PAT Phase 2

Twitter and Delicious

I believe that all Grade 11 learners should be able to use Twitter, Facebook and Delicious.

• Twitter is wonderful. Here is a PowerPoint in 2007 with a PDF file of the presentation. In case the PPT does not download properly that PPT is available online.
• Look at the posting about Delicious made in 2008. Please become a Fan and link onto my tags. My Delicious name is docpam.

I watch in anticipation for Followers in Twitter and Fans in Delicious.

Online safety

CAT teachers should make use of the opportunity and download the guide to Online safety from getsmarter.co.za  It is very clear and comprehensive.  It is on their home opening web page. 

Google map

Recently I had a small class and was able to do things I could not normally do with a large class.

I showed the learners Google map using the data projector. I then showed them a picture of my home using street view. My house looked awful but … Many accessed Google map on their computers but not all had the required plugins. Some came to my computer to do it with the data projector still on. Tne youngster came to me but wanted the data projector off – I complied with his wish. We looked for his home – we found his aunt’s home in a suburb, we found the ‘address’ the school uses in a suburb which permits him to come to our school, and then we found a nearby street to his home in the township. An interesting exercise – trust, legality and ICT came to the fore.

We all were impressed with Google map, and where they had been in South Africa.

Cost of teaching CAT

Computer Applications Technology must be the most expensive subject for a teacher to teach, with respect to personal expenses. You have to have a computer at home for all the lesson preparations, exam marking, etc. This year I have had to have my laptop repaired R1000, buy a new laptop R7000, pay for the Internet SuperUser course R6000, pay someone to help me mark as I could not cope with the time limits R2500, as well as sundry amounts. All from my own pocket! I have just had a burglary and will now have to buy another new laptop, printer, get an ADSL modem, etc. i.e. replace all the computer stuff again. Must be made of money, just to teach Computer Applications Technology.

Musings on the PAT

Met with a teacher last week who mentioned that she is getting better at the PAT as she is working individually with each learner. I am now doing the same. This is where I am now.
Gr10 – They are having trouble creating a survey – needs clarity – surely they made surveys somewhere before Gr 10? Must sit with each learner individually getting the survey correct.
Gr11 – Working on Phase 2, the plan of how they are going to present their work. Working with each learner individually. Keep having to refer back to what was asked. Giving each heading a Heading 1 or 2 to show structure of document. No learner has given Recommendations for the SGB – must focus on that.

Google CV, Facebook and Twitter

We had very few learners at school today as many are away celebrating Eid Mubarak. The matrics are writing exams, and in one of the periods when I would normally be teaching Computer Applications Technology to Grade 12, I had to substitute for an absent teacher.  The absent teacher had set work but I brought the learners to the lab and introduced them to Twitter and Facebook, and their Google CV.  (I will have to face the teacher on Monday and explain but that is three days away.)

The principal has created a Twitter page for the school http://twitter.com/JeremyGibbon and I have tried to get all those I teach to follow him.  Still much work to do in this field, but very useful and productive lesson.

Gr 12 September exams 2010

Theory Memo

• English, Afrikaans

Keeping up to date

We must all use whatever opportunities to keep abreast in our field.

Earlier this year, when the grade 10s were doing an activity on interviews, I was asked how I keep up to date.  I had a number of answers but I have started doing something else which helps me keep up to date.

I review journal articles for publication in an academic peer reviewed journal.  As I have a PhD I was approached to be a reviewer.  In most academic institutions lecturers have to publish to keep their job.  Well, I check if the articles they want to publish are satisfactory. I am sent the articles the editors deem are in my field - to date I have worked in the field of K-12 and university ICT integration.  It is nice to be recognised in the international academic field. And this keeps me up to date.  

Gr 12 Theory paper

Grade 12 Paper 2 - To the teacher, English question paper, Afrikaans question paper

Problem solving

I have an M.Ed. student doing some work on problem solving in Computer Applications Technology. The work in Excel Gr 10 page 243 at the end of chapter 3 are wonderful examples of problem solving. This type of example lifts Computer Applications Technology above mere applications to higher level thinking. And my Gr 10s have so enjoyed working through this chapter. Well done to the authors. Tomorrow is test day and we see how they managed.

Word formatting

I am busy marking some tests. The test asks for the text to be justified. Some of the pages looked most strange. Some of learners used vertical justification, found in Page Setup. Now I understand why the paragraph and line spacing were correct but the page looked wrong. They used PAGE justification but I wanted TEXT justification. I learned something new in the application.

Gr 12 Practical exam

This is an analysis to the Practical paper showing how many marks were allocated to the different applications. Use the same password as the Practical Paper's MARKSHEET.

Passwords

When you have to use a long and complicated password to unzip a file, do the following:

Type the password in Notepad – while taking note of Uppercase, etc.

Copy and Paste this password when being asked for it.

Gr 12 September exams 2010

Marksheet

• English, Afrikaans and Completed questions (English and Afrikaans)

Africa Geographic digimag

Wonderful link to an African Geographic digimag.  Suitable for sciences and geography teachers.  http://www.africageographicdigital.com/