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/