Value of CAT

What is CAT? Where does the PAT fit in?

As I stood looking at the Library of Alexandria in the developing ancient country of Egypt, I was able to put into words where the developers of CAT were going. CAT is to teach young people to make meaning of information such as that found in books, the Internet and people using the tools currently available, i.e. paper and computers, and present that information. Look at the books, computer terminals and people in the pictures! The PAT teaches how to put the computer skills together to achieve the goal of making meaning and presenting. We teach such an important subject!

Value of CAT

I have just had such a nice response from a person at HESA. I will report on that soon on the blog.

Value of CAT

Learners doing CAT are at such an advantage. The Department of Education and universities have made such a mistake in not making CAT one of the subjects which count for university entrance. In the same way that English or another language counts for university entrance so should CAT. CAT is the language of the 21st century and of academia. I have no idea how they came to regard CAT as not valuable enough for university! I have just started teaching the new Grade 12 work from the Study Opportunities book – wow! I have looked at the exercises in the textbook. That is not university work? Someone has made a major mistake! My learners are angry that a subject where they work at such a high level of thinking is not designated as good enough.
I believe there is a movement among the learners and their parents at my school to petition the HESA http://www.hesa.org.za/hesa/ Link to the Matriculation Board web site at http://www.hesa.org.za/hesa/content.asp?id=420 Have a look at the list of designated subjects on http://www.hesa-enrol.ac.za/nishe/faqs.htm According to the web site the list was finalised in 2005! Did the committee read the NCS? Did they know what they were evaluating? That date was very early to make such a huge decision and I believe it is now time to reconsider. May I propose that the HESA get a selection of textbooks that are being used in the subject and consider them, look at which textbook has market share as that probably has a large influence on the level of the subject; and look at the exemplars and first Gr 12 paper to be written this year. Then re-evaluate the subject.