We need to have a "Give it a Go" attitude toward the students and teach them that technology is not something that they should be reluctant about.

As teachers we should teach students about the different ICT jobs in the workforce that they may be interested in such as magazine editing, librarian, computer technician, programmer and many more
you could show them a few videos maybe one a week to get them thinking about having a career in the computing industry. the video below shows the CGI work done on the character Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean .

Video found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdAEYLWMY3A&feature=related

Arificial Intelligence, Simulation and Modelling

Intellegence systems process informaton in a knowledgebase.  Daemons are a form of atificial intellegence wich stay dormant until a certain condition until a certain condition occurs and it initiates itself.  An agent is a data base which finds our search and brings back the results for you such as Google. 
Expert systems such as medical diagnisis machines help to identify health problems.  there is an online diagnosis machine that students could look at called Web MD Click here for webMD .  input to processing to out put like the impulses reciveing and sending a responce.  Neutral networks can be taught such as voice recognition software. 

Models and simulations
A model is something like a weather map and the simulation takes the information and creates the simulation of the weather like the cold and warm fronts.  games and simulations like lemonade stand and second life. 
Real life examples are things such as financial models where information is fed into the computer and it works out the amounts of money for things such as loans. 
Artificial intellegence also includes robots as they are programmed with intellegence wich allows them to do a range of things including dancing, interacting with the world around it, telling the difference between objects and many other actions as you can see in the video below. 

How you could teach artificial intelligence
students could look at at the history of artificial intellegence.  students could look at simulations. 
Evaluation criteria studnts may wish to develop thier own criteria for a knowledge base. 
students could also look at some web sites and games such as lemonade stand a game that i played at school where an expert system is used and you buy the ingredients for your lemonade stand and you change the quantities such as haveing more ice on sunny day and the compter give you results for how many cups of lemonade you sold.
Lemonade Stand game

Digital Media

What is Digital Media?
It is a Digital method to store and conve digitized information to the public.
Digital media comes in many forms. including digital newspapers, inteactive telivisions and gaming devices. 
My group did a presentation on Digital media Click here to view presentation. 
For the topic of Digital Media the 7-10 Information Software Technology syllabus states that students will examine and analyse different digital media producats and thier uses in different contexts.  They will also produce a digital media product that will include two different data types.
An examples of assesment task you could do with a 7-8 class is you could use a simple animation software you could use a free online animation software like  pencil 2D animation software.  Using this software students could do a simple morphing animation that includes text. click here to view examples of animations
An example of another practial task that could be conducted inside the classroom is a simple photshop tutorial where the students create an invertation for an event such as a school formal.  A Prezi peresintation about the cababilities of photoshop was crteated which included instructions on using photoshop. Click here for photoshop prezi .
It is important to keep in mind that some students may already know how to use a program or may be a faster learner, but we as teachers should not discourage a students eagerness and creativness.  We should always have extra tasks up our sleeves that students may go on with. 

Digital media has had a monumental effect upon society the scope of this effect can bee seen in this video even though it came out in 2009.

Core Topic: Issues

In the lecture we learnt about the cultural disadvantage that students have out in the country in regard to internet access and in particular in aboriginal communities where they may have no internet access.  there are also disadvantages for people with disabilities who are not able to use the highly interactive gaming devices such as the wii. As teachers we should be aware of students who may be at a disadvantage in areas of the ICT subject and think of alternate activities or more inclusive activities that they can participate in.
When thinking of computing we do not often think about the industrial health issues that can be caused by using the computer. Students should be aware that they should have good lighting, the monitor at eye level, good posture, and a chair at the correct hight.

Multimedia Authoring and Hardware

In the presentation by my peers on Multimedia Authoring and Hardware we did an activity on the effectiveness of multimedia.  in this activity we have to look at two different chosen types of advertising multimedia and asses which one we found to be a better advertisement.  This task was good as you learned to not only identify the differences between the two advertisements but you also had to back up your views with reasoning .  You had to think why you thought a particular advertisement was more effective. 

Core Topic: Hardware

The lecture this week was interesting as we were shown a few funny sights that i did not know existed such as uncyclopeadia http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page which is a sight designed to be a joke with non factual information that may appear to some students to be accurate and use in assignments.  We also looked at the instant power that the digital world brings to some people such as the KONY 2012 organisation as well as to the music world where a video may be watched by thousands or millions because it is an interesting video though the music may not necessarily be the sole art form that are causing  an artist or bands success.  We should get students to think about the impact that media can have both positive and negative.

The Internet and Web Development

The internet holds and incomprehensible amount of information which is rapidly growing.
The internet was created in a gradual process of slowly emerging technologies.  For the activity we participated in each group got the name of someone who aided in the formation of the internet our group recived Alan Turing who helped to break the anigma machine code and after the war started to work on one of the first  programs for a stored computer program.



this video raises an interesting point about social media privacy on the internet and how it can be affected by friends. 

Core Topic: Data Handling

Data can be collected from a wide range of sources including digital media, printed work, audio or your own work.  The data must be entered useing the correct format eg. WAV for an audio file. It is important students learn the correct file formats to use when saving thier files because it may lead to a loss in information eg. if a video file is saved as an audio file the visuals would be lost. you could get an image like the one below and get students to learn the file types and do a little quiz with the students.   

The data may be created to be printed as a document, to be tranmitted via the internet or to be displayed on a screen. 

Students should learn the difference between digital and audio waves.  They are stored in binary form using 0's and 1's  as a set of digital values. 

There are 5 main data types including text, numbers, video and animation, audio and graphics. 

we should teach students to be aware of data secturity issues such as viruses and spyware and how the use of firewalls helps to keep data safe.  You could use these exmples to have a discussion on the ethical issues related to the people who create these data safety issues.  They should be taught that hackers and people who comit identity fraud commit illegal offecnces and that it is wrong and there are legal conciquences to these actions. 

Core Topic: Design, Produce and Evaluate

Wholistic marking Vs Rubric marking
A rubric that  is well written means that the children either get then marks or they do not,  if it is clear enough  then students should be able to mark it disregarding bias.  Rubrics make marking easier and the students can know why they go they mark that they recived.  

What was least clear – a post up student instead of what i don’t know.  It is important to allocate marks.  If the rubic is specific it should be clear to the student and they will know what to focus their time on regerding where marks are allocated.  Holistic marking can create problems as students are often unaware of why they received the mark that they got where as with a rubric they can see the specific areas that need improvement.  

Teaching

As teachers of computing subjects you often think that it is your responsibility to know everything about every program but lets face it that is near impossible.  It is important that we are able to adapt and learn as we go.
School is all about preparing students to go out into the workplace.  So students should learn to work in the environments that are used in the workplace.  This means we should try to use more collaborative assignments for students to work on together as collaboration, people skills, project management skills are all the things that future employers will want their workers to have.  
The board of studies IST syllubus 7-10 states that we as teachers need to engage and challenge our students and to maximise thier individual tallents.  we should also promote fair and just values which we can relate to the IST subject. 


I found this interesting video that gives an interesting view point on how we should change to become better teachers.  By incorporating technology and understanding that the children of today are different to past generations as they have grown up with technology and bombardment of information through the stimulation of technology.

Ethical Technology Usage

Week1

Technology can be an exceptionally useful resource in society but there is another side to technology which we usually do not think about.  the fact that it can misused which causes many serious ethical issues.  It is similar to having superpowers they can be used for great and magnificent acts or can be used to degrade and wrong society. 

In our class tutorial we were issued with questions such as what if people could track our whereabouts by the use of the cameras that are all around the city?  How would this make us feel? Is it a good or bad thing? Should any be allowed to access the information?  Are you comfortable with people being able to see your every move? This is an interesting topic because there are many positive and negative points to this argument.  It can bring alot of safety to streets where the cameras are because people will be less inclined to act illegally knowing that they are being watched.  It also can be used by the police as evidence in court as evidence in cases.  If someone was to hack the system and follow you around that would be a violation of your privacy and could be used to stalk and harm you.  I do not think that the videos should be publically available because I believe that people have a right to privacy.

There are many hard issues that emerging technologies drag along with them another example is Global Positioning Systems (GPS) they may be open to hackers who could follow your every move whilst they are a very useful piece of technology. So as a teacher is important that we build up a moral grounding with our students and teach them appropriate and safe use of technology and computers.

This video does a good job of touching on a few topics that could get students to think about some of the positive and negative issues that are associated with technology.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLeDx0T5CSo&noredirect=1

Effective Teaching

I believe technology plays a growing role in schools as computers and smart devices are growing in popularity and capability.  As teachers it is paramount that we keep up to date with technology and understand its various uses.  As it is the most effective way that technology will taught and promoted to the students.