Monday, January 18, 2010

PAT 2010

I am rather excited about the PATs this year. They are all on Thutong at http://www.thutong.doe.gov.za/computerapplicationtechnology/Home/Blogs/tabid/2236/EntryID/425/Default.aspx or http://www.thutong.doe.gov.za then go to Curriculum and Examination, then select Computer Applications Technology, then select the Blog. The information on the PAT in 2010 is found under the heading PAT 2010 in a very clear table.

The learners must get the BIG picture when they do the PAT. They must have a broad idea of where they are going so my Gr 12s were told to read and learn their PAT instructions for a test today. Here is my test which does not count for 'marks' but the learners did not know that. It could be a nice activity in class.

If you do not like the Gr 10 and 11 PATs apparently you can create your own on your own topic! But is it much easier using a ready made PAT than creating your own. For Grade 12 obviously we have to use the official one. Note that on Thutong the Gr 10 and 11 PATs are in Word which you can change but the Gr 12 PAT is a PDF document which cannot be edited.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I will use the gr 10 and 11 PATs for 2010 as I thing the topics are great and they link to the CAT content. So learners will at the same time learn something about the content. The topics are also relevant and current. I also like the focus on the survey or questionnaire as learners love doing this.

Anonymous said...

I agree with anonymous on the great topics for Gr 10 & 11 PAT. However the Topic for Grade 12 was clearly not given much thought! To allow such a non-computer related topic for teenagers - many of whom have eating disorders seems callous. I have at least 2 learners in gr 12 (in a class of only 9!!) who have spent time in rehabs for eating disorders!

Anonymous said...

"non computer-related topic" - the PAT is about information management and as we all know, information is not always related to computer topics (though nice if, like the Gr 10 and 11 PATs, it could be). Also, isn't the fact that teenagers struggle with eating disorders a very good reason for teenagers to investigate healthy lifestyle habits, including HEALTY eating habits and make them aware of bad habbits that might cause eating disorders???? Sounds relevant to me.

Anonymous said...

I also like the computer-related topics for Grades 10 and 11. This will help them to explore LO1 content, read about it and prepare themselves for exams. I also think that by Grade 12 they are ready to apply information management skills to a topic outside the CAT curriculum. This also shows them that these skills go way beyond.

Anonymous said...

I dislike this topic
We should've been given something in the ICT field, some new technology. What are us CAT students going to do with this eating disorder? Each person knows himself.

Anonymous said...

The PAT for the Gr12 learner is a bunch of crap what does eating disorder have to do with CAT,don't know how can someone think this crap out!!!!!!!!!!!

Dr Pam Miller said...

The previous poster seems to have missed the point of a PAT. A PAT is an activity where the learner uses a particular technique to investigate a problem, a problem where you work with information. I am glad it has nothing to do with computers. I am glad it has to do with things in the real world of the young people.