Examination question papers

Have a look at the wonderful information re availability of examination papers!

Gr 11 - Third term assessment task

In the third term Grade 11 have a task, Item 5 in SAG : Assignment using additional package. It is based on using PowerPoint or FrontPage and is about cell phone use.
This task is one of the best I have yet seen. The learners have to think and it is within their sphere of interest. They are doing real Internet searches! Luckily I am on the part-time staff of a university and am able to access academic online journals and databases (Science Direct) through their library. The learners have also matured and are not putting all their information on the slide, rather just key words.
The learners are also required to create a document describing their strategy based on pages 306 to 308 of their textbook. This is such nice preparation for their PAT.
On the CD there is an assessment sheet but a colleague and I made this one before I found it there.

Videos for learning

I had a wonderful time during the holidays training CAT teachers. I was asked to create some videos. Here are some new videos.

Working with long documents - Section breaks, Column breaks, Using styles
Excel functions - Round
Always look on my tip sheet for videos.

Excel functions videos

Some Excel functions videos to download - Sumif, Countif / Count and Round.
Other videos can be found on my tips page.

Access quiz

This Access quiz may be of use.

Word - Working with long documents

Have a look at some videos I made to teach aspects of working with long documents. You can download them and then view them off line in a classroom by opening them with a browser.

Modifying styles, Modifying styles of Captions, Table of Contents, Table of Figures, Cross references, Track changes

There are many other teaching videos on my tips page. If other videos are required please just send a request - you may just get your request.

Grade 12 PAT

My Grade 12 learners are just finishing off Phase 4 of their PAT. A problem has become apparent. Although they are showing what they intend doing with the applications, they are not using enough features of the applications to warrant marks. They should look at Phase 5 to see all the features they are meant to use, and bring them into Phase 4. They must also rephrase some of their questions so that they DO use the required features of the applications.

I recommend that in future I print out the whole PAT instruction manual and give it to them. This year I did not as I thought they would lose the pages. I am learning how to manage the PAT.

Keyboarding

End of year examinations are coming up and on reflection I realise that I have neglected to test my learners on their keyboarding skills. In the coming term I must check that. I must also check how to assess their keyboarding skills correctly so that I can give my learners a correct indication of their ability. This may be a problem as I do not have a clue how it is done in examination conditions.

Instructional videos

Look at these instructional videos created by the first ever CAT Hons students at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology - the Round function and Mail merge.

Competition for schools in the Western Cape

Schools in the Western Cape have an opportunity of entering a competition to create an anti xenophobia screensaver with some nice prizes. Look at http://www.khanya.co.za/ (just below the heading). I created the checklist below to guide learners in creating it. We are going to get our own images taken ourselves, or create our own pictures with Word draw in PowerPoint and save them as images. This exercise is rather a nice way of teaching the youngsters file management and working with an image editor.

I ...

Folder

• created a folder with my surname, then first name for saving the screensaver
• created a folder with my surname and the word pics for saving all the images used
• created a folder with my surname and the word sound for saving the sound file used
• saved all my files in my folders
• saved all files with meaningful names

Images

• used my own images taken with my own camera or cell phone, if I used them at all
• used appropriate autoshapes and Wordart that conveyed the message, if I used them at all
• edited the images to send a clear message
• cropped images so that only the really important part shows
• used at least 3 images in the project
• balanced images on the slides/images
  
• used a background colour which contributed to the message of the screensaver
• selected a background colour

Sound / Music

• used sound files suitable to the theme, if I used sound files at all
• used small sound files
• used sound files which can loop (repeat)

Text

• used a clear font
• used a font which is found on all computers
• formatted the font with a size which is readable on a moving screen
• spelt all text correctly
• used correct grammar
• formatted the text with line spacing that leads to clarity
• used appropriate bullets in lists, if I used lists at all
• balanced text and images on the screen
• positioned the text and images on the screen

Message

• added a clear message on the title slide
• presented a clear message in images and words

Animations

• used animations with restraint

Timing

• timed the screensaver based on the number of images

Overall

• checked that the images displayed in the screensaver in the correct order

Final

• clicked on the Create button to create the screensaver.
• renamed the file as a screensaver by renaming the exe with scr
• saved the file (with my surname and name) in a folder in CSSGProjects.
• checked that the whole screensaver was a realistic size

Biblionef

When my Gr 11 learners did the Theme 1 activity on page S9, they just did it. I never really thought about it. I have changed my thinking. At the 2008 Cape Town book fair I saw a stand for Biblionef! I spoke with the people at the stand! Their South African offices are in my town of Pinelands! I found out what they do! Have a look at the website at www.biblionefsa.org.za I think we should consider doing something to help them.

Gr 12 Practical

Many teachers said that their learners did not finish the practical.

Die feit is: 200 punte se werk moet in 3 ure afgehandel kan word. Dit geld ook vir die eindeksamen.

Dit beteken:

Leerders moet in die eerste plek hul werk ken.

• As ‘n Gr 12-leerder nie meer mooi onthou hoe al die soorte tabs werk nie, moet hy/sy dit maar weer gaan verken en oefen voor sy praktiese vraestel.

Leerders moenie tyd mors gedurende die prakties nie.

• Daar is nie tyd in ‘n vraestel om 10 minute te sukkel om iets wat dalk 2 punte tel reg te kry nie! Gestel ‘n bladsynommer (Page X of Y) moet ingevoeg word maar nie op die eerste bladsy vertoon word nie. As ‘n leerder dit nie dadelik regkry nie, moet hy/sy eerder aangaan met die vraestel en nie tyd daarmee mors nie.

Van nou tot die einde van die jaar, moet leerders die prakties OEFEN. Module 6.3 van Computers, part of your life – Book 3, bevat uitstekende oefeninge vir die inoefen van vaardighede.

CAT Exam Papers from Study Opportunities

We are planning to provide the following (at no cost) to everyone who purchased our CAT Grade 12 June Papers:

Grade 12 Prelim Papers
Grade 10 Nov papers
Grade 11 Nov papers

We have given the following dates for the Prelim Papers a while ago.
CAT Grade 12 Prelim
Paper 1 (Practical): Friday, 29 August 2008
Paper 2 (Theory): Tuesday, 16 Sept 2008

I am considering the following dates for the Gr 10 & 11 Nov Papers. If your province is NOT writing common Gr 10 & 11 papers please make a note of these dates or EMAIL ME (study.opp@mweb.co.za) IMMEDIATELY if there is a problem with these dates. I can try (UP TO A POINT) to accommodate everyone, but I cannot guarantee it. Once the dates have been set, I cannot change it - there are too many schools involved.

CAT Grade 10 Nov
Paper 1 (Practical): Tuesday, 11 November 2008
Paper 2 (Theory): Tuesday, 18 November 2008

CAT Grade 11 Nov
Paper 1 (Practical): Thursday, 13 November 2008
Paper 2 (Theory): Thursday, 20 November 2008

An entry form will be available on the web site after the holidays. If you want to make use of this offer you will have to download the entry form, complete it and fax it to us.

The distribution of the papers will work in the same way as was done for the June Papers:

• The question papers and memorandums will be loaded on the website (www.studyopportunities.co.za) as well as on Pam’s blog (studyopp.blogspot.com).
• You will need to download these papers and memorandums yourself; they will not be sent to individual e-mail addresses.
• Passwords for the papers will be made available by SMS 2-3 days prior to the date of the exam (not earlier than that!).
• The passwords for the memorandums will be made available on the day of the exams.

Sandra

Gr 12 PAT - Phase 3

Have a look at 3 examples of Phase 3 of the PAT - the works of Caswell, Meiring and Miller. They received marks of 37, 39 and 33 out of 40 respectively.

Gr 12 Exam papers

The results of my 55 learners for the Gr 12 paper are: Theory 58% and Practical 63% - Pam Miller at Pinelands High School. (Just thought this information may be of interest.)

Gr 12 Exams

Message from Teacher in Gauteng:

My CAT kids of all grades finish far too early for every paper if I stick to the mark allocation in the SAG. Maybe we need to send out a survey to find out what happens in other schools. I think the paper should be either 2.5 hours or the allocation should be upped. Most of my kids finished with between 45 minutes and half an hour to spare – they always do this. It used to happen with the SG theory paper as well. Not one pupil out of 60 was still writing in the last 15 minutes. The problem then occurs that they start becoming a discipline problem as many of my CAT pupils are hyperactive and can’t sit still for long.

Let us know how you feel about the length of the papers.

Gr 12 Theory Exam Memo

The Memo for the Theory and Teorie is now available. The password will be SMSed on Friday.

Gr 12 Practical Exam paper

The Solutions and Oplossings to the Gr 12 CAT practical are available. Please use the PRACMEMO password that you have used for the marksheet.

Marking Computer Applications Technology practical papers

I print a memo sheet / marksheet for every learner and then sit at the computer marking each learner's work. The benefits are that you can use the Show/Hide button in Word, check the Excel formulas and open Access and see how they made the queries and reports. It is the only effective way to mark a computer focused exam. The learners can look at the memo / marksheet afterwards and see exactly where they lost marks.
I mark all question 1s, then mark all question 2s, etc. The logic is that I can focus on the various aspects presented about that specific question.
Examination of each question prior to marking is essential to understand all aspects of that question. Before you mark a question it is a good idea to study it carefully making sure you understand the memo. It is also a good idea to do it yourself.
Possibly this paper could take longer to mark than the old Computyping or Computer Studies SG papers. Reason, there are 200 marks and 200 points to be noted. Personal feedback to Sandra or myself regarding these aspects would be very useful to the provincial authorities to develop a norm time for the big marking session in December. Collated comments will be forwarded to the relevant people.

Gr 12 June Exams

How did it go??

E-mail me (docpam@gmail.com) or Sandra (study.opp@mweb.co.za) and we can upload everybody’s messages on the blog. (Indicate whether you want your name/school added or not.)

Gr 12 June Prac Memo

There seems to be a problem with the PRACMEMO password. It seems as if some cell phones cannot receive an underscore '_'
You should have an underscore '_' between the '1' and the 'M' of your PRACMEMO password, NOT a '§'

Gr 12 June Exam Papers

The marksheet for Paper 1 in English and Afrikaans is now available. You have to know the password to be able to open them.
It would be a good idea to take in the papers in case you have a learner with a doctor's certificate and ... (whatever your school does in those situations), and remember the SMS sent about taking in papers.

Gr 12 Practical Paper

ERRATA
Please change 1.3 as below.
“last week of February” to “end of May”

Please extract the data files from the ZIP file by using your password. The extracted folders and files must be available to the learners. (It should not be necessary for them to extract it during the exam.)

Gr 12 June Papers from Study Opportunities

THEORY PAPER

Paper 2 Theory / Vraestel 2 Teorie

Gr 12 Practical Data

Please check the dates of your data files. If all the dates are the same, such as the following:

change question 1.3

Gr 12 June Papers from Study Opportunities

• Information and Entry Form
• Breakdown
• Instructions

PRACTICAL PAPER and DATA
Right-click and use Save As to save the zip files. The password will be provided via SMS as arranged.

• Paper 1 Practical / Vraestel 1 Prakties
• Paper 1 DATA / Vraestel 1 DATA

Memorandum / marksheets as well as Theory Paper will be uploaded after the weekend. Will send SMS's to keep you informed.

Gr 10 and 11 June exam papers

Many people have just realized that I made an offer of my Grade 10 June exam papers. To test that email to all the prospective recipients of the paper would work, I sent out my Grade 11 paper. I have managed to get all lists in order and am ready to send out when the Gr 10 papers are ready.

No more people will be added to the list. Sorry. The current list stands as it is, now. If you have received an email from me, I have your details and you will receive the paper.

I am now frantically marking and do not have any more time to administer and organise the sending out of my Gr 10 and 11 papers to new people. The Gr 10 papers will be available next week.

The schools who managed to contact me in time were lucky, the papers were free and had the problems ironed out. I will give out details of how many school used the papers after they have been written. Remember security is your problem!

My learners have enjoyed doing the papers.

Gr 12 June CAT paper from Study Opportunities

You want to know what the paper will look like? You want to know the breakdown of the Practical and the Written paper? Have a look - the breakdown is here. Now you can tell your learners what to expect.

Word – Inserting page numbers

The following is found on the Grade 12 Exemplar:

Insert page number fields in the format of ‘Page X of Y’ in the footer so that the page numbering starts to appear on the second page.

To do this make sure you have a document longer than 1 page.

In Microsoft products there are normally a number of ways of doing this. Here are 2 possibilities.
Method 1 - Select anywhere on page 1, then go to Insert, Page Numbers, deselect Show number of first page. Then scroll to any page, not the first page, of the document. Click anywhere on the page. Go to View, Header and Footer, go the area where you want the page number (Header or Footer). Click on the Insert AutoText drop down button, and select Page X of Y. Remove the other page number. There you have it.
Method 2 - Go to File, Page Setup, then Layout. Select Different first page. Then scroll to any page, not the first page, of the document. Click anywhere on the page. Go to View, Header and Footer, go the area where you want the page number (Header or Footer). Click on the Insert AutoText drop down button, and select Page X of Y.

The important thing is to do it from the second page.

This can be done in Activity 5, Page 184 of CAT 1.

Gr 10 Activity 6 on Page 200

My Grade 10 learners have been learning about their own country in Activity 6 on page 200. Many did not know all the provinces in South Africa or their capital cities!

Gr 10 Activity 6 on Page 200

My Grade 10 learners have been learning about their own country in Activity 6 on page 200. Many did not know all the provinces in South Africa or their capital cities!

Gr 11 Pages 140-144

My learners have been doing the chapter Working with paragraphs which includes tabs, columns and various paragraph features. They are completing the Computer Club Newsletter, Test-a-choc, Kliphuisie Holiday Resort and e-Game. They are doing so well!

How did we manage to do so well? They have methodically worked through Theme 2. I methodically spend my lessons walking the classroom giving advice where necessary. The learners work at their own speed on their own through the textbook, completing work each week. And the textbook has progressive activities which teach well.

Success in challenging aspects of Word! Learners feel successful.

Gr 10 Activity 6 on Page 200

The map of South Africa needed on page 200 Activity 6, when opened in Paint, only shows the colours of black and shades of grey.
In order to get colours save the image 16 ColorBitmap and you have the option of giving the provinces colour.

Eskom

Dear Eskom Boss
I have to set a 3 hour practical paper for CAT for grade 11. My school has made the timetable and will not change the days. I have to have 2 back to back sessions because I have so many learners.
I planned to have a 3 hour paper but your organisation is causing problems. Based on some reports, some days in the month of May have been designated as power outage days where we have no power between 12 and 2.30. My Grade 11 practical examination will be on one of those days. This means that 2 sessions have to written before 12 noon. We cannot split the sessions as the learners may not communicate with each other.
I can manage to write on that day only if the paper is cut to 2 hours, and we start my paper 30 minutes before school officially starts.
But now I have heard that power outage days are going to come to a stop.
I have set the paper but the paper and the organisation to write it, may have to change, as you change your mind. These are problems I do not need. Clarity is needed.
Sincerely
CAT teacher

Knowledge of input devices

In the Practical work for CAT in Gr 10 the LPG (page 28) indicates that the learner should have knowledge of input devices such as scanner and digital camera.
Well, we have just had a scanner installed and I will soon create lessons which will compel each learner to use a scanner.
With regard to the digital camera it was easier but not without problems. Each learner had to get photographs of themselves using technology. The pictures were all collected in a folder on the network and named accordingly. I organized a lesson where they will have to use pictures of themselves. Those learners who did not bring a photograph of themselves will have to select the EmptyCan or HotAirJustPromises files.
Learners took photographs using digital cameras and cell phones. They then transferred the pictures to the computer. One learner Bluetoothed his picture to my cell phone! I have also learned how to transfer files from my cell phone to my laptop!
In the Gr 11 Theoretical aspects the learners have to have operational knowledge of mobile technologies – I am learning how to use my cell phone and will soon create work which requires use of the cell phone.
Gr 11 also requires operational of networking – that still awaits investigation.

Gr 10 May examination

A number of people have indicated they wish to use my Grade 10 June exam papers.

The paper will be available on the blog, freely available after July, before that password protected. The work which will be covered are those from Theme 1 and Theme 2 up to middle May - have a look at the links. I hope to have the papers available in Afrikaans. The nice thing is that you can adapt them to your needs!

If you want to use the papers THIS term please send me the details below. I will then send you instructions for the preparatory work which needs to be done. You will receive the password later in May.
Teacher name, Cell number, School and Email address - send to docpam@gmail.com

SECURITY IS YOUR PROBLEM!

Searching for old material

To search for old material use the Search button at the top of the screen. Also look at a posting of 18 Feb 2008.

June Gr 12 Examination Paper

This is the form needed to complete for the June CAT Gr 12 Examination Paper from Study Opportunities.

Gr 12 PAT Phase 3

I had a brainwave for Phase 3.

The learners have all the information / evidence they have found in their LONG document arranged in a suitable order.

Have a table or list of all the questions at the BEGINNING of the document.

1. IN the long document repeat each question with its accompanying answer. LINK between the questions at the beginning and their questions/answers in the body using Bookmarks and Hyperlinks (Gr 12 textbook, page 118-119)
   
2. Add information in a small table under EACH question/answer in the body of the document with respect to the

• Evaluation of the trustworthiness of the websites or information
• Relevance of the information
• Indication of which information will be used
• Reasons why this information will help solve the problem

of EACH question.

Submit in digital AND print/hard copy format.

Gr 10 May examination

I have set a nice Grade 10 theory paper and will make it available on 22 May if anyone wishes to use it. It will also be available in Afrikaans.
There may also be other papers - Watch this space!

Gr 12 PAT Phase 2

Here is a copy of my best Phase 2 of the PAT, not full marks but the best in the class. She lost marks in her Search words / strategies and in Using advanced techniques / functions. She obtained 26/30, see the Phase 2 rubric
Here is her Phase 1 and the rubric where she obtained 30/35.

I marked it as I interpreted the rubrics!

Gr 12 Exam Papers from Study Opportunities

Study Opportunities has drawn up Grade 12 question papers (Paper 1 and 2) and memoranda for the June exams. While it is aimed at schools who use the Computers, part of your life series, the Content Framework in the LPG and Sample Papers were studied and compared and taken into account when drawing up the papers. The papers are set, checked and translated by a team of experienced teachers currently teaching the subject.

Note that the papers and memorandums will be available in English and Afrikaans but the papers need to be duplicated by the school.

The cost will be R125 per paper per school, irrespective of the number of learners.

The papers must be written on Wednesday 4 June (Paper 1) and Friday 6 June (Paper 2).

Study Opportunities also plan to do the same with the Prelims/Trial Exams. The June Paper will be used as a trial run to sort out potential logistical problems.

An entry form and more information will be available from Study Opportunities next week.

Gr 12 Februarie toets

My Februarie toets is vertaal. Hier is the vraestel en die Appendix Dankie Judy Louw wat al die vertaal werk gedoen het.

Gr 12 PAT - Phase 2

I have almost finished marking Phase 2 of the PAT.

1. I would say 3/4 of my learners have not shown or indicated how they can use Word, Access or Excel to solve the problem in their PAT. In future I think the rubric needs a special feature, similar to the Internet search feature, on retrieving information from processing data in Word, Access and Excel.
   
2. Many learners will not be able to get the answers to their questions in the sources/places they listed as they are not aligned.
   
3. A few of the learners had nice Survey features. In future I think the rubric needs a special feature, similar to the Internet search feature, on retrieving information from a Survey.
   

So much teaching is still required!

Gr 11 Projects - Activity 1 on page 309

- The Gr 10 learners used the program Inspiration to create mindmaps to assist the Gr 8 learners in doing their projects in steps. I intend printing and laminating them to put in a visible area for the Gr 8 learners. Here is the work of

• Savanah Johnston
• Stuart Bardin
• Brandon Luttig
• Adrian le Roux

Front covers of textbook

In the past photographs of my learners were used on the front covers of the CAT textbooks. They were so thrilled and even now they ‘look’ at themselves on the front. Other kids ‘look’ at their friend’s pictures! It was so cool!
I am looking forward to seeing what pictures have been sent for the new front covers! Details of how to take them and submit them are on the web site. The date for submission has been extended to 18 April.
Look at some of my entries! A grade 10 learner at home, and her brother.

Gr 11 Integrated task 1

The learners need to be taught the difference between an Agenda and Minutes! In the Paired Reading task they cannot seem to get the difference!
I do recommned that learners are taught how to prepare an agenda so that they are able to realise that not all templates are correct and that they must evaluate them.
The templates and wizards in Word are much too involved and not of the level required.

Gr 12 February test

Have a look at my Gr 12 February written test on Hardware, software and networks including trouble shooting with the Appendix. I set the test within a school environment. Many learners lost marks as they did not answer their questions within that environment!

Judy Louw kindly translated the tests! Hier is die vraestel and die bylaag!

(This test is based on the order of work from my education department melded with the textbook.)

Appropriate dress for teaching CAT

When we teach CAT we have to be so careful with respect to our dress. We teach young men and women with bouncing hormones!
I have noticed short skirts and low dress lines (I cannot think of correct words). When we crawl around computer boxes and lean over learners to assist them, we must wear suitable clothes.
And our breath …

Gr 10 Theme 1 test

Here is the test I did this week where I focused on Theme 1. I tried to set it within a scenario and where ICT skills are applied. Use if you wish.
There is a question where learners have to compare things. This feature has repeatedly been done poorly in all grades I have tested. I must really teach them that tables compare like things.
If someone translates the test I do hope they will let me share it with others via the blog